The What Van? Road Test: Peugeot Partner Professional (2018)

Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2019 | Author: Steve Banner

Partner Engine

Engine and gearbox

Married to a six-speed manual transmission, our Partner’s four-cylinder high-pressure common-rail turbodiesel produces its maximum power at 3,750rpm. Top torque of 300Nm bites at 1,750rpm.

AdBlue is required to ensure that the engine meets the Euro 6.2 emission standard and is held in a 17-litre reservoir.

Driving

With 130hp on tap the short-wheelbase Partner is not short of performance even when laden with half a tonne of bagged gravel. A slick, quick gear-change allows the driver to make full use of the power and torque that is on offer, and the handling is dependable enough to keep you out of trouble on tight rural bends.

While the ride is fine when you have a decent amount of weight onboard, the suspension can sometimes struggle to cope with uneven surfaces when the vehicle is lightly laden. Empty or full, more effort should be made to tune out wind noise.

On the face of it the oddly shaped steering wheel (anybody out there remember the so-called Quartic – i.e. square – steering wheel fitted to the old Austin Allegro?) should make manoeuvring more difficult, but it doesn’t. In fact, the Peugeot Partner is highly manoeuvrable at low speeds – a boon if you are attempting to make a delivery in a busy city centre and trying to squeeze into a tight parking space.

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