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PSA and Vauxhall light van preview: The power of three
Date: Thursday, September 20, 2018
Inside the Combo Life
Formally known as the Peugeot Partner Tepee, the Rifter’s cabin is entirely different to its siblings.
While the Berlingo and Combo vans make do with the same interior, albeit modestly altered to fit the specific requirements of each brand and its customers, Peugeot has slotted in its own family values into both the car and van versions.
Based on the EMP2 (Efficient Modular Platform), which is used across the Peugeot and Citroen car ranges, it’s the iCockpit interior that helps the Rifter stand apart. Just like the van variant, the Rifter has a unique interior similar in design and carried over from the Peugeot 3008 and 5008 crossovers cars. At first glance, the cabin is very different to the Berlingo and Combo, but when you settle in it’s really just the area immediately ahead of you that is altered.
From the driver’s seat in all models there is excellent forward visibility thanks to the large windscreen, while the short overhang and more upright front end makes manoeuvring easier.
It’s a huge step-change for a van, less so for a car, but according to Peugeot brand CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato it’s more than just an upgrade for the commercial vehicle-based Rifter. “It’s absolutely an MPV killer,” he says, and predicts the Rifter will shake up the sector. Imparato sees van-based people-movers as a significant contributor to Peugeot’s future sales.
Like the van, the Rifter interior is extremely driver-focused. A higher, narrower instrument cluster focuses the cabin towards the driver, while the flat-top and -bottomed steering wheel is positioned low, giving it a sportier feeling than in the Berlingo. Peugeot says it has deliberately tuned the car as well, making it more responsive and better to drive, whereas Citroen says its Berlingo car will be tweaked for comfort.
They’ve done a convincing job too, as back-to-back drives of all three models shows that the Peugeot really stands out with its feedback from the road, while the Citroen and Vauxhall are noticeably softer compared to the firmness of the Rifter. Pleasingly, though, all are surprisingly fun to drive, which bodes well for the van versions.
Citroen’s Berlingo vans are known for their XTR grip control, allowing electronically managed off-roading over surfaces like gravel and mud, and in the new models that system has been enhanced with a Hill Descent Assist function.
This option translates over into the commercial vehicle with new work-specific option packs that better tailor the van towards construction and off-road usage or, at the other end of the spectrum, long-distance delivery users.
All three models use the same set of engines, with a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine developing 110hp beginning the range and two options for the 1.5-litre turbodiesel of 100hp or 130hp.
Both of the diesel units are Euro6.2-compliant, although in the commercial vehicles there is a third engine option of a 1.6-litre turbodiesel with the same outputs that only meets Euro6.1 standards, which will be available for the first nine months of launch. The newer diesel is exceptionally quiet and with the highest power output is matched perfectly to the eight-speed automatic gearbox.
The petrol engine revs merrily, and as a passenger car will likely have many buyers, but with its commercial vehicle roots the gearbox feels more at ease with the diesel.
Lastly, and of huge importance to both passenger and increasingly commercial vehicle buyers, is safety. There is now an abundance of driver assistance systems available, with nearly 20 to either choose from or fitted as standard, including automatic electronic parking brake, park assist, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control with stop function, and active safety brake.
As is often the way, passenger versions of commercial vehicle-based products are getting launched earlier into the market than their load-carrying equivalents. While many manufacturers do little to separate the two product lines, Peugeot-Citroen/Vauxhall have not only gone to great lengths but capably achieved significant diversification between the ranges and products.
It’s all exceptionally good news for prospective buyers of the new Berlingo, Partner and Combo vans though, as with such attention to detail being paid the resulting commercial vehicles should hold up very well. We will find out next month, when we drive them for the first time.
George Barrow is UK judge for the International Van of the Year, the prestigious prize awarded by leading European LCV journalists
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