Peugeot opens the year 2022 by making significant revisions to its Rifter and Traveler van lineups. Both models are no longer available with gasoline or diesel engines, opting instead to rely entirely on electric powertrains. There are certain improvements that are already working.
Peugeot has opted to start the new year off right by introducing some significant changes to the range of two of its vans designated for the private channel as a passenger transportation option. The gasoline and diesel engines for the Peugeot Rifter and Peugeot Traveler are no longer available. A drastic overhaul of the mechanical lineup that, in the end, focuses all emphasis on the 100% electric versions of both vans.
In a recent piece, we discussed Stellantis‘ plans to phase out the combustion engines in the Rifter, Berlingo, and Combo Life in order to focus all of its resources and efforts on increasing sales of the electric versions of these small vans. Peugeot goes even farther, revealing its plan, which includes the Rifter’s “older brother.”
The legendary French manufacturer has opted to speed up the transition of its passenger vehicle lineup to all-electric mobility. Peugeot has determined that the Rifter, Traveler, and even the Expert Combi would be available only in an electric model starting in January 2022. These passenger-carrying versions will no longer be available with gasoline and/or diesel engines.
Alternatives to these vehicles will continue to rely on internal combustion engines in Peugeot’s commercial vehicle sector. This choice is made in a very challenging situation. The production facility where these thermal vans were made is being impacted by a global scarcity of semiconductors and microchips. We must also factor in the stringent pollution restrictions.
The Peugeot e-Rifter is available through Peugeot dealers in Spain. An electric vehicle having all of the features of a traditional van with a combustion engine. It comes in two body sizes (Standard and Long), as well as five and seven seat configurations. It comes with a 50-kilowatt-hour battery that is designed to power a 100-kilowatt-hour (136-horsepower) engine.
According to the WLTP cycle, it has a range of 280 kilometers. The starting price for the sale is € 37,500.
Peugeot aims to increase the number of electric vans it sells.
The Peugeot e-Traveler is available in three body lengths and two battery capacities of 50 and 75 kWh. A 100 kW (136 hp) motor is used in both circumstances. In the best-case scenario, it claims a range of 330 kilometers and can accommodate up to nine adult passengers. What is the cost? It costs around € 54,370 to acquire.
The Peugeot e-Expert is the last but not least. An electric vehicle designed to make shared transportation easier, according to the brand. By the way, the Peugeot e-Expert Hydrogen, the brand’s first series-production hydrogen fuel cell car, was developed on the basis of this model.
No way, the market for high-roof station wagons is dead: Customers who are looking for a low-cost option are increasingly turning to light commercial vehicles that have been modified to be acceptable for family usage. That is why Peugeot Société Anonyme (PSA) is displaying four minivans from the same production line that are nearly identical in structure but have various designs: Citroen Berlingo, Opel Combo, Peugeot Rifter, and the all-new Toyota ProAce City.
Because of its stunning look, the Peugeot reviewed here is positioned as a tough outdoor variation. The big windscreen and high vertical radiator grille with the lion in the center dominate the visual look from the front.
The side line, with its short hood, high belt line, and huge wheel arches, is typical of a station wagon with a high roof.
The rear consists mostly of a massive tailgate with a low loading sill that does not need to be lifted every time due to a separate rear window that may be opened. The Rifter’s outside appearance is created by black plastic panels in the sill region, on the wheel arches, and on the underbody at the front and back.
The loading sill is low, and the loading area is large.
A high-roof station wagon’s form isn’t for everyone. However, it has a significant advantage: a large amount of capacity can be employed realistically on a small vehicle length – the Rifter is available in two variants with 4.40 meters (L1) and 4.75 meters (L2, 1462.18 € fee). First and foremost, for the luggage: According to Peugeot, the short five-seater will hold 571 liters up to the trunk lid, while the extended one would hold 775 liters.
Even 2700 or 4000 liters fit in as high as the ceiling if the seats are folded up for a level loading floor.
Two more seats may be fitted in the trunk for 731.09 euros in both lengths, providing greater capacity in the longer Rifter.
The ADAC dimensions for the extended version should impress space-conscious families: 870 liters can be packed up to the trunk cover without the third row of seats. The cargo compartment carries 670 liters up to the lid with the third row of seats fitted but folded down. The Rifter can swallow up to 2850 liters of baggage if everything is removed and folded down.
The Rifter, on the other hand, only becomes a true space saver owing to the record-breaking amount of storage places featured throughout the car – in the center console, headliner, doors, first and second rows, and trunk.
The front passenger airbag was even put in the headliner, allowing the front passenger to readily access a spacious and coolable 186-liter storage compartment while driving. A transparent ark with additional storage compartments that floats under the optional panorama roof (€ 974.79) is the visual and practical highlight.
Three kid seats may be accommodated in the Rifter.
The practical interior idea is nearly same in the Berlingo, Combo, ProAce City, and Rifter, but the Peugeot inherits the i-cockpit from the other series, with the steering wheel flattened at the top and bottom, the instruments positioned above it, and an 8-inch touchscreen in the center.
Because critical features are covered in the new Peugeot 508 or the display is too deep, this layout does not operate equally well in every Peugeot. The readability of the instruments and a more down-to-earth operation, on the other hand, are nicely resolved in the Rifter – in the superior equipment with real-time navigation and smartphone connectivity.
The 1.85 meter wide Rifter has a good sense of spaciousness, especially in the front. And, owing to the three separate seats in the back, there are also three kid seats that fit side by side, which is ideal for young families.
It grows visibly tighter as the youngsters grow older. Then they complain about the cramped seats and, most importantly, the lack of elbow and shoulder room caused by the two sliding doors’ side panels moving inwards towards the rear.
Swerving is unsporting because of the long braking distance.
In conjunction with the test tires, the long wheelbase Rifter feels mushy. The high-roof estate car’s slow responsiveness to steering inputs is obvious; it takes a few moments for the high-roof estate car to change course.
The lightly sprung Rifter failed to impress in the evasion test: the steering toughened so much the first time it was turned aggressively that it was nearly impossible to oversteer. The ESP then applies brakes to the vehicle, allowing it to be easily guided back into its original lane. A strange and weird steering sensation, but it has no bearing on driving safety.
The ESP begins to regulate and strongly brakes the high-roof wagon with just a hint of a critical driving condition. High cornering speeds are impossible to achieve regardless. And, according to the test, the Frenchman only comes to a stop after an average of 41.4 meters while braking from 100 km/h – a stopping distance that is far too lengthy for a modern car.
Diesel consumption in the test was 6.2 gallons per 100 kilometers.
A three-cylinder gasoline engine and two four-cylinder diesel engines are offered.
From 22,468.91 euros, the gasoline engine Pure Tech 110 with 110 horsepower and a 5-speed gearbox is offered in the Active second equipment level: Although it does not have a thrilling or dynamic driving style, its performance is usually adequate.
The two smooth-running 1.5-liter diesels may be used if you desire extra torque on the road. The BlueHDi 100 with 100 horsepower and 5-speed gearshift is the entry-level model (from € 21,708.57; not available for the long version), with the BlueHDi 130 with 131 hp (from € 25,295.80) and an optional 8-step automatic (from € 27,342.86) sitting above it.
The latter is advised for the tested long variant, which, at roughly 1.7 tons curb weight, is very heavy. The Rifter is quick enough with its 131 hp diesel engine; its peak speed of 186 km/h is more than adequate in ordinary life. While the elasticity ratings in fourth and fifth gear are satisfactory, the Rifter no longer pulls as strongly into sixth gear.
And there’s a chance that consumption will be a bit lower: The test section’s 6.2 liters, as well as the corresponding CO2 value of 196 g/km, need to be improved (well-to-wheel). After all, owing to the SCR catalytic converter, the Rifter’s exhaust fumes are exceedingly clean.
In the Ecotest, this earns the candidate at least three out of five potential stars.
Keyword: Peugeot Begins 2022 with Big Changes in Rifter and Traveler Vans