The Peugeot Traveler was already launched in 2016 and is a personal version of the working version of the Expert.
The Traveler shares the same technical basis as the Citroën SpaceTourer or the Toyota Proace .
However, the Traveler arrived in our editorial office in a modification that was put on the market at the end of last year, namely in a version with a 4×4 drive, and also in the Allure equipment, a diesel turbocharged two-liter and a manual six-speed gearbox.
The supplier of the 4×4 drive is the French company Dangel, which has been cooperating with the PSA concern for a long time. Of course, you can also order the 4×4 drive for the work version Expert.
Before the car is actually sent to Dangel for rebuilding, certain modifications are made to the vehicle from the manufacturer. This is mainly about an increase in ground clearance by approx. 20mm, chassis protection and an increase in the car's carrying capacity.
The Dangel company will then install the three-part drive shaft from the transmission, the viscous clutch and the rear transfer case on the vehicle.
EXTERIOR
The last car we tested from the French car manufacturer Peugeot, model 5008, seemed very extravagant and timeless. Unfortunately, the Peugeot Traveler has a much more moderate impression.
In the overall context, this is a fairly robust, yet calm and decent-looking vehicle. Its exterior design bears some features of the brand's models, mainly in the front part.
The tested version was in the shortest body design offered by the manufacturer, i.e. in the Compact version. The external appearance of the car thus gives the impression of increased proportions.
The front part has lights that make it clear that the car belongs to the Peugeot brand. Their partial interruption in the lower part is typical for these cars.
Its bulkiness is lightened by the meshwork of the broken front mask, as well as the breaths in the front bumper, in which the daytime and fog lights are also placed.
The side and rear parts are carried in a relatively classic spirit, which belongs to cars of this category.
The side part is enlivened by a discreet protective strip in the place of the thresholds, then on each side electrically and remotely controlled sliding doors.
The rear part is the classic large up-hinged door with the option of flipping the rear window.
The tested car was painted in an elegant rich oak brown metallic color, all of which in combination with seventeen-inch wheels create a very elegant and pleasing whole.
INTERIOR
The interior of the car was equipped with Allure equipment, including perforated, black, leather upholstery of all seats, which are heated in the driver's and passenger's position and have a massage function. As part of the entire concept of the interior, this is a very effective design.
The car's instrument panel is clear and elevated, similar to the entire position of the driver behind the wheel.
The instrument cluster has a classic hand speed and rpm indicator, as well as an indicator of fuel level and engine temperature. It also includes a digital display with information on current and long-term consumption, or on the range itself.
The upper part of the dashboard of the tested version had a retractable head-up display that displays the current speed or navigation data.
The central part of the dashboard is equipped with a digital touch screen displaying information related to navigation, audio system, car settings and phone control. Together with the air conditioning vents, the display is effectively integrated into the chrome frame.
In its central part, the dashboard is also equipped with air conditioning controls, side sliding door controls, child locks, USB connectivity or a START x STOP button.
The manual transmission selector is also located in the central part of the dashboard, which was decorated with a cold, metal head in winter.
A rather effective element is the flattened multifunctional steering wheel in the lower part, covered in leather with stitching.
The tested version, despite the shortest body design, had a relatively good interior space. The 2+3+3 seating arrangement provided a great variability of interior space thanks to the possibilities of sliding, folding and completely removing the seats.
The pain point of this variant is its luggage compartment, which has only 224 liters in the eight-seater constellation.
Unfortunately, as part of the editorial test, there was also a spare in the luggage compartment, which cannot be placed under the floor of the car due to the conversion to 4×4.
A very effective element underlining the pleasant feeling of the interior of the tested car is its glass roof. This is a pair of glazed surfaces with the possibility of complete mechanical shading.
ENGINE AND RIDE
The Peugeot Traveler Dangel had a turbocharged diesel four-cylinder engine with a volume of two liters and a power of 110 kW. Its performance is sufficient for a quad bike as well as for a fully loaded car. It is also necessary to praise him for his sound performance, his performance is quiet and not quite diesel.
The 4×4 drive is activated using the rotary switch to the left of the steering wheel on the dashboard. The first position is the ECO position, which you will probably use most often, it is a classic drive of only the front axle. The second position is the AUTO position, which connects the rear axle via a viscous coupling only in the event of front wheel slippage. The third position on the rotary control is the LOCK position and this is the rear differential lock.
Even after conversion to a four-wheeler, the Traveler's chassis is still pleasantly and comfortably tuned. He doesn't mind brisk driving, he really manages highway speed with great insight. There are already noticeable tilts on the roads, but that is to be expected from cars of this category.
Fuel consumption was around 8.5 liters during our weekly test.
CONCLUSION
The Peugeot Traveler is sometimes called the French multivan. This comparison is certainly appropriate. The car offers you great interior comfort with great variability of the interior layout and interesting driving characteristics.
The evaluation of the Peugeot Traveler in the Dangel modification has two points of view for me.
The Traveler itself in the basic Active equipment, in the short Compact version with a 1.6 BlueHDi diesel engine and manual transmission costs CZK 675,000 without VAT.
We tested the car in Allure equipment, also in the short Compact version with a 2.0 BlueHDI diesel engine and a manual transmission, then 870,000 CZK without VAT.
For these prices, you get a spacious, variable and attractive car in the interior, which also has good driving characteristics.
The second point of view concerns the adjustment of the drive itself, its conversion is not completely cheap and will cost approx. 205,000 CZK without VAT, to which you need to add the amount of 24,000 CZK without VAT as preparation for the conversion itself.
The price of the tested version was around 1.1 million crowns. It is therefore a question of what benefit is the conversion of this type of car into a four-wheeler for you, in the context of the price offered for the conversion, which is not small.
The result for us is that we like the Traveler as such and as for the Dangel modification, we will leave the evaluation there to each of you.
