Citroen Nemo consumer car reviews and road tests

Citroen Nemo 2012

I look after the vans for an electrical company and found the Nemo started to get a smell of fumes coming through the vents and was worse when the window was open. I took the air filter box off and found the foam between the engine and air box was melting onto the engine and you cannot get it off. The vehicle will be taken back to dealer to get sorted, for free we hope, as it looks like a manufacturer’s fault, so please check.

Citroen Nemo Celebration 90 years 2009

I bought my Nemo 1.4 diesel as a replacement for a BMW 123d, due to DIY and building work in my house. I am nearing the point where I would like to buy a car, however the van is so useful I am reluctant to sell it. So far the only faults I would comment is the rapid tyre wear on the front. At first I put this down to not being used to front wheel drive. It turns out that the tracking has been out, probably from new. Additionally a wiring fault on the external temperature sensor. This was fixed eventually. The MPG is disapointing until the tracking was reset, the MPG was 45. It has improved a bit now around 49 MPG, bearing in mind I mainly commute in an unloaded van, the Nemo is no where near the track tests in the sales literature 83 MPG I think it said. Considering the 123d did 49 MPG been driven quite hard 55MPG taking it easy, the Nemo is poor for a 1.4 d.

Citroen Nemo

I hate this car. It’s so noisy, high on gas and junky.

Responses to this review

A strange comment to make when you’ve never even driven it! - Dobo The Clown from Berkshire

I own a 2006 C3 1.4 hdi and I have 128,000km on the clock and no problems so far! My car is one of the cheapest car to run in South Africa! I get around 960km on a tank! Once I hit 80km and over I don’t hear the engine! My mom owns a C2 and my sister own a C1 and none of their cars have given the problems! - Shane Horne from South Africa

Citroen Nemo LX 2010

Having commenced a new service contract that entailes high mileages around the home counties, we opted to purchase two Nemo diesel vans in July 2010. Our decision was to a greater degree influenced by reviews and Citroen’s own claim that up to 63 mpg was acheivable. Having monitored the fuel consumption of these two vehicles since owning them, we are dissapointed that they have only returned around 44/48 mpg, a considerable shortfall on the claims made. We also have Berlingo vans that return a similar economy and therefore consider the Nemo van a compromise that has not lived up to expectations. From our experience, we would not recommend them if fuel economy is a key factor.

Citroen Nemo lx extenso 2008

I bought my Nemo for the fuel economy compared to the previous 2.0 Berlingo hdi that I had. Seeing that both vehicles carry the same weight and the Nemo achieves at least 15 mpg extra I opted for the Nemo. Little did I know that the Nemo has a 1.4 Ford tci engine and no roots in the old reliable Peugeot xud unit. My Berlingo covered 300,000 miles in 3 and a bit years. Losing an alternator at 150,000 and a clutch at 250,000 miles the Nemo is already showing signs of gearbox problems <1st and 5th> after 30,000 miles and I have already replaced tyres, with front brake pads due soon. I normally expect my vans to last up to 500,000 miles and I would be a lunatic to expect this van to last that long. Having bought it 4 months ago I am already looking at alternatives. It is much less comfortable and flexible than the old Berlingo but nippier in traffic. Probably great for short term city lunatics!

Responses to this review

The Nemo has a 1.4 PEUGEOT HDI Engine NOT A Ford unit. Some new Fords use the HDI and brand it as TDCI but it is a Peugeot unit. The HDI Engine is a thousand times better than the old XUD Engine, and is proving to be if not as, more reliable. Clutch and Brake pad wear are dependant on your driving habbits and weight being carried. As you say the Nemo is nippier you are possibly driving harder and faster than in your Berlingo, and this would wear brakes and clutch sooner - Peter Millard from Oxfordshire

I have 200 Peugeot 206SW 1.4 HDi only done 25K miles almost failed last MOT for black smoke otherwise no problems yet, had 106 1.5 diesel before it and it was much better engine, over 10 year old, really clean on emmission tests and more economical even when driven very hard. I was looking at the Bipper Tepee 1.4 HDi but none local to view. I need to get a 48" mobility scooter in back with seats folded, do the seats fold into the floor to leave level floor full length or do seats raise floor when folded as it looked like that in a photo I saw in a review - Contax from Lincolnshire

At 120,000 miles I can say that having replaced the gearbox at 40,000 miles and a nearside wheel bearing at 105,000 miles the gearbox problem was probably a one off.The tyres last 25,000 miles on the front and god knows what mileage on the back. I recently carried a 4’6 double pine bed and mattress in the back and it is looking as if this vehicle will easily (touch wood) reach the required target of 300,000 miles. Average fuel econmy to date has been just shy of 60 mpg - Tony Dineen from Berkshire

I am having the same problem as you, had a diagnostics check done, it showed a few minor errors but then cancelled them out. the car still has this problem. Have heard it could be EGR Valve & Throtle body needing cleaned/ or the idle control valve? I hope this helps. If you get it sorted could you please let me know as it’s driving me mad. My email address is derry0178@yahoo.co.uk Cheers - Derry Hunter from England

Hi, after reading the opinion on the two Peugeot engines and having been in the motor trade for 35 years, I have have got to say that the XUD without a turbo will go for ever with minimal servicing. The HDI engine has it own nickname in Citroen garges, "The Chocolate Engine", I thinks that says it all - Dave Fields from England