Peugeot e-Traveller MPV review

Like SUVs, MPVs are offered in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Peugeot will sell you anything from the small, utilitarian, van-based Peugeot e-Rifter to the larger, more sophisticated Peugeot 5008, which has the look of an SUV but is a seven-seat MPV at heart. But if you have even more people or equipment to transport, there’s the Peugeot e-Traveller, which is available in two body lengths, accommodating up to eight occupants. Originally sold with diesel engines, the range went all-electric at the start of 2022. 

The Mercedes V-Class and Volkswagen Caravelle can also carry up to eight people and while the e-Traveller might wear a less well-known badge, it's a credible rival to both. Inside and out it’s almost identical to the Citroen SpaceTourer and Toyota Proace Verso, which isn’t surprising, since all three come from the same production line. And in common with the Mercedes and Volkswagen above, all three MPVs are based on commercial vans.

That may not seem very upmarket, but in fact it makes a lot of sense. A van is designed to offer as much interior space as possible, so MPVs such as the e-Traveller provide the most generous accommodation for large groups of passengers. All occupants can stretch out in some comfort and the extended-wheelbase version offers even more room. The longer model also maximises luggage space behind the third row of seats.

Most importantly, vans are expected to work for a living, while generating a profit for their commercial users, so they have to be cheap to run. The e-Traveller can be charged as cheaply as the user's electricity tariff will allow, or it can be topped up using public chargers, which still costs significantly less than filling up with diesel. Once full, the battery provides around 140 miles of range, which is more than enough to cover off the majority of daily trips.

Compared to its Citroen and Toyota stablemates, the Peugeot is positioned a little way upmarket – there’s no economy-priced basic model. Every e-Traveller is pretty well equipped, with air-conditioning, cruise control, Bluetooth and a seven-inch infotainment screen even on the least expensive Active model. Go for Allure and you get heated and massaging leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, a rear-view camera and a heads-up display for driver convenience.

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You wouldn’t expect something as long and wide as the Traveller to feel like a sports car, but it doesn’t feel as bulky or intimidating as you might expect. It’s actually surprisingly nimble, so crowded urban streets can be tackled with confidence. Also adding to driver confidence is the Traveller’s five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, with a particularly high score for protecting child occupants in an impact.

In all likelihood, the Peugeot Traveller will be too bulky for family use, unless eight seats are essential. However, a larger family will find the big Peugeot a comfortable, flexible and economical way of travelling together in safety.

One way the Peugeot e-Traveller betrays its commercial-vehicle origins is in its running costs – they’re low enough not to look too bad on a profit-and-loss spreadsheet. This is excellent news for those who plan to use a Traveller for private hire or executive transport, but it’s equally relevant if the car is to be a workhorse for a large family.

In early 2022, Peugeot took the bold step of deciding to discontinue diesel engines in the Traveller – despite their past popularity in large MPVs – and make it an electric-only model. 

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The e-Traveller is certainly the cheapest version to run, especially among business buyers, for whom the zero-CO2 emissions bring the perk of the lowest BiK company-car tax payments.

First launched in 2021, the e-Traveller uses a 50kWh battery to give it a range of just more than 140 miles. It also qualifies for VED (road tax) exemption and should be free to drive into low-emissions zones.

Previously, the engine range was shared with the Citroen SpaceTourer and Toyota Proace Verso, and its most economical member – the BlueHDi 120 with stop-start technology – could achieve up to 46.5mpg. 

Those who wanted more power were served by the BlueHDi 145, which returns 42.5mpg and is available with a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic gearbox. The latter was standard for the BlueHDi 180, which can also return 42mpg. Servicing can be carried out by any Peugeot dealer and is unlikely to cost significantly more than for a Peugeot family car, particularly since electric cars are easier to maintain. The three-year warranty will be the same, too.

Most drivers will find the electric powertrain smoother and more relaxing, thanks to its quiet hum, linear acceleration and absence of need for gearchanges. If you often drive in traffic, or make lots of short trips around town, this makes it a breeze to hop in, whizz to your next stop and jump out with the minimum of fuss.

The main giveaway the e-Traveller is based on a van is its vague steering, which is low-geared to reduce driver effort. The turning circle is tight, though, so manoeuvring in city streets isn’t as hard work as you might expect. The ride is comfortable, too. Venture onto country roads and speed up a bit and the e-Traveller feels stable and handles surprisingly well – although you’re always aware that you’re driving a big, heavy vehicle.

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Every e-Traveller gets the same single electric motor, sending power to the front wheels. With 136bhp and instant torque as soon as you touch the accelerator, it feels punchy enough, which is a good thing considering it needs to haul up to eight occupants and their luggage. In most situations the middle driving mode (each one alters the amount of power on tap) is more than adequate, and feels easier to drive smoothly. The Eco mode feels a bit sluggish, so is best reserved for times when every last mile of range is needed.

When internal-combustion engines were still offered, three power outputs were available from a choice of two diesel engines. The 1.5-litre BlueHDi 120 offered 116bhp, while the 2.0-litre BlueHDi 145 and 180 provided 142 and 175bhp respectively.

The BlueHDi 120 manages 0-62mph in 12 seconds and has a higher top speed of 99mph, so it's able to keep up with traffic without feeling too strained.

The 142bhp 2.0-litre diesel comes close to feeling car-like, with strong pull through the gears, although its outright acceleration won’t match most modern family cars. This engine also uses the six-speed manual gearbox, which we found rather ponderous and imprecise. The 175bhp version of this engine feels most upmarket, largely thanks to its automatic gearbox. It can get from 0-62mph in a competitive 9.1 seconds.

Passengers in this kind of vehicle aren’t usually very concerned with such issues as running costs and performance – comfort is key to their satisfaction and it’s highly unlikely that they’ll be disappointed.

Equipment is generous on both of the two models available. Active has a dual-zone climate control system, cruise control for relaxed motorway driving, a DAB radio, Bluetooth and a seven-inch infotainment screen. The Allure adds power-adjustable heated front seats, leather trim, a panoramic glass roof, keyless entry and xenon headlights. Sat nav (with TomTom Live updates for three years) is also fitted as standard in Allure versions.

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As a van-based vehicle, the e-Traveller has a simple and fairly upright driver’s environment, which the long-legged may find restrictive. The dashboard itself is smart if not the last word in cutting-edge design, while materials are solid and workmanlike.

The trim elsewhere inside – including the seats – doesn’t quite match the feeling of luxury provided by the more expensive Volkswagen Caravelle, but comfort is good and few passengers are likely to feel hard done by – although it’s a bit noisy inside and the huge interior can seem a bit echoey.

This is the category where a jumbo MPV really sells itself, as well as laying its van-based roots well and truly bare. As you might expect, the Peugeot e-Traveller offers an immense amount of interior space. You can choose two body lengths: standard and long, with the compact version no longer offered.

We haven’t sampled the compact model, but our standard-length e-Traveller could comfortably accommodate six-foot passengers in each of its three seating rows, while leaving space for 603 litres of luggage, even with all eight seats in use. The long version extends this to a huge 989 litres.

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However, that load space is tall, wide and shallow – imagine the outline of a chequebook and you’ll get an idea of the shape of the boot. Bulky bags may need to be stored vertically. Plus, the seats are heavy and removing them isn’t easy, but if you need a truly vast carrying capacity, 3,061 litres (standard version) can be unlocked by heaving them out – and that’s only measured to the window line. The long-wheelbase version has 3,497 litres up to the window line, but will be somewhat harder to park, and therefore to live with.

No operator of vans will want its fleet to suffer from excessive downtime and as such commercial vehicles are typically designed to have as few potential failure points as possible. With that in mind, much of the technology found under the metal of the e-Traveller is pretty simple and its engines have been proven with high mileages accumulated by van drivers all over Europe.

Neither of the e-Traveller’s sister models, the Citroen e-SpaceTourer and Toyota Proace Electric, has yet made an appearance in our annual Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, but we hope they will as their popularity increases. Peugeot itself presently ranks 11th overall out of 29 manufacturers surveyed, just behind 10th-placed Lexus and comfortably ahead of Volkswagen in 17th.

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The Traveller’s safety is beyond any criticism, though. It holds a five-star rating from Euro NCAP, including an 87% score for adult passenger protection and an excellent 91% score for child protection. Thanks to autonomous emergency braking – which will apply the brakes if an oncoming hazard is detected – a 64% rating was given for pedestrian protection.

Lane-departure warning, road-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring and a driver drowsiness monitor improve safety on long journeys – as does active cruise control, and these helped the Traveller to gain a 78% Euro NCAP rating for driver assistance.