The Citroen Berlingo has won the Institute of Transport Management’s ‘Best LCV [Light Commercial Vehicle] 2012’ award.

The ITM’s criteria for the award said that the winner had to “embody perennially important qualities such as reliability, cost-effectiveness and durability.”

The ITM judges were particularly impressed by the Berlingo’s environmental credentials:

“Businesses are looking for LCVs that are lighter, with lower emissions and better fuel efficiency, qualities that the Citroën Berlingo range has in spades.  In particular, the Citroën Berlingo e-HDI Airdream* models are equipped with e-HDi micro-hybrid Stop & Start technology.”

In addition, they also noted that the Berlingo “has all the equipment and space of a light commercial van” but “drives like a car”. It is the latest in a series of awards for the current Berlingo model, which has now been updated to include a range of Euro 5 engines and is also available as a chassis cab with Citroen’s Ready To Run body conversions.

The Citroen Berlingo is a popular choice with van rental companies in the small van category and has also been very successful with fleets.

*Citroen’s Airdream system is a combined regenerative power and start-stop system that is available on selected van models. Berlingo Airdream vans have Stop & Start with an advanced micro-hybrid starter/generator to restart the engine quickly and smoothly and incorporate regenerative braking to recover and store energy that would otherwise be lost.