Rift your spirits
Rifter drives pretty well for what is a van-derived car. The suspension is pretty forgiving and comfortable when cruising on faster roads while engine or road noise are kept pretty well under control and there’s little body roll through bends too.
Few owners are likely to be hurling it through corners with much gusto anyway as that’s simply not what this car is all about, but it certainly isn’t as bad as you might at first imagine.
We also like the short-throw of the six-speed manual gearbox and the small sporty steering wheel which further emphasised the feeling of space inside the cabin. Having said that though, the driving experience isn’t on a par with the
LOGBOOK LOWDOWN
Peugeot Rifter GT Line 130HDI from
Price range:
£24,259
Turbo-diesel 1.5-litre, 130bhp
0 to 60mph in 10.4 seconds, 116mph top speed
Engine: Power: Average fuel economy: CO2 emissions: Rivals:
65.7mpg 114g/km Citroen Berlingo, Vauxhall Combo Life
8/10
Rating:
likes of the Ford S-Max and nowhere near a sportier family saloon or estate, so much will depend on how much enjoyment you’re seeking when behind the wheel.
But that enjoyment can come in different forms and the Rifter can score highly elsewhere – most notably with its practicality and space. For starters, there’s a substantial 775-litre boot which can expand to a gargantuan 3,000 litres with the rear seats lowered.
Then there’s the three independent rear seats all with Isofix child seat points – something of a rarity among even MPVs these days – or the front passenger seat with underfloor storage plus the hidden glove box in the main