Africa Trekker
PEUGEOT LANDTREK 1,9TD 4ACTION DC 4X4
The bakkie with the lion badge has returned. We at CAR do appreciate history although ours is but a mere 65 years. Peugeot goes back a lot longer, to simpler days when the company set out making mechanical pepper grinders. Many manufacturers have realised the value of jumping onto the bandwagon – perhaps load bay is a better term – of manufacturing double cabs. Always a highly popular segment in countries such as ours, Australia and the Americas, the versatility and strength of this category is spreading across the planet.
The Peugeot’s engine is made by specialist company Kunming Yunnei for Changan, SAIC and MG vehicles. First impressions are valuable and here we have many positives. Large, bold, well-styled, modern lighting and a wide stance with large wheels and tyres all give a sense of significance. The modern steering wheel looks as if it has three spokes but is, in fact, two and the bottom is squared off. While the general facia covering uses hard plastics in common with most these days, where it matters is what the driver is touching 100% of the time: the steering wheel. Covered in top quality leather, it feels perfect to the touch and is complemented by the classy gear lever.
The surround camera feed is crisp and can be activated by choice or automatically when the vehicle speed drops below 10 km/h. A neat safety feature is a splitscreen focus on the left or right front wheel, depending on which direction you are turning as detected by your indicator. This warns you of an obstacle such as
a curb, animal or child that might be out of plain sight and in danger. Entrance to the rear is easier than with the Mazda with no B pillar intrusion. The seats have enough space and some backrest rack assists with comfort. Instrumentation is quite modern; the adequately sized screen between the dials displays details clearly. A positive ergonomic touch is the rotary temperature knobs and a similar volume control although, to avoid clutter, the fan speed uses an up/down button. The sat nav works well but the hot African sun can cause keyboard errors if you don’t use a windscreen shade. Radio station search and storage could also be improved.
The engine is conservative in design and is noisier at idle than most others. This is not distracting as some prefer a bakkie to sound more like a workhorse than a whisper-quiet family sedan. There is a turbo lag before the torque kicks in, which requires some allowance when negotiating traffic. The gearbox is smooth with almost imperceptible ratio swaps. The switch to allwheel drive is seamless and low range works well. The steering has an excellent feel; positive with good weighting. The assistance is hydraulic and remains superior to electric assistance. The suspension is firm and heavy loads should be a breeze with the leaf spring setup and high-rated towing capacity. We do hope the trend to constantly increase the physical size of these double cabs will cease. This model and the GWM P series are reaching a point where we will have to stop calling them bakkies and switch to trucks.
TEST SUMMARY
We hoped to pitch the BT-50 against our long-termer Peugeot Landtrek – an all-new entrant into the double-cab market – but to accomplish the old apples-withapples conundrum, we would need the 1,9-litre version of the Mazda (or Isuzu) since this would equate nicely with the Peugeot’s 1,9-litre, 110 kw engine. Sadly, one was not available so we will limit the comparisons between these two to the usual observations, excluding the obvious power differences.
To illustrate the importance of double cabs to South Africans, in our fairly short time with the Landtrek, we have been stopped in two routine police road checks. Each time the traffic officers immediately questioned the bakkie that they did not recognise. This, of course, led to a full explanation and tour of the impressive surround camera views. Others approached at fuel stations and asked similar questions. The Mazda is not a familiar sight either and is bound to invite petrolhead questions as to origin, tie-ups, powertrain and price. Perhaps surprisingly – given the completely divergent origins – there are many similarities between these two, plus the inevitable individualities. The Landtrek has a better-equipped interior with more features. Ergonomics too were superior and the rear cabin slightly larger. Unlike the Peugeot, the Mazda has no air vents for rear passengers and the driver’s armrest is small, slopes slightly downward and is slippery … so not terribly useful. Again, the Landtrek fares better. Storage underneath this is minimal on the BT-50 but then, there are two glove compartments ahead of the front passenger.
On the other hand, the Mazda has the edge on initial engine responsiveness (less turbo lag) and runs much quieter. The cloth seats are also form-hugging. Fuel consumption should be slightly better on the Landtrek. The BT-50, along with the D-max, will be perfectly suited to the hard graft side of double-cab duty. It needs to be loaded to ease the firm suspension and should tackle all serious jobs well. Farmers will not be disappointed but perhaps it will find less favour among those requiring a family vehicle with sporting needs such as mountain biking or surfing. The Landtrek has the edge in terms of styling and its badge carries a history of tough bakkies and Dakar successes despite Peugeot being better known for producing comfortable and economical hatchbacks and sedans, often with innovative flair. One pleasant surprise in both vehicles was manually adjustable dimming on the rear-view mirror. This invariably works more effectively than the auto versions.
Finally, and comparing apples with apples, power-wise, the automatic ‘box BT-50 with the 110 kw engine costs R647 900 against the similarly powered Landtrek’s R669 900. Service plans are five years or 100 000 km on the Peugeot and three years with unlimited kilometres for the Mazda.