The first, when temperatures were rising, was a L3H2 435 model in Standard trim with the core 130hp drivetrain; the second, which arrived with the weather definitely cooling, was a L2H2 335 with the same 2.0-litre engine (there are also 110hp and 160hp outputs) but in Professional Trim.
Load bay
Peugeot offers the Boxer with a choice of four wheelbase lengths and three heights. As the ‘H2’ indicates in both model names, they were of the same, middling, height, in this case translating to a load height of 1,932mm in a range that spans from 1,662mm to 2,172mm.
This particular version is one size smaller in terms of length than the one we tested earlier in the year, measuring 3,120mm versus 3,705mm when comparing load lengths, while the line-up tops out at 4,070mm and starts at 2,670mm. Of course, the respective volumes of the two vans reflect these figures, with the L2H2 having 11.5m3 of space versus the 13.0m3 of the L3H2. Volumes for the Boxer range begin at 8.0m3, while more than double that is on offer in the L4H3 variants (17.0m3). Load width across all models is constant at 1,870mm.
Note, though, that the 1,575kg max payload of the smaller vehicle we had tested recently trumps the 1,485kg of the Boxer we tried before the summer. Payloads overall range from 1,115kg to 1,900kg.
Interior and equipment
Professional trim is, of course, pricier than Standard spec, and on top of the latter offers the following key features as standard: manual air-conditioning, alarm, cruise control, rear-parking aid, driver’s seat with armrest and lumbar adjustment, and a touch screen with integrated navigation and a CD player (in addition to the standard spec DAB radio, Bluetooth and USB socket).
The van also came with optional extras such as City Pack (including a terrific rear parking camera and electric folding door mirrors for £300 – all prices exclude VAT); Safety Pack (with a passenger airbag, lane-departure warning, and tyre pressure-monitoring for £460); and a Heating Pack with heated driver’s seat, programmable vehicle heater (£750), and (what’s this got to do with heating?) a foldable writing table on the passenger seat back rest.
The programmable heater is an interesting item. Made by Webasto, Peugeot says it’s of the type frequently fitted to trucks with sleeper cabs, sailing and motor boats, and motor homes, and is particularly useful for vehicles used as a mobile base, such as a crew vehicle or one converted for use as a mobile workshop. The big advantage, says Peugeot, is that you can keep the interior of the vehicle warm without leaving the engine idling, reducing fuel usage.
Our van didn’t have it, but there’s also a Comfort pack that costs the same as the Heating pack. It provides auto lights and wipers, air-suspended driver’s seat with headrest, auto aircon, leather steering wheel and that foldable table again, and if your money can only stretch one way or the other, this pack is the one to have – unless you have a particular business case for the Heating pack.
There are plenty of places to store items in the cabin, such the bins in the doors, which are very deep.
However, the handbrake is positioned to the right of the driver, between the seat and the door, which for a week-long test took some getting used to, and the amount of in-cab road noise was also irritating. The interior trim, too, around the doors also looks as though it’s been stuck on, rather than part of an integrated design.
Engine
The 130hp 2.0-litre engine delivered ample get up and go, and can manage 0-62mph in an official 13.3 seconds. In the L2 version of the Boxer this engine has an official combined fuel economy figure of 45.6mpg compared with the 44.1mpg of the particular L3 version we previously tested (47.1mpg is the best the Boxer can manage with the 110hp 2.0-litre engine). The figures for CO2 were 163g/km versus 168g/km (158g/km is the lowest possible).
Interestingly, there’s a marginal difference in price between the two vehicles we tested (£28,055 compared with £28,155, not including the optional extras) – you just have to decide whether you need a bit more load volume or some extra driver comfort and convenience.
Peugeot Boxer L2H2 335 Blue HDI 130
Price (ex VAT) £28,055
Price range (ex VAT) £21,510-£30,970
Insurance 38E
Warranty 3yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals 24,000mls
Load length 3,120mm
Load width (min/max) 1,422/1,870mm
Load bay height 1,932mm
Load volume 11.5m3
Gross payload 1,575kg
Engine size/power 1,997cc/130hp
Combined fuel economy 45.6mpg
CO2 163g/km