NIFTY NEW DELIVERY
SITTING high in this van-like vehicle had me feeling like Postman Pat. I hummed the theme tune to the children’s TV series as I trundled through the Cotswolds — though without a black-and-white cat. It won’t suit everyone — the rear sliding doors add to the impression that you are out on your rounds — but as a flexible, practical, family-friendly alternative to the ubiquitous sport utility vehicle (SUV), Peugeot’s quirky Rifter could be just the ticket.
It’s perfect, too, for those with an adventurous spirit and an active lifestyle who need to carry lots of kit, with roof bars fitted as standard. The Rifter’s huge tailgate makes loading easy, and it comes with five seats, though a longer version will take seven.
each back seat can hold a child seat and can be folded to the floor from the boot.
The range starts at £19,650 and there is a choice of engines and gearboxes. The 1.2 l 110 hp petrol engine comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, and a 130hp eight-speed automatic version is arriving next year.
Meanwhile, the 1.5 l diesel 75 hp and 100 hp models are both linked to a five-speed manual gearbox. These are all compliant with the latest euro 6.2 emissions regulations.
I drove the Rifter in Allure trim with the 130hp BluehDi diesel engine and six-speed manual gearbox, which was a delight.
It had an adequate top speed of 116 mph and managed rest to 62mph in 10.4 seconds, with an average consumption of 65.7 mpg.
Its base price of £22,570 rose to £23,570 after extras were added.
The car I drove had voice- control, speed-limit recognition and hill-start assist — plus an incredible 28 storage areas, including underfloor and overhead.
And there are many more safety-boosting extras, largely dependent on trim specification, such as lane-keeping assist, road-sign recognition and blind-spot monitoring.