Peugeot Partner

The interior of the 2023 Peugeot Partner is a lesson in what small modern panel vans should be. The cargo space is always the most important thing to consider in a van and the Partner has lots of that. It’s more of a van in the urban mould. There are no windows in the cargo section. The driver’s cabin is separated from the rest of the van with a full-height steel bulkhead. Open the door and you’re greeted by Peugeot’s i-Cockpit that comprises of a high-mounted instrument cluster, and a small, hexagonal steering wheel. The climate control knobs and the rotary gear selector are prominently placed on the dashboard. There’s an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment unit.

Panel vans meant for cargo carrying usually don’t look impressive and the 2023 Peugeot Partner is no different. The build quality is solid, and the Partner measures 4,753 mm long, 1,880 mm high, and 1,921mm wide. It has a wheelbase of 2,975mm. The front end looks like a crossover. That’s also probably the reason why the cabin has more car-like features. The design is fluid. The Partner gets all-round halogen lights. The ground clearance is reasonably high. The van gets power-folding external mirrors, and 16-inch alloy wheels. The rear doors have 180-degree opening but the unglazed sides make outward visibility at the back almost impossible.

Travelling in the 2023 Peugeot Partner is a nice experience since the cabin resembles more of a car. The fabric seats are comfortable and back support is good. Though it’s a compact van, there’s sufficient legroom and headroom. Seat-travel is limited but the driving position is tall and upright. This means taller drivers can still find some space to adjust their legs. The cabin has three seats but it’s more suited for two occupants. The center seat flips forward to reveal a small, swing-out laptop desk. The outer passenger’s seat can be folded down to get some cargo area in the driver’s cabin. The entry-level model doesn’t get any air-conditioning and that’s a bad miss. There’s a big storage space behind the infotainment unit to hold all types of items. The rear suspension occasionally skips and jumps but is more settled when the cargo area is loaded. 

The entry-level model of the 2023 Peugeot Partner is hauled by a turbocharged, four-cylinder, 1.6-litre diesel engine that produces 75 PS maximum power and 230 Nm peak torque. The motor is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The diesel powertrain lowers fuel costs. Panel vans aren’t much exciting to drive and it’s the same for the 2023 Peugeot Partner. With the cargo section at the back, the van lacks refinement. It isn’t outrageously noisy, but there’s a lot of echo and boom, particularly when the cargo section is empty. Handling is easy, though the steering wheel could have been better balanced. 

The Partner comes with Peugeot’s EMP2 technology. It includes safety features that are commonly found in passenger cars, like driver's airbags (curtain and side airbags are optional), electronic stability control, traction control, emergency brake assist, and hill start assist. The braking system has a nice grip and bites the road instantly. But there’s still room for improvement. The lack of blind-spot monitoring is a sore miss. 

The 2023 Peugeot Partner, at a starting price of AED 62,895 is among the higher-priced vans in its class. While it doesn’t offer much customization options, the fundamentals are decent and handling is fairly easy. Its 1,000kg payload capacity is wholesome for small businesses and transport companies. For intra-city duties, the 2023 Peugeot Partner is a dependable vehicle.