Renault Kangoo Expression 1.6 5dr Car Review - March 2012

The platform of the kangoo is based on that of the Renault Clio, which means that it's wonderfully agile around town, with light quick power steering, short gears and great visibility through those huge windows.

Unfortunately the tall, thin, glassy profile can make it a little vulnerable to crosswinds with the top speed being 102 mph. The 1.6 litre petrol engine is better and gives much needed efficiency to the car.

Once on the move, some road noise can be heard from inside but the suspension is soft enough to cushion the effect of rough road surfaces.

Control is a little lacking and there is some body roll experienced in corners.

The huge cabin is light and airy, so that even the tallest passengers would not complain about the headroom available. Legroom is also fair in the front and back. The car offers a reasonably comfortable driving position, even though there’s no seat or steering wheel adjustment.

Other accessories exclusive to the car on board include electric front windows, remote control central locking, electric mirrors, cruise control and an upgraded stereo system together with alloy wheels, satellite navigation and air conditioning.

Useful touches include the protective mouldings that surround the car and comfortably resist the knocks and scrapes of city life.

The Renault Kangoo Expression is an ideal family car. The versatile storage capacity inside the car reiterates that there is ample space for accommodating five people together with their luggage and the plush interior space offers flexibility and a myriad of practical storage ideas.

Kangoo offers hard-wearing wipe clean surfaces and huge luggage bins with the whole body built to withstand a hard life on the road. Inside, it's fairly utilitarian - and thanks to those sliding side doors, it's a lot easier to access the space.

Any further versatility depends on whether extra money has been paid for the plusher RXE model, which adds a 60/40 split-fold for the rear seat and a roof-mounted stowage rack inside the cabin.

Priced at £13,010, a Kangoo makes a great value car. It won't cost much to the owner to keep it moving on the road either as the servicing costs are quite reasonable with a group 9 insurance rating and a moderate fuel efficiency. Carbon emissions of 180 g/km place the car into road tax band I however and this makes this expense a little steep.

In case repairs should be necessary, they should be quite cheap, as Renault stands at the cheaper end of the scale, according to Warranty Direct’s survey of labour rates.