Saturday, September 15, 2007
On its launch in 1997 Kangoo's affable, expressive style revolutionised the leisure utility vehicle sector. Roomy and versatile Kangoo has been a success, selling over 2,200,000 units since it was launched.
New Kangoo matches family expectations more closely. It draws on Kangoo fundamentals, turning them into an optimised blend of quality, comfort, and practicality. At 4,213mm in length, New Kangoo's resolutely contemporary, affable, cheery lines exert a strong appeal. Its short, chunky front end frees up space for the bright, airy passenger cabin, which is further enhanced by its steeply-raked MPV-style windscreen. Some versions have pop-open windows, and others have electric ones. They all have large doors which open onto a comprehensively reworked interior.
New Kangoo emphasizes well-being and ride comfort:
For improved ride pleasure, a number of features have been upgraded. With its outstanding roominess, New Kangoo has put the onus on space and the shared ride experience. It is 180mm longer than its predecessor and that extra length has been lavished on the cabin, where more volume gives the five occupants more room and more comfort!
Resolutely contemporary and featuring a more ergonomic design, the dashboard resembles an MPV's, while the cabin has been refitted and finished with quality materials. New Kangoo boasts standards of thermal and acoustic comfort worthy of an MPV. Some versions feature automatic climate control. Air is evenly distributed at both front and rear thanks to the design of the circuit, which has outlets at each passenger's feet. To ensure acoustic comfort, engineers have used the same techniques as for the rest of the range.
New Kangoo takes an ingenious approach to modularity:
With its practical design dedicated to the pursuit of leisure, it brings to the segment a novel touch of ergonomic design, roominess, and user-friendliness. Its 60:40 split fold rear bench folds down easily in one fell swoop to form a flat load space. On some versions the front passenger seat can fold down in the same way, Payload can thus be boosted from 660 litres to 2,866 litres.
What's more, in this configuration the vehicle can carry objects that are 2.5m long. New Kangoo's interior boasts up to 77 litres of stowage space, which includes 24 litres in handy aircraft-style stowage compartments for the rear passengers. It also debuts innovative longitudinal roof bars that convert into a luggage rack. No tools are needed and the rack can take loads of up to 80kg.
Developed from a C-segment platform that is acknowledged for its dynamic quality, comfort, and safety, New Kangoo offers features hitherto unprecedented in the leisure utility vehicle segment. Its 2,697-mm wheelbase lends it sound, balanced, secure handling. Its active and passive safety equipment is identical to that of a family saloon. All versions are equipped with the latest-generation ABS and Emergency Brake Assist, while some feature ESP with understeer control, ASR traction control, and engine torque overrun regulation functions.For the safety of its occupants, New Kangoo benefits from state-of-the-art driver assistance systems, most of which originate in the segments above. They include cruise control/speed limiter, automatic headlamp actuation, and wipers with automatic rain sensors, none of which was available on the previous model. New Kangoo also has between two and six airbags, seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters, and anti-submarining humps in the front and back seats, as well as three seats with Isofix anchorage points (depending on the version).