The Citroen Dispatch is a close sibling of both the Peugeot Expert and Toyota Proace, and is the panel van version of the Citroen Spacetourer. Launched in 2016 in its latest iteration, it’s both well-equipped and good to drive, and definitely a van that should be on your radar.
It’s also, notably, one of a handful of models on the market also available in fully electric form. While there aren’t many body shapes available - there are just two lengths, and panel and crew variants - the Dispatch should still have a broad enough range to cover a lot of bases.
Key rivals in this market include the Ford Transit Custom, Volkswagen Transporter, and the various vans that sit on the same platform as the Renault Trafic. Citroen itself also offers smaller and larger alternatives in the shape of the Berlingo and Relay, depending on your needs.
If you’re looking for a comfortable, well-equipped van with a decent payload then the Citroen Dispatch is well placed to meet your needs - and with the availability of an all-electric model, the e-Dispatch, it’s also worth a look if your business needs to go zero-emissions for any reason.
Sharing its shape and powertrains with the Peugeot Expert and Toyota Proace, the Dispatch offers a load capacity up to 6.6 cubic metres in its longest form and with the clever Moduwork system (a pass-through in the bulkhead for accommodating longer loads). That’s still not as much capacity as some, but enough for three Euro pallets, and all variants have sliding doors on both sides as standard.
A 1400kg payload in all but the entry-level 1.5-litre engine is also handy, while up at the sharp end the driving environment is car-like, comfortable, and has great visibility. Plenty of equipment too - unlike some vans, air conditioning, an infotainment touchscreen, and rear parking sensors are all standard.
The Dispatch drives well and has a compliant ride even when empty. The diesel engines feel punchy (and the optional automatic gearbox on 2-litre models is smooth), while the electric version feels peppy around town, and is even more of a doddle to drive. Even the smaller 50kWh battery should be sufficient for local work.
It’s a competitive sector for vans like this, and if the Dispatch is on your shopping list, you may also want to consider the Ford Transit Custom, Volkswagen Transporter, and Renault Trafic. If you need something with more passenger-carrying ability than the Dispatch crew van, also consider the Citroen Spacetourer.
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In our full review of the Citroen Dispatch we recommended the 1.5 BlueHDi, as it’s a great all-rounder with pretty decent performance for its modest output. If you do tend to carry heavier loads though, it may be worth upgrading to the 2-litre (though the more powerful 177PS version is only available in Crew Cab form).
Enterprise trim, which kicks off the range, is actually pretty well-equipped by base-model van standards, though if you’re seeking maximum load volume you’ll probably want to look for a Driver model, which includes Citroen and Peugeot’s ‘Moduwork’ system, which has a pass-through in the bulkhead for particularly long loads. Driver spec also has a reversing camera, though even the Enterprise has rear parking sensors.
The Dispatch is offered in two trim levels, but unlike some vans going for the base model is no real hardship, thanks to a generous quantity of standard equipment. Not many rivals give you air conditioning, an infotainment touchscreen, and parking sensors on their entry-level vans (though unsurprisingly, the equivalent Peugeot Expert is one van that does).
The Citroen Dispatch’s dimensions are:
The Citroen Dispatch’s load capacity is:
For the 2023/24 tax year, all vans attract a flat rate of £320 per year to tax. The exception to this is the all-electric e-Dispatch, which currently enjoys zero-rate VED.
Vans can be quite expensive to insure and Citroen quotes a range of insurance groups from 31-42 depending on the model - with the 1.5 BlueHDi towards the bottom of that range, and the 177PS diesel and the e-Dispatch towards the top.
Read our full Citroen Dispatch review