The Peugeot Expert was born a triplet. The SEVEL partnership of  Citroen / Peugeot joining forces with Fiat was a force to be reckoned with in the European van market, and aimed to compete en masse with Ford and Volkswagen’s dominance. Alongside a trio of 3.5t contenders, the Sevel-Nord trident were Citroen Dispatch and Peugeot Expert with Fiat’s Scudo completing the line-up. It was 1994. This camembert wedge shape continued to 2006 – with a facelift in 2004 – while the second generation had a tweak in 2011 before giving way to the full third generation we feature here from 2016.

Three lengths – Compact, Standard and Long – are available with overall lengths of 4.6m, 4.95m and 5.3m respectively. All are 1.92m wide and the same in height, making for easy and consistent access to residential and industrial premises for domestic or facilities management work.

Load bay lengths are 2.61m, 2.5m and 2.86m with internal widths of 1.6 metres and headroom of 1.4m. This creates load volumes of 4.6, 5.3, and 6.1m3 respectively. That’s decent for a van of this class, but the lack of a higher roof option will limit its appeal for some trades, although the Moduwork fold-flat passenger seat option adds another half-a-cubic metre to the total. 

Payloads range from 1,150 to 1,440kgs depending upon length and specification and towing capacities of up to 2,500kgs are up for grabs. Standard twin side loading doors also bode well.

From 2016, the engine range was HDi common-rail turbo diesels in swept volumes of 1.6 or 2.0l. Power outputs were 95hp with 200Nm of torque or 116hp allied to 300Nm for the 1.6l unit and 120bhp with 340Nm, 150hp and 370Nm or 180hp combined with some 400Nm for the 2.0l engine.

All versions used a six-speed manual transmission with the exception of the 95hp 1.6, which made do with a five-speed manual whilst the 180hp 2.0l, engine came only with a six-speed automatic transmission.

After mid-2019 the 2l 180hp versions got an EAT8 eight-speed automatic and the 1.6l unit was  replaced by a 1.5l BlueHDi from Peugeot’s car range, producing 102hp and 270Nm. 

Trim levels, S Premium, Professional Premium, Grip and the bizarrely named Asphalt Premium.

The entry-level versions have cruise control and DAB, Professional Premium gets aircon and rear parking sensors, Moduwork and 7-in touchscreen. Asphalt Premium offers all this plus, rear camera, all-round parking sensors, a head-up display, metallic paint and leather steering wheel. The rare Grip version was an S-version with 20mm more ground clearance, enhanced traction control and M+S tyres.

Build quality is patchy, the list of recalls is longer than the load bay and the BlueHDi dislikes short-run urban work. A three year, 100,000 mile warranty and two-year 25,000 mile service intervals are decent

The lack of a high roof version limits the appeal and the cab is rather cramped. The driving position is nothing short of lacklustre. The payload and punchy engines help, but it trails the class leaders.

Five best options

1) 180 hp engine 

2) 120 hp engine

3) Long version 

4) Professional Premium trim

5) Asphalt Premium trim

Five best avoided

1) 1.6l engine

2) Base version

3) Compact body 

4) Grip trim

5) Early automatics

Second-hand buys

Version

Plate

Year

Mileage

Price ex.VAT

1.6HDi Professional Premium

18

2018

60,000

£13,995

1.6HDi S Premium 

19

2019

56,500

£14,795

1.5HDi Professional Premium

20

2020

17,000

£22,195

1.5HDi Professional Premium

71

2021

1,100

£22,995

2.0HDi Professional Premium

22

2022

25 (ex-demo)

£21,495