Commercial automobiles make such a good opposite to the luxury lineup because of the famous duality between reason and emotion. Costs are the top priority for the first ones, as well as one of the lowest ones to the others. Luxury cars always want to be more sophisticated than its competitors, while most work cars only change when the local laws demand so. While ones are concerned with going from A to B, the others focus on how such trip is made. And the examples could go on and on, even before going to the technical differences. Therefore, these categories work a little like North and South: any step taken towards one is necessarily the same step taken away from the other. Dealing with both under the same brand isn’t easy at all.
On the other hand, we can also say that such task became somewhat easier in Citroën’s particular case, because of the new role it started to play in the PSA Group’s strategies. Since the DS lineup is expected to grow into an independent brand, the parent brand was freed to invest on more pragmatic vehicles – not necessarily cheap. The best example of that so far is surely C4 Cactus, whose proposal is already extremely different of what the first C4 presented not more than ten years ago, but it would be impossible to forget the utility lineup: after refreshing Berlingo in 2012, now it’s time to work on the projects shared with Fiat. While the Italians took the opportunity to make Ducato more sophisticated, the French stuck to the original recipe.
In other words, Jumper won’t bring Ducato’s fancy two-tone exterior finishings with chrome inserts, whether for the inside or the outside, nor its luxury trim levels whose equipment list would be considered science fiction for a commercial van until ten years ago. Nevertheless, anyone who compares new and outgoing Jumpers will easily notice how much did the car improve. Using the very same headlights and bumper as Ducato’s, Citroën managed to give that wedge-shaped front fascia a much more pleasant look than before. The small hood received discreet creases in order to look more imponent, there are LED DRLs for the first time, and the upper grille features two chrome bars shaped to remind of the latest urban Citroëns, such as the new C4 Picasso.
Entering the vehicle will reveal a cabin which “was designed to maximise the comfort of each occupant and make their everyday lives easier”, to quote the automaker. The ten storage compartments include a key-locking box, an available cooled area and an overhead storage rack above the sun visors. Another nice feature is Connecting Box, which is Jumper’s infotainment central with multimedia audio system and a 5” touchscreen. And when it comes to safety, you can equip it with cruise control, hill-descent and traction controls, lane-departure system, park assist with reversing camera and tyre-pressure, among others. Engine options are all HDi, going from 110 hp and 25,5 kgfm to 177 hp and 40.8 kgfm. Both HDi 130 and HDi 150 can come as e-HDi, too, adding fuel-efficiency items such as stop/start system.