Rifter vs Berlingo vs Combo for camping (long versions)

One would have thought that three different cars from different manufacturers would be quite different. Well, they are not – Peugeot Rifter, Citroen Berlingo and Opel (Vauxhall) Combo are almost the same car, with some minor size and interior differences. I’ve summarised the most significant differences from a camping point of view in this post.

Which one is the biggest – Berlingo, Rifter or Combo?

As all cars are based on the same chassis, they are about the same size. The interior and boot sizes differ mainly because of the level of trim / upholstery style. Out of the three, the Berlingo is shorter by about 5cm, but you can sleep two people, including a dog inside comfortably in any of the three cars.

Which one is more comfortable?

Peugeot Rifter, being the newest of the siblings, is the most comfortable one. Even in the standard trim, it offers AC or cruise control, whereas the Combo doesn’t. Although it’s best if you sit in each car and test it yourself, generally you could rank them based on interior comfort in this order: Rifter, Berlingo, Combo.

Which one is the cheapest?

Opel / Vauxhall Combo is the cheapest out of the bunch, thanks to its more basic standard equipment and of course, you can’t find many older used Rifters yet – it’s been released only a few years ago. But if you want to compare apples with apples and take a new Berlingo 2021, Rifter 2021 and Combo 2021, their price isn’t that different, with Rifter being slightly more expensive, followed by Berlingo and Combo being slightly cheaper.

For a more detailed comparison of all their specs (engine, tyres, all dimensions and more), see UltimateSpecs.

In summary – it’s about your personal preference

Judged purely from a camping perspective – each car is the same if you want to sleep in it, with some small differences in boot size – Berlingo being a little shorter. Nevertheless, they all offer a big boot that will fit two 200cm tall people without issues. Citroen Berlingo has been a long-time favourite amongst DIY car camping enthusiasts, Rifter and Combo won’t be any different. It’s really up to you and your taste – if you want the cheapest (Combo), the most comfortable and better interior (Rifter) or somewhere in between (Berlingo).

You’ll find more images and DIY Camping conversion ideas that are suitable for all these cars in our Berlingo for camping review or DIY Camping conversion posts.