24 hours in the new Renault Kangoo.

We gave the new Renault Kangoo for 24 hours to our florist Kylie to see how she rated it.

4:30am Dang! Alarm has gone off ….have remembered  that I have the new Renault Kangoo to look forward to at least….I need a new work van and am not sure what I need so I am looking forward to how it stacks up.

5am: Still sleepy but I roll into the Kangoo, and I can happily report it’s comfy and feels more normal car. Ok I need music – connect iPod or CD? Cold Chisel selected, and a fitting Flame Trees as I drive to the flower markets.

I like the fingertip control of the radio (CD etc) – its so easy to change anything without my eyes leaving the road.

6am: It’s still dark when I start loading in the flowers for the day. To my delight I have just noticed that they have lighting in the loading area so –  hallelujah I can see!

7am: Back on the freeway back to the store in Manly, it’s been a long week so I am really happy I can at least give my left foot a break by launching the cruise control– and my demerit points breathe a sigh of relief as I also put the speed limiter on.

8am: Parking is always at a premium in Manly, and today is no different. So how does this thing park? I’m not the best reverse parker (you think I would be good at it by now) but I have good visibility (the side mirrors seem to be bigger or work better or something) and the rear parking sensors help things along.

Unload all my foliage and flowers, and have just noticed the Kangoo doors fold right back 180 degrees. Nifty. I have to pick-up a pallet this arvo so that should make it easier with the forklift.

10am: Out for my first delivery, driving visibility is great, the panoramic windscreen gives me a good view and I feel like I am sitting high on the road – both which makes me feel safer as I negotiate busy streets.

I usually spend half my day scrabbling around my van trying to find my folder and/or  pen so I am in love with the central storage area –  its fits an A4 folder and pen – what a simple but good idea.

11am.  More deliveries and the Kangoo is handling crowded city conditions really well, the boys at Col Crawford said that it would handle better due to a longer wheelbase – whatever that means.

Hmmm….getting thirsty…again another simple but great idea, I can slip a 1.5L bottle of water….Ok, ok…its soft drink…but I am trying to give up!

A big part of my day is spent on the phone, and I don’t do Bluetooth in my ear (I refuse to look like a Star Trek entrant) and holding your phone is 3 demerit points and a big fine these days. But the Kangoo has Bluetooth so I can talk/answer and dial hands free – which makes a huge difference.

1pm: Its time for lunch, Getting peckish, extract lunchbox from large glovebox and grab my serviettes from the overhead storage – don’t say I’m not making full use of all the  hidey-holes.

2pm: I often pick up pallets and it always fraught with danger as in my current van (will remain nameless but remains laddy) they have to be loaded the right way, and nothing annoys me more when it doesn’t fit first time. Plus only one sort of pallet will fit – and trying to get an answer on the pallet is one more task I don’t need.

I am told that in the new Kangoo both Chep and Europallets fit no problem and I don’t have to worry about which way round the pallets. I have one each to pick up, so I fold back the doors 180 degrees, and forklift easily goes right up to the Kangoo and loads the pallet in a jiffy. Ditto the second chep one.  Nice.

3pm Hours on the road and I’m still comfy. They said to me it does a tiny 5.2L per 100km, and I have noticed my fuel gauge has hardly moved. The world has changed, as when I was in the market for my last van, there wasn’t really an concern with fuel efficiency and emissions, so it’s great that this is a big deal now.

5pm Finally back at the store, like most days I use the handbrake a lot, and usually I get a sore wrist from having to turn it – so I like the aircraft style one in the Kangoo, its different but its great!

7pm: Fitness session with my friends, easy loading all the boxing gear into the back and I think I look pretty cool turning up (or it could be me)

10pm: Heading to a party, its time for tunes from my ipod, slots straight in with the USB connectivity – I think Slash’s latest will do.

10:30 SOS call from party host,  – DJ is stuck and can I help?

11pm – Pull-up outside DJ’s house, doors fully back, loading lights on, stuff in, we’re in. Crisis averted.

2am – Kangoo out again to pick up more drinks – maybe being the one with a van isn’t such a good idea!

4am: I’m done – bed beckons…. Kangoo takes me home, I don’t think I’ll give it back to the the Renault dealership….I need a van for work but I prefer a car and I think the new Kangoo is the best of both worlds.