The Citroën Nemo’s folding passenger seat mean it can carry full exhaust systems, despite its compact dimensions.

The Citroën Nemo isn’t going to be suitable for every job, but it may be bigger than you think. If you’re about to dismiss the Nemo in favour of a larger, more expensive model, it might pay to check one out in the flesh to see if it could work for you.

For example, motor factor Mill Autoquip finds that the Nemo’s Extenso folding passenger seat means that it can fit full exhaust systems into this pint-sized van — not something you’d expect. The firm recently added 40 Nemo vans to its fleet, taking the total number of Citroën vans it operates to more than 100.

The firm’s accountant and Fleet Manager, Tony Watson, explains that the Nemo is big enough for most jobs:

“The Nemo, with its combination of excellent fuel economy, load capacity and the Extenso folding seat – which allows us to carry exhaust systems – fulfils our requirements for most day-to-day deliveries. We use the Berlingos to transport the heavier items, such as parts from our dedicated commercial vehicle branch in Redruth.”

Each Nemo van will make up to 50 drops each day, delivering parts to customers from its 17 depots across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset. The company purchases most of its vehicles outright and keeps them for three years during which time they will clock up around 100,000 miles over some challenging terrain.

Despite this demanding duty cycle, the firm finds that the vans also have strong residual appeal, and Watson says that “we still have people queuing up to buy our Citroëns when we have finished with them.”