Peugeot shows off fresh Expert commercial van

Wednesday, 26 August 2020

The refreshed Peugeot Expert is coming to New Zealand in September 2020.

A new foray into the commercial vehicle sector aims to deliver some sales growth for the local Peugeot distributor.

Auto Distributors NZ, which took over the importation of Peugeot and Citroen marques in 2017, is bringing eight-speed transmission efficiency and a full suite of safety and driver-assist features to the mid-size van market with the new Peugeot Expert range.

Expert will be here in early September in Medium and Long configurations providing between 5.4 and 6.6 cubic metres of cargo space and is priced from $54,990.

Peugeot’s local distributor is hoping the new Expert van will deliver some healthy sales.

Price and dimensions put the Expert up against the VW Transporter, Renault Trafic and Ford Transit Custom vans.

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The new Expert gets driver and passenger-side sliding doors plus 180-degree opening barn-style rear doors.

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A revamped interior and eight-speed transmission make the Expert quite compelling, although, sadly, there’s no trick 3D dash like in the 2008 SUV.

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“We’re confident that the all-new Peugeot Expert will become the go-to vehicle for those who desire the latest generation van, as it features an outstanding eight-speed automatic transmission, class-leading payload, high levels of safety and the assurance of an extended warranty,’’ said Chris Brown, CEO of Auto Distributors New Zealand.

The Aisin-supplied eight-speed automatic has been a recent addition to Peugeot passenger car and SUV models. Peugeot reckons it’s the first time a van has been available in the segment with such an advanced transmission.

A 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine powers the Expert providing 110kW output and 370Nm of torque. Close ratios and efficient eight-speed shifting allow the Expert to achieve combined cycle fuel consumption of 6.3-litres per 100km while CO2 emissions are 165g/100km.

Peugeot claims a class-leading (for the medium-size van segment) 1300kg payload and a braked towing capacity in excess of two-tonnes.

The new Expert gets driver and passenger-side sliding doors plus 180-degree opening barn-style rear doors. There is a $4000 price step for the “Long’’ variant which shares the same 3275mm wheelbase but gains 350mm of rear overhang.

Standard safety equipment on both versions includes driver, passenger and front side curtain airbags, adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.

Standard equipment also includes a 7.0-inch colour touch screen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality.

Peugeot says the Expert features a completely sealed cabin environment to enable a more car-like experience in regard to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) functions.

“The cabin is cocooned from the rest of the van, meaning the HVAC system has a significantly smaller space in which to regulate the temperature, rather than the entire load cavity in some other vans,’’ said Brown.

Plenty of accessories are available, including the ‘Moduwork’ package that allows items such as longer lengths of wood to be carried via a through-loading hatch located under the passenger seat. This increases the load length by 1162mm in both models.

Expert buyers can also specify the optional ‘Look Pack’ which includes larger 17-inch alloy wheels, body colour front and rear bumpers, side rubbing strips and exterior door handles plus LED daytime running lights.

The Expert is the mid-size model in Peugeot’s European van line-up positioned between the smaller Partner and large-size Boxer vans which are currently being evaluated for re-introduction to the New Zealand market.