Peugeot Expert Review

The Expert’s plus points are considerable, with its payload and economy two elements that will make it stand out in a busy market for buyers that value numbers over more detailed touches.

It offers the joint biggest payload in its class (alongside the mechanically identical Citroen Dispatch) at a strong 1469kg. This is no one-off model, either, as many of the versions can carry more than 1300kg.

It won’t just fit into your life, it will fit into many tight spots in town, too. The low roof height of just under 2m means it will make it into the vast majority of low car parks and restricted access spots. It has a decent turning circle, too, which means it should be able to get around those car parks as well.

It is one of the better value models in its class, too, with starting prices that kick off at just over £22,000. 

Based purely on the numbers, which are the reason that many will go for the Expert, the one to go for is the 120PS 2.0-litre diesel engine. All three lengths will offer a payload in excess of 1400kg, though. This engine is not quite the most economical, but it is close enough to the best in the range to mean that you won’t pay for practicality at the pumps.

The basic trim is decent, but for driver comfort and to avoid expensive parking prangs it is worth stepping up to Professional trim for the air conditioning, rear parking sensors and touchscreen that brings Apple Carplay and Android Auto. The price step is not vast, especially if you are paying on a monthly basis rather than outright in cash.

The medium van range is one of the most competitive, with the UK’s best-selling model the Ford Transit Custom and the Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 the two strongest rivals. Both offer a classier cabin and a more accomplished driving experience than the Peugeot. They also offer models with taller loading bays, as does the Fiat Talento and Renault Trafic.

If you want something very similar to the Expert but with a different badge then the Citroen Dispatch and Toyota Proace do just that – they are the same van. This is true for the Vauxhall Vivaro as of 2019, too – prior to that it shared its underpinnings with the Talento and Trafic.

The plastics that feature throughout the Expert’s cabin are largely quite dark, which means that the cabin itself can feel a little dark too. They are generally quite solid, with the emphasis on hard and durable rather than soft-touch luxury, though.

The build quality leaves a little to be desired, though, as there are several creaks that emerge when you drive down a bumpy road. Some of the plastics and panels are prone to movement, too, which raises concerns about how well the cabin will withstand long-term abuse. The side sliding door mechanism feels a little flimsy, too.

There is little in the way of extra gloss in the cabin as you head up the range, but the steering wheel is one area that benefits. When you get to Asphalt trim, you get a leather covering for the wheel and the gear lever.

Basic models get a decent stereo with DAB digital radio with Bluetooth and USB connections, but as of 2019 all Experts get Peugeot Connect and SOS, which will connect to the emergency services if you have a crash or allow you to contact breakdown recovery if there is a problem with the van.

Experts in Professional trim and upwards get a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system that comes with Apple Carplay and Android Auto added on. The screen isn’t as slick as the system on rivals like the latest Volkswagen Transporter, but it is clear to see and relatively simple to use. Thankfully, unlike some Peugeot passenger cars, the climate controls get separate buttons. The chunky buttons can be easily prodded while you are driving, too.

Satellite navigation kicks in from Asphalt trim and upwards, and it is a clear and easy to read system. Asphalt also gets a head-up display that allows you to see data such as the speed without moving your eyes from the road at all – a real rarity in a van.

Passenger room is decent in the Expert. The middle passenger seat might be less comfortable than the other two, but it is big enough that you won’t feel too cramped on longer trips.

The cabin could be better when it comes to cubbyholes and storage spaces. There are plenty of them but they are comparatively small. That said, the door bins are handily deep and there is a useful upper shelf built higher up into the door.

The loading bay comes in a choice of three lengths, with the shortest offering an overall internal length of 2162mm and the longest providing 2862mm. Every model bar the basic S trim comes with a flexible bulkhead called Moduwork that allows you to slot longer items through, so this length grows by 1162mm when that is opened. The shortest model will take two Euro pallets while the longer two will manage three

Peugeot only offers the Expert in the one height, which puts a restriction on how much capacity the van can offer. The loading volume ranges from 4.6 cubic metres to 6.1 cubic metres (although the Moduwork bulkhead increases this by 0.5 cubic metre) and this falls short of a large number of the Expert’s rivals, like the Ford Transit Custom, Renault Trafic and Volkswagen Transporter.

All versions of the Expert come with twin sliding doors and twin, side-hinged rear doors.

The crew van version of the Expert grows the number of seats on offer to six. It is only offered in standard or long lengths so still comes with a decent amount of storage – up to four cubic metres in the case of the longer model.

The engine range in the Expert is a relatively wide one, with one 1.5-litre diesel and three different 2.0-litre diesels. Prior to 2019 the entry-level engine was a 1.6-litre diesel, but this was updated because of need to meet the latest Euro emissions standards.

The 1.5-litre engine is a smooth unit, and features in smaller Peugeot vans. It is available in all three lengths and is fine around town but it lacks the outright strength of the bigger engines and doesn’t provide the payload that makes the Expert so compelling.

The 180PS diesel that sits at the top of the range is one of the most powerful engines you can get in a van, and it is almost overkill when the 150PS engine and even the 120PS versions are so good. The 120PS is the version that will best suit most users and is the one that offers the best blend of power and payload. 

The majority of the range is offered with a six-speed manual gearbox that is a big improvement on the five-speed ‘box that was offered in the past in the Expert. The five-speed box was clunky and slow but the six-speed version is much smoother. The most powerful version is only offered with an eight-speed automatic gearbox that is generally smooth if occasionally a little hesitant. It also comes with paddle shifters, which seems like an unnecessary addition on a van.

The Expert is a very impressive performer when it comes to cabin noise, with all four of the engines keeping the volume down on the move. The older 1.6-litre engines are slightly different and are quite noisy, especially under hard acceleration. The turbo is also noisy at lower speeds, which can grate after you’ve spent a long day driving.

The 2.0-litre engines are quieter but still a little gruff under hard acceleration. They are really quiet when you sit idling, though, and the standard-fit stop start means you’ll often sit at the traffic lights in silence anyway. Because of these smooth engines, there is little vibration that makes it through to the cabin, too.

The insulation in the cabin is very good, too, and the Expert manages to keep the other noises associated with motorway driving at bay. The relatively low nature of the van means that it doesn’t kick up lots of wind noise, while the comparatively small door mirrors help on that front too.

There is a bit of noise that makes it through from the loading bay when it is empty, but no more than you would expect from a van of this type. This is an impressively refined van.

There is a wide range of safety kit available on the Expert, but not all of it is standard and there are some key elements that are included on other medium vans.

You get two front airbags, though, which is a rarity as many vans only offer one for the driver. ESC with hill start assist, an automatic fuel cut-off and a full steel bulkhead are the other basic safety features that comes as standard.

You have to go up to Professional to get an alarm, while this is the point that rear parking sensors are added. 

Asphalt adds a wide array, though, with a lane departure warning system, speed limit recognition and recommendation, driver attention assist and auto headlights. It also gets the Drive Assist Pack, which brings adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and a distance alert system. All models get a full-size steel spare wheel.

What is disappointing is the fact that you have to go up to Asphalt to get the autonomous emergency braking given that it is standard on Volkswagen models and the fact that there is no crosswind assist.

The Expert hasn’t been tested in by Euro NCAP in its latest form.

Oddly, the entry-level Expert is not the one that has the lowest insurance group – that is the 1.5-litre Professional with the lower payload. It sits in group 33E, which is not far off the rest of the range. The models with the highest payload are the versions that have the highest insurance group, with the Grip models, among others, sitting in group 39E.

The Peugeot Expert qualifies for the low-rate commercial vehicle VED tax, which means that it doesn’t matter which one you go for – they will all cost the same to tax.

The same is true for BIK as vans qualify for the flat-rate value, so it is significantly cheaper to run an Expert than a passenger car as a company vehicle.

Best trim to choose for value for money and which options are worth it/best avoided plus special editions

The basic S model offers more kit than some really simple entry-level vans, but the extra kit of the Professional and Asphalt will be welcome if you are going to be spending lots of time on motorways.

Those who will be using the Expert on a building site or down unpaved tracks will have the decision made for them, though, with the Grip the one to go for.

Regarding the engines, the 120PS model is the pick of the range given its high payload offering, but it is the best of a very good bunch so all will do a strong job.