The Renault Kangoo is a family of minivans built by Renault since 1997 across three generations. It is sold as a passenger multi-purpose vehicle or as a light commercial vehicle. For the European market, the Kangoo is manufactured at the MCA plant in Maubeuge, France.
The Kangoo was also marketed as a rebadged variant by Nissan in Europe as the Nissan Kubistar (first generation), Nissan NV250 (second generation) and Nissan Townstar (third generation). In September 2012, Mercedes-Benz began marketing a rebadged variant of the second generation Kangoo as the Mercedes-Benz Citan, which is also marketed as Mercedes EQT and Mercedes T-Class for the current generation.
As of June 2023, the electric variant, the Renault Kangoo Z.E., is Europe's top selling all-electric light commercial vehicle, with over 100,000 units produced. __TOC__
First generation X76 (FC/KC; 1997)
The first-generation Kangoo was introduced in October 1997, and was facelifted in March 2003, with new front end nose styling, especially the grille, standardised across the Renault range, with the Renault diamond mounted on a body colour panel in the centre of the grille and teardrop headlamps.
The rear windows and seats of the Kangoo could be removed, producing the panel van Kangoo Express. The Kangoo became popular with mobility-impaired people and wheelchair users due to its height and accessibility and because it could be adapted to include mounting points for wheelchairs. The rear of the vehicle is cut to allow a ramp to be fitted. A pair of front tie downs are fitted (retractable seat belts with a solenoid release to allow them to be extended, passed around the wheelchair frame and then locked back when the solenoid is switched off and they retract); this stops the wheelchair from moving back. A pair of rear tie downs with the normal clamping buckles stop the wheelchair from moving forward. A normal, long seat belt is worn by the wheelchair user.
Both the Kangoo and Kangoo Express were available in four-wheel drive versions. A lengthened version was also available, with an increased cargo area. A pickup version was sold in the Swedish market. In some countries, such as Malaysia, the Kangoo was assembled by Nissan with third row seats.
From July 2003, Wallace and Gromit starred in adverts in the United Kingdom for the Kangoo.
Break'Up The Kangoo Break'Up was a four-wheel drive concept car announced in August 2002 and previewed the facelift design due in 2003, together with a pick up-style rear. It was powered by a 1.6 L engine producing .
Kangoo Trekka 4x4
The 4WD version of the Kangoo was introduced in 2002, and was marketed under the model name Trekka. It should not be confused with the Skoda-powered New Zealand-built utility vehicle named Trekka, which was marketed in the Antipodes for several years around 1970.
The Kangoo Trekka's all-wheel drive system differed from the Renault Scénic RX4 in its inclusion of a Nissan-sourced automatic torque coupling "ATC", a hydraulic coupling that would engage drive on all four wheels should the front wheels start to lose traction.
This allowed the Kangoo Trekka to run in front-wheel drive in most conditions, thus saving fuel. Working in combination with the ATC, the Kangoo Trekka featured an electronically controlled "ASR" traction control system which could brake the front wheels to arrest traction loss.
The suspension on the front had longer front struts with revised coil springs, lower suspension arms were revised to a cast steel item. The rear suspension was completely revised from the standard Kangoo torsion bar suspension beam axle to a fully independent coil-sprung system with wishbones. The rear differential was centrally mounted with two driveshafts transmitting power to the rear wheels. All this was carried on a subframe which increased the ground clearance and wheel travel.
These changes gave the Kangoo Trekka a fording depth and 28 degree hill climbing capability. The Kangoo Trekka was marketed in the UK with a choice of two engines, the 1.6 litre 16 valve petrol engine and the 1.9 L dCi common rail turbodiesel, both with a five speed manual gearbox.
In 2005, these models were priced at £12,600 and £13,600 respectively. The diesel produced a peak torque of and achieved over on the combined (urban and extra urban) fuel consumption test.
The petrol engine had a time of 14.3 seconds, and a combined fuel consumption of . The interior of the Kangoo Trekka was spartan. The rear bench seat could be folded forward to provide a loading area, with better access through the sliding side doors.
Argentina
The first-generation Kangoo was produced in Argentina from 1998 to 2018. The panel van production was launched in 1998, and the passenger model in 2001. It received a first facelift in 2008. A second facelift internally codenamed VLL ("Very Long Life") was unveiled in 2013 exclusively for the Argentine market, featuring styling cues from Renault's then-current design language. It was discontinued in 2018 to make way for its replacement, based on the Dokker, after 374 591 units had been produced in Argentina for the local market, and some other Latin America countries (Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Cuba).
Engines The Kangoo and Kangoo Express were available with a choice of multiple engines:
Kangoo data sandbox + EnginesModelEngineDispl.LayoutFuel systemMax power at rpmMax torque at rpmTransmissionTop speedYearsNotePetrol engines1.0 60D7D 999 cc SOHC 8v I4 Fuel injection,naturally aspirated at 5,500 rpm at 4,250 rpm 5-speed manual 2000–20xx Brazil only1.0 16V 70D4D DOHC 16v I4 at 5,750 rpm at 4,500 rpm 200x–20xx1.2 60D7F 1149 cc SOHC 8v I4 at 5,250 rpm at 2,500 rpm 1997–2005 1.2 16V 75D4F DOHC 16v I4 at 5,500 rpm at 3,500 rpm 2001–2008 1.4 75 E7J 1390 cc SOHC 8v I4 at 5,500 rpm at 4,250 rpm 5-speed manual4-speed automatic AT: 1997–2001 Automatic since Dec. 1999 at 6,000 rpm at 4,000 rpm 5-speed manual 2001–2003 Latin America K7J at 5,500 rpm at 2,800 rpm 4-speed automatic AT: 2001–2003 1.6 90 K7M 1598 cc SOHC 8v I4 at 5,250 rpm at 2,500 rpm 5-speed manual 1998–2003South America1.6 16V 95K4M DOHC 16v I4 at 5,000 rpm at 3,750 rpm 5-speed manual5-sp manual, 4WD4-speed automatic 4×4: AT: 200x–2003 From 2003 until 2018 in Argentina;170km/h top speedDiesel engines 1.5 dCi 55 K9K 1,461 cc SOHC 8v I4 Common rail turbo at 4,000 rpm at 2,000 rpm 5-speed manual 2004–2005 1.5 dCi 60 at 4,000 rpm 2005–2008 1.5 dCi 65 at 4,000 rpm at 2,000 rpm 2002–2005 1.5 dCi 70 at 4,000 rpm 2005–2008 1.5 dCi 80 at 4,250 rpm at 1,750 rpm 5-speed manual5-sp manual, 4WD 4×4: 2003–2005 at 4,250 rpm 5-speed manual 2002–2003 1.5 dCi 85 at 4,250 rpm 5-sp manual, 4WD 4×4: 2005–2008 1.9 D Eco F8Q 1,870 cc SOHC 8v I4 Indirect injection diesel at 4,000 rpm at 2,250 rpm 5-speed manual 1998–1999 1.9 D at 4,500 rpm from 2001: 1997–2003 1.9 dTi F9Q Direct injection, turbo at 4,500 rpm at 2,000 rpm 1999–2002 1.9 dCi 4×4 Common rail turbo at 4,000 rpm at 2,000 rpm 5-sp manual, 4WD 4×4: 2001–2003 at 4,000 rpm 4×4: 2003–2006 ModelChargerBatteryRangeMotorMax. power at rpmMax. torque at rpm ConsumptionTop speedYearsNotesElectricElectri'Cité 2.2/3.5 kW Ni-Cd, 13.2 kW-hr battery electric 2023 Elect'road RE > plug-in hybrid:505 cc, Lombardini I2 Motor: Engine: Motor: Engine: 2023–2024 ~500 built
Some LPG and CNG variants of petrol engines have also been produced.
Nissan Kubistar A badge-engineered version of the Kangoo panel van was sold as the Nissan Kubistar in many European markets from 2003 to 2009. Nissan applied the "X76" model code to the Kubistar.
Electric Cleanova II is a hybrid electric drive train system, used in a vehicle based on Renault Kangoo, with two electric versions: full electric vehicle (FEV) and plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV).
Second generation X61 (FW/KW; 2007)
The second-generation Kangoo are based on the Scénic and manufactured in Maubeuge. Sales began in May 2007. A seven-seat version, which is longer by 40 cm, became available from July 2012.
They are also sold by Mercedes-Benz as the Mercedes-Benz Citan, with a revised front design, being launched in September 2012. In February 2012, Renault retired the Kangoo MPV, Espace, Laguna, Modus, and Wind lines in the United Kingdom.
A facelifted version of both the van and the passenger versions was available from the beginning of 2013.
In November 2018, it was announced that Nissan would rebadge the Kangoo, turning it into the NV250. The Nissan NV250 launched in December 2019 and was available in the United Kingdom.
Body styles The Kangoo is available in three wheelbase configurations: the Kangoo Express, the Kangoo Compact with a shorter wheelbase, and the Kangoo Express Maxi with a longer wheelbase – all three offered in passenger variants. The short wheelbase version was sold as the Kangoo Be Bop between 2009 and 2012.
The payload of the Kangoo Express and Express Maxi is between depending on version and market, while the short wheelbase Kangoo Compact has a reduced payload of . The Kangoo Express Maxi has up to of usable floor length.
Following the 2007 Renault Kangoo Compact Concept, the Renault Kangoo Be Bop was presented at 2008 Paris Motor Show. This long model, with only three doors, is equipped with a sliding glass roof at the rear, 4 seats and a two-tone body. Judged expensive and unpractical, the Kangoo Be Bop was a commercial failure, and only 1,400 units were produced between 2009 and 2011.
A 7-seater version of the Kangoo, named Grand Kangoo, has been on the market since July 2012.
Gallery
Engines Benziner Model Type Displacement Power at rpm Top speed Acc. 0–100 km/h Productionperiod 1.2 16V TCe H5Ft 1197 cc at 4500 170 km/h 14.0 s 03/2013–07/2015 at 4500 173 km/h 11.7 s 08/2015–08/2018 1.6 8V K4M 1598 cc at 5500 158 km/h 15.8 s 01/2008–06/2011 1.6 16V at 5750 170 km/h 13.0 s 02/2008–12/2014 Diesel 1.5 dCi K9K 1461 cc at 4,000 146 km/h 19.6 s 01/2008–08/2010 at 4000 150 km/h 16.3 s 09/2010–08/2018 at 3750 159 km/h 16.0 s 01/2008–08/2010 at 4000 160 km/h 14.6 s 09/2010–08/2018 at 4000 170 km/h 13.2 s 01/2008–08/2010 at 4000 12.3 s 09/2010–08/2018 Blue dCi 80 at 3750 152 km/h 16.8 s 03/2019–04/2021 Blue dCi 95 at 3750 161 km/h 13.8 s Blue dCi 115 at 3750 172 km/h 11.2 s
Kangoo Z.E.
History As part of its Z.E. electric car initiative, Renault has developed the Kangoo Z.E. model that is manufactured at its Maubeuge plant. A prototype was shown at the September 2010 International Commercial Vehicles Show in Hanover, Germany, and the electric van was released for retail sales in October 2011. In November 2011, the Kangoo Z.E. was voted International Van of the Year for 2012. It was also elected Electric Vehicle of the Year in 2012 and 2013 by GreenFleet.
It was introduced to Mexico on 15 October 2020. In 2021, the next-generation electric Kangoo was introduced as the Kangoo E-Tech electric, based on the Renault–Nissan CMF-C/D platform.
Sales A total of 3,652 Kangoo Z.E. utility vans were registered in France through December 2012, 14 units were registered in 2010 and 768 in 2011. and, with 2,869 units delivered in 2012, the electric van became the top selling plug-in electric vehicle in the country. During 2011, the Kangoo Z.E. sold 991 units in Europe, and cumulative sales in the region reached 6,658 units sold in the region through December 2012, with global sales of 6,665 units. Click on "Ventes mensuelles (décembre 2012) (xls, 294 Ko)" to download the files for 2012 sales, and open the tab "Sales by Model" for 2011 and 2012 sales.
Worldwide cumulative sales passed the 10,000 mark by the start of September 2013, representing about 10% of overall Kangoo van global sales. The Kangoo Z.E. is the leader of the small all electric van segment, and the best selling electric vehicle in France, with 9,125 units registered through June 2014. A total of 2,869 units sold in 2012. A total of 4,174 units were sold in France in 2013. The vehicle was updated in 2017.