Citroën is a strong brand in the passenger car sector, but it has also been present in the commercial vehicle sector almost since its birth. The brand owns a number of vans that have become legendary, such as the Citroën Type H, but also the C15 and the Berlingo. Among the models that have contributed to the brand's strength in this market segment, the Jumper is a strong pillar and is now celebrating its 30th anniversary.
It was on 5 February 1994 that the first generation Citroën Jumper was unveiled, before its first public appearance at the Geneva Motor Show a few days later. Replacing the venerable C25, the Jumper marked a new stage in Citroën's history of commercial vehicles, as the brand paid close attention to design, comfort, ergonomics and driving pleasure, drawing inspiration from these private vehicles. The result of cooperation between Fiat and PSA, the Citroën Jumper is built in Italy alongside its cousins the Peugeot Boxer and Fiat Ducato. This first generation was particularly aerodynamic in order to reduce the drag coefficient, achieving a Cd of 0.35, a major step forward in the commercial vehicle sector. This first generation won the Van of the Year award in 1995, thanks in particular to its modernity and the fact that it was equipped with saloon-like features such as electric windows and air conditioning, hitherto unknown in this segment.
At the beginning of the 2000s, the Citroën Jumper was restyled with a new front end. Presented in February 2002, 8 years after the first version, the restyled Jumper got new lights, a new grille and a new bumper. But most importantly, the redesigned Jumper received two new engines, the most advanced of their time: the 2.2 HDi direct injection turbo diesel and the 2.0i dual fuel petrol/LPG. The Jumper is also the first vehicle in its segment to offer a driver's seat with variable damping, a camera and rear radar.
A more modern second generation
Twelve years after the first generation, Citroën presents an all-new Jumper that continues the quest for modernity of the first Jumper. During the development of this new generation, Citroën worked on improving the aerodynamics of the Jumper to achieve a Cd of only 0.31, which is remarkable for a van.
This brand new model is even more responsive to the needs of professionals, with a design that combines modernity and practicality, such as the steps integrated into the windscreen to make it easier to clean. The new Jumper is one of the only front-wheel-drive models in its segment to offer a gross vehicle weight rating of over 3.5 tonnes. The range of HDi diesel engines is extended with three power ratings: 100, 120 and 157 hp. The new Jumper brings the world of commercial vehicles and the world of cars closer together by combining large load capacity and driving comfort. The same proximity can be found on the equipment side with the appearance of GPS or even automatic air conditioning.
This second-generation model underwent its first restyling in 2014, which focused mainly on aesthetics with new lights, now LEDs, and a revised bumper that incorporates the brand's current aesthetic codes, in particular the double chevrons that extend to the front. Inside, the Jumper features a touchscreen with integrated navigation system, a Connecting Box that integrates a Bluetooth hands-free kit and a USB socket, while on the e-HDi engines there is a lane departure warning system and a Stop&Start system that allows an improvement of 0.5 litres/100 km in city traffic.
A new version for its 30th anniversary
After 30 years of good and loyal service, the Citroën Jumper enters a new era with a new restyling for this second generation, which is significantly more significant than the first.
The front of the vehicle has been redesigned with the new Citroën logo, but it is inside that the differences are most apparent, with a brand new dashboard that maximises the vehicle's connectivity, thanks in particular to a large 10-inch touch screen with integrated navigation and a wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto interface for the top-of-the-range versions.
The new Jumper 2024 has never been more focused on in-vehicle comfort to provide professionals with the best possible working conditions. For example, the new Jumper has new features such as an electric parking brake, a digital interior rear-view mirror that is a real guarantee of safety, a hands-free access and starting system, etc. New driving safety aids are also being introduced, such as driver fatigue warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection.
In conclusion, after several hundred thousand units produced, the Jumper celebrates its 30th anniversary in the best possible way with a new version that further improves equipment, comfort and practicality, bringing the Jumper even closer to passenger cars. The Citroën Jumper is still as modern as ever, thanks to its electric versions, with a new battery that increases its range to over 400 km, but also its fuel cell version, which makes it the first commercial vehicle equipped with this technology to go into series production. Thirty years of success for the Citroën Jumper, a model that has only gotten better over the years and which seems particularly well equipped for this new era.