Peugeot Partner (2008 – 2018) Review

The Partner van shares its platform with the Peugeot 308 and 3008 so it's no surprise that it has car-like handling and ride. Designed to carry a load of up to 850 kg, Peugeot has kept it simple with the Partner and there is a choice of panel van, crew cab and flat cab bodies, as well a Long model for greater load length capacity.

There is also the ATV model with Grip Control that gives more sure-footed handling in slippery conditions without the added expense of a full-time 4x4 system. 

With a load area width between the wheel arches of 1.22 metres, both versions can easily accommodate a Euro pallet. However it's still relatively compact in terms of its overall size, making it very versatile and easy to drive around town.

The load space has been designed with particular care to ensure ease of use and robustness. The inside walls are fully lined under the bodyline and a synthetic protective covering protects the load floor on SE versions. By protecting the load space against internal damage, it ensures the appearance of the exterior bodywork remains intact, which is often important for the owner’s business or professional image

A single 1.6-litre HDi turbodiesel engine does service in the Partner and is offered in 75PS and 92PS forms. It’s a frugal engine in both guises and, when coupled to Peugeot semi-auto EGC gearbox, it can offer emissions as low as 123g/km.

Whichever of the Peugeot Partner’s various configurations you choose, though most popular with users is the standard panel van and it’s a very sound choice for urban delivery duties. The chassis has much in common with the Peugeot 308 family hatch, so a supple ride is a given. For some users, the suspension might be just a little too squishy, especially if you intend to make full use of the Partner’s maximum payload.

However, the soft ride means lighter loads get a very cushy ride and it’s the ideal van for transporting delicate items that don’t take kindly to be bashed around. This also means the van’s occupants are well looked after over rough roads. If you need to travel further in unmade lanes, Peugeot offers its ATV model that has Grip Control. This delivers much of the ability of an all-wheel drive van but without the expense of a 4x4 system to permanently haul around.

The ATV model works with raised suspension to give greater ground clearance, additional underbody protection to keep it safe from stray rocks and chunkier tyres to give more grip. There is also a limited slip differential to keep the front wheels turning when other vans’ would be slithering to a halt.

Given the softer suspension than many rivals, you might reckon the Peugeot Partner will lean like a galleon at full sail. This is not the case and the Partner keeps body control in very good check, which means you can make use of its good cornering grip to make able progress on twistier roads. It’s also stable on the motorway in side winds.

Around town, the Partner’s size is not an issue thanks to its tight turning circle and light steering. The clutch and throttle pedals are also light in their action, which keeps fatigue at bay during long days in traffic congestion. On more open roads, the Partner’s cab is decently quiet and free from wind and road noise.

The choice of 75PS and 92PS HDi turbodiesels engines gives users a reasonable spread to pick from. Unsurprisingly, the 75PS engine is best suited to town driving and picks up cleanly from idle to work through the five-speed manual gearbox. It’s a happy combination for urban use, but on faster stretches of road the 75PS engine feels short on puff.

For this reason, the 92PS 1.6 HDi is the better all-round bet. It’s offered with the ATV version or with Peugeot's semi-auto EGC (electronic gear control) transmission that does away with the clutch pedal and entrusts clutch work to electro-hydraulics.

This is one of the Partner’s few weak spots as the EGC gearbox is slow-witted and lurches form one gear to the next, even when the driver times easing off the throttle to perfection. Unless you absolutely need an automatic gearbox, stick with the standard manual transmission for a far more pleasant experience in the Partner.

Much easier to get used to is the Stop & Start available with the 92PS engine. It saves fuel and lowers emissions to as little as 129g/km, which isn’t as low as the EGC’s 123g/km, but we’d live with the small increase for the added enjoyment of the manual gearbox.

The Peugeot Partner is one of the very few vans of this size that can carry three occupants in the front. Thanks to the Multi Flex seating, there are two passenger seats plus the driver’s pew. The downside is the third seat infringes on space for both passengers, so it’s best viewed as an occasional seat for short hop journeys.

There is also very little knee room for the third passenger. If you need to carry two passengers or more on a regular basis or for longer trips, there’s a crew van model available that will accommodate five in comfort.

More relevant for many users will be the standard front passenger seat that folds down into the floor of the cab. This allows longer loads to be slotted through from the load bay and into the cab for added security and safety when driving.

A comfortable driving position is augmented by reach and rake adjustable steering in all Partner models. Power steering is also standard, as well as electric windows, central locking and a driver’s airbag. The view out of the windscreen and side windows is good and it’s easy to judge where the front of the Partner’s bonnet lies to help with parking in cramped spaces.

The clear dash places all of the major instruments in easy view of the driver, so it only takes a glance to check speed or how much fuel is in the tank. Big circular air vents in the centre console provide ample cooling air for summer driving, while the stereo is mounted up high to be within easy reach. Small buttons on the stereo, however, make it more fiddly to use than it should be. Still, the rotary controls for the ventilation are simple to use.

Peugeot places the gear lever high on the console, which is good news for the driver but bad news if the third passenger seat is fitted as it robs leg room for this extra occupant. Some good news comes in the form of plenty of in-cab storage in the Partner.

The load bay also offers excellent storage for cargo and the Partner comes with side-hinged rear doors that open out to 180-degrees for easy access to the back of the van. There are six tie-down hooks in the cargo floor and every Partner has a driver’s ladder frame protector fitted.

If you move from the base S model to the SE or Professional versions, you also get hard plastic floor protection, while the Professional is further blessed with a half-height steel bulkhead with mesh grille and access door to the load space.

A passenger side sliding side door is standard with the SE and Professional Partner models and the L2 long model comes with twin sliding side doors. For the S, a sliding side door is an option. A roof flap at the back of the Partner allows longer loads to be placed through the roof and into the load bay, which is a neat, simple and handy addition to the Peugeot.