PEUGEOT PARTNER BUYING A USED...


The Partner helped define this class of van and it’s still a class act, says Ian Shaw


Three best options


1) Good engines 2) 1,000kg payload tops the class


3) Asphalt with Worksite Pack covers it all


Buyer’s Guide Used Vans


Three best avoided


1) i-Cockpit and small wheel annoy


2) 75hp 1.6-litre is weak


3) Build quality not to Ford or VW level


Fiat Ducato, the Sevel Nord batch of smaller vans broke cover. Fiat slightly did its own thing with the Doblo, but identical twins Citroën Berlingo and Peugeot Partner hailed the new dawn. Radical styling, great payloads and driver comfort were keynotes, the second generation in 2008 went all-out for standard kit and more versatility while the third echelon arriving in 2018 produced a better all-rounder. Opening the cab door shows the


I


Partner’s most controversial aspect. The so-called i-Cockpit. Peugeot makes much of this in its cars claiming a sportier driving position with digital instruments placed higher into the driver’s line of sight and a small


Second-hand buys Version


1.6 HDi Professional 1.5 HDi Professional 1.5 HDi Professional 1.5 HDi Premium 1.5 HDi Premium +


n 1996, hot on the heels of the newly launch Sevel group of Citroën Relay Peugeot Boxer and


The third generation of the Peugeot Partner is an accomplished all rounder


steering wheel. It’s all nonsense; Formula One cars have small steering wheels for the simple reason that there’s insufficient space for much else and any doubts you may have that a big diameter wheel offers finer control soon evaporate when trying to gently adjust the Partner’s line at speed, with its tiny tiller. Taller drivers will find the wheel is too low to their knees also. Thankfully, the rest of the driving position is comfortable, with good seats and plenty of in-cab storage overhead, in the doors and numerous cubbies and cup holders.


Equipment levels are good. The Professional Premium offers a full bulkhead, height adjustable driver’s


seat, A/C, rear parking sensors, cruise control, electric windows with electric heated door mirrors, tyre pressure monitor, DAB radio, and Bluetooth, with 8.0in touchscreen. Above this is the oddly named Asphalt version – which you might expect comes with slick tyres and full ground-effect aerodynamics to go with the F1-style steering wheel, but it doesn’t.


It has some worthwhile features with


a ‘Comfort’ driver’s seat, automatic wipers, heavy-duty plastic floor protection and the ‘Multi-Flex’ folding passenger bench offering load-through bulkhead and seat-back table. TomTom satnav and front and rear parking sensors come too. The Asphalt name


Plate 19 20 21 22 23 Year 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Mileage 61,000 46,600 41,000 8,800 Delivery Price ex.VAT £10,995 £13,990 £14,995 £17,999 £19,999


came from a time when the Partner had a Grip model sibling, dropped part way through this generation’s life. The same features of hill descent control, mud and snow tyres, raised ground clearance, underbody protection plate and a full size spare wheel could then be optioned as the Worksite Pack. Available in two body lengths of 4.4m and 4.75m, overall it is square in cross-section with body width and height both being 1.84m. Load bay dimensions are 1.23m high, widths of 1.55m (1.25m between the wheel arches) and lengths of either 1.8m or 2.15m. The folding passenger seat allows a longer load through into the cab and the rear roof flap does likewise for ladders or planks. Payloads are as much as 1,000kg depending upon options with model designations of 950 and 650 indicating the kilos the lesser versions can haul. Pulling all this along are the proven HDi engines in earlier 1.6-litre and later 1.5-litre guises. Both offer from 75hp to 130hp, the latter with eight-speed auto ’box and the others with five (in 1.6-litre) and then six-speed manual transmissions. Overall a popular, economical, hard working and generally comfortable van.


@whatvan September 2023 WhatVan? 35


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53