Peugeot Partner Tepee

Expert Rating:

Introduction

Even some of the biggest 'gas-guzzling' SUVs struggle to cope with getting five adults inside, let alone keeping them comfortable - and so, even, do a few people carriers. That's particularly strange - they're called 'people carriers', for Heaven's sake. It's because both are compromised in some way, be it by the need to stay small on the outside (for easy manoeuvrability), or by the need to be 'sexy', like a Bavarian sports activity vehicle, say. Anyway, the Peugeot Tepee isn't held back by such shackles: it's built for one thing and one thing only - carrying people.

What is it?

It's basically a small business van of the type that can usually be seen going backwards and forwards to wholesalers, filled with drums of sunflower oil and cheese. Except instead of massive cans of grease, it's full of seats and storage boxes - this is a proper utilitarian people mover, make no mistake. An 'all substance, no style' way of moving five people around, and it's cheap.

Our test car came fully loaded, resplendent with such luxuries as air conditioning, parking sensors, Bluetooth and alloy wheels. But really they're things you don't need, because this is a car whose strength is its combination of value for money and space. Pick a mid-spec version with any of the three diesels available (with 75bhp, 89bhp or 108bhp), and there's an extremely competent five-seat family car there - if you can handle a stream of 'Postman Pat' jokes from your amused pals. Our top spec Tepee weighed in at a chequebook-denting £17,000 with options, though that's still not too bad for the sheer usability on offer - and a perfectly well equipped diesel can be bought lower in the range for around £13k. That's what we'd buy.

How does it drive?

With very little excitement, really, but if you expected anything else then you might need your eyes checked. It's a big box, and it's a Peugeot, so handling isn't its forte. However, what it lacks in driver involvement (everything), it more than makes up for in comfort and spaciousness. Soft springs mean it's silky around town, but it also manages to avoid the chronic body roll that blights many a high, slab-sided box. It is slightly bouncy at motorway speeds, though.

Ergonomically it's sound, although the steering wheel's tilted like a bus's and a high driving position exacerbates the feeling of being the jolly coach driver. The dashboard-mounted shift stick is well placed, and though the five-speed box is as sloppy as any other Peugeot-Citroen box of late, it's easy to navigate through. Visibility's good too, and the cabin, despite being painfully bland, is well laid out. All-in-all, it makes a good fist of taking much of the uncultured 'van' element out of driving a van. Our one major complaint in the cabin is the lack of storage on the floor near the handbrake - a waste of space and very possibly a hallmark of cost-cutting.

Planet hugger or planet mugger?

It depends what engine you choose. With any diesel under the bonnet you're onto a green winner, because it's rare you'll find this much usable space with emissions so low. Of course, it only seats five where many family cars can seat seven - thanks to a couple of tiny chairs in the boot - but if you don't need those, this will seat five basketballers without choking the earth, and there's enough pulling power in the diesels to make the job easy. In 108bhp derv form the Tepee gets from 0-62mph in 12.5 seconds, but it has 177lb.ft at just 1,750rpm, so while it never feels quick, it's flexible and it returns 50.4mpg. Strangely, it's the most economical of the trio of oil burners available too - the 75bhp and 90bhp versions both return 49.5mpg. All are in VED band C, with the modest £120 annual bill that brings.

And you should avoid the petrol units - both 1.6-litre units are thirsty and don't have the torque to make then much cop at the business of pulling five fatties and their gym bags around.

Verdict

Did we mention the Tepee is big? Oh well, just in case... actually though, the Tepee is a surprisingly impressive car, mostly because it's so unflinching in its practicality remit. It's not stylish, but if you have a pair of screaming kids/grandparents and a nagging husband/wife/partner to contend with, there's so much space here that getting along with each other should be a bit easier. Features like sliding rear doors, roof-mounted air vents and a storage box at the top of the boot - which can be accessed from the passenger compartment - smack of the type of thinking that makes living with the Tepee more fun than it should be. It's properly cheap too.

Mark Nichol

Monday April 27