Driven: Peugeot Expert aims for class leadership
BY JUSTIN HILLIARD | 22nd Apr 2019
PEUGEOT Australia has officially begun selling light-commercial vehicles again, with the Expert mid-size van returning to sale with its sights set on becoming a key player in its class.
Speaking last week in Sydney, Peugeot Citroen Australia (PCA) product planning manager Justin Narayan said the Expert plays in the largest van segment, “the battleground where competition is most fierce”, but it stands out from its rivals on paper.
“The pricing story is compelling compared to the vehicles in the segment,” he said. “Simply put, we offer better value, leading features, and we are the smart choice.
“We believe with the new Expert – with its safety, practicality and technology features – will be a success and continue to challenge established players in the segment. It is, after all, Europe’s best-selling LCV and it is already highly rewarded.”
The Expert is available Down Under with five front-wheel-drive variants covering three engines, two transmissions and two body lengths (a 3725mm wheelbase is common between both), all of which are fitted with a three-seat front bench.
The standard body (4959mm long and 1895mm tall) kicks off from $36,490 plus on-road costs for the 85kW/300Nm 1.6-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine with a six-speed manual transmission.
The 110kW/370Nm 2.0-litre unit commands a $3500 premium and is 1930mm tall, while opting for its Aisin-sourced six-speed automatic transmission bumps up the price to $42,490.
The latter can also be had with the long body (5309mm) for an extra $1700, while a 130kW/400Nm tune of the 2.0-litre engine brings its cost to $45,890 and raises height to 1935mm.
PCA public relations and corporate affairs manager Tyson Bowen told journalists at the Expert national media launch the reason why the new model launched in Australia 18 months after it went on sale in Europe was the lack of suitable drivetrain combinations.
“Those initial drivetrains were diesels, manuals with robotised automatics,” he said. “We decided to wait for the full-fluid auto for obvious reasons: This market is automatic-driven.
“Once we knew we had the right line-up, we moved on with the Peugeot program.”
Mr Bowen said that of the three turbo-diesel engines, the Euro5-rated 110kW unit is “where we believe the mainstay is”. The Euro6-rated 85kW and 130kW engines come with particulate filters and AdBlue tanks.
“We believe across the three we’ve got a good mix of options to suit all category uses and all possible customer requirements,” he said.
Mr Bowen said three other Expert body styles are available to PCA but currently not being considered, although demand may dictate their arrival in the future.
“We’re new to the LCV segment, even though we’re returning to it,” he said. “So, we wanted to take the time to get the core proposition correct, learn ourselves, learn our dealers and learn the segmentation.
“In time, should the demand by customers and other fleet or B2B (business-to-business) – because we’ve not operated at B2B before at a large scale in LCV – crew cab, platform cab and combi are things that we could consider.
“But right now, not on the agenda. We will concentrate purely on the commercial vans and get that right.”
Maximum payload for the 85kW, 110kW and 130kW engines is 1000kg, 1300kg and 1250kg respectively, while braked towing capacity is 1800kg, 1500kg and 2200kg.
While maximum load length is 2512mm and 2862mm for the Expert’s standard and long body respectively, both feature the French brand’s Moduwork bulkhead as standard, which increases it by 116mm via a removable panel underneath the passenger seat.
Similarly, maximum load volume is 5.3 and 6.1 cubic-metres for the standard and long body respectively, while Moduwork adds an extra 0.5 cubic-metres.
With 1258mm of maximum load length between the wheelarches, plus an additional 378mm in front of and behind them, the Expert can carry three Euro pallets. Maximum load height is 1397mm.
Shared between all five variants, standard equipment includes grey 16-inch steel wheels with black hubcaps and a full-size spare, dusk-sensing halogen headlights, LED daytime running lights, front halogen foglights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, power-folding side mirrors, dual-side sliding doors and 180-degree rear barn doors.
Inside, a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, voice control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, Bluetooth connectivity, one auxiliary input, one USB-A port, three 12V power outlets, manual air-conditioning, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and grey TEP/cloth upholstery feature.
Advanced driver-assist systems extend to video-based autonomous emergency braking (up to 30km/h), blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, a manual speed limiter, speed sign recognition, a 180-degree reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, driver attention alert and high-beam assist, plus four airbags (dual front and side).
Metallic paintwork is the Expert’s only option, with Aluminium Grey, Platinum Grey, Perla Nera Black and Flame Red available. The only no-cost hue is white.
As reported, Peugeot Australia’s LCV line-up is covered by a five-year/200,000km warranty, while the Expert’s service intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first.
For the 85kW engine, claimed fuel consumption on the combined cycle test is 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres and carbon dioxide emissions are 137 grams per kilometre. The 110kW and 130kW units manage 6.2-6.4L/100km and 162-168g/km, and 6.2L/100km and 163g/km respectively.
2019 Peugeot Expert pricing*
2019 Peugeot Expert pricing*
| 85kW Standard Body | $36,490 |
| 110kW Standard Body | $39,990 |
| 110kW Standard Body (a) | $42,490 |
| 110kW Long Body (a) | $44,190 |
| 130kW Long Body (a) | $45,890 |
*Excludes on-road costs
