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For maximising practicality for minimal cost, few types of vehicles are better than the family cars that started their lives as vans. Peugeot has been doing this for years, and indeed the Peugeot Rifter is a direct descendent of the popular Peugeot Partner Tepee and others - it’s still based on the regular Partner panel van.
While these models might have lacked style in the past, they’re getting better there too, and the Rifter takes more than few cues from the compact SUVs that might otherwise be vying for your attention, from flashy alloy wheel designs to tough body cladding.
The Citroen Berlingo MPV and Vauxhall Combo Life are effectively the same car with different badges, while the Ford Tourneo Connect is another ‘van with windows’ that’s worth a look. Peugeot also offers the 3008 and 5008 SUVs, with five and seven seats respectively.
The Peugeot Rifter makes a very strong case for itself if you’re shopping for a spacious family car. Space is the operative word here, because the Rifter is based on the Peugeot Partner panel van, and if that sounds a little downmarket, Peugeot has certainly put in the effort to make the Rifter feel more car-like.
It still has the proportions of a van, but livelier colours, contrasting body panels, sporty alloy wheel designs and much better equipment levels mean it’s far from being a builder’s van. So while it’s not quite as stylish as Peugeot’s own 3008 and 5008 SUVs inside or out, it has an appealing, rugged, and chunky look.
Those conventional SUVs can’t get close to the Rifter for practicality either. Offered in regular or Long variants, with five or seven seats respectively, the Rifter’s interior is massive. The third-row seats in the Rifter Long are more than up to carrying kids and the middle row seats will comfortably house adults. Five-seat models can fit a massive 775 litres in the boot and higher-spec versions with more interior storage have as much as 186 litres in cubby space alone.
It’s comfortable too, and Peugeot’s i-Cockpit layout (with a small steering wheel below high-set dials) works better here than in most of the maker’s regular cars. It’s easy to drive and not out of its depth in the corners, and provided you avoid the largest wheels, the ride isn’t too bad either - we’d recommend the diesels for drivers who regularly carry more people and stuff though.
You can get more or less the same car with a different badge with the Citroen Berlingo MPV and Vauxhall Combo Life, while the Volkswagen Caddy and Ford Tourneo Connect offer similar people-carrying abilities to the Peugeot, if not quite the same rugged appeal. Regular SUVs and MPVs cross over with the Rifter’s abilities too, so consider models like the Peugeot 3008 or Volkswagen Touran.
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The Peugeot Rifter that made the most sense to buy as a new car was the 1.5 BlueHDi 130 in Allure trim, and that still stands as a used purchase. The top diesel engine performs well and doesn’t use much fuel, while the extra equipment it offers over the basic Active is well worth paying a little extra for, from its parking sensors and extra interior storage trays around the cabin, to its touchscreen system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. That the more powerful diesel also has manual and automatic gearbox options widens your choice of used models too.
A simple three-tier trim level structure makes choosing the right Peugeot Rifter fairly easy. The basic Active is still better equipped than the van the Rifter is based on while Allure and GT Line trim levels are certainly more car-like in terms of equipment. It’s worth noting too that equipment is fairly similar whether you buy a regular length model or the Rifter Long, with its extra rear seats.
The Peugeot Rifter’s dimensions are:
The Peugeot Rifter’s boot size is:
The Peugeot Rifter arrived in 2018 so all variants attract the same £180 yearly VED or ‘road tax’ bill, regardless of engine or seating capacity. There is one exception however, the recently released Peugeot e-Rifter, with its electric powertrain - but you won’t find many of those on the used market just yet.
Insurance rates for the Peugeot Rifter shouldn’t be too high. A 1.2-litre petrol Active with five seats starts in group 10 (out of 50), and even a GT Line with the 130PS 1.5-litre diesel and an automatic gearbox is only in group 15. For comparison, the lowest insurance rating on any Peugeot 3008 is group 22.
Read our full Peugeot Rifter review