Peugeot has re-entered the light commercial vehicle market in Australia, recently unveiling its Expert medium van at a media launch in Sydney.
The new front-drive platform, which will be joined in September 2019 by the Boxer large van and a new version of Peugeot's Partner compact LCV, is available in both short and long wheelbases, with a number of turbo-diesel engine and transmission combinations on offer.
Pricing for the new five-model range kicks off at $36,490 plus on-road costs, which undercuts all but Renault's entry-level Trafic among the Expert's European and Japanese rivals, and extends to $45,890 (plus on-roads).
However, while the pricing is keen, it hasn't come at the expense of safety and equipment – quite the opposite, in fact.
The top-selling van in the segment, by a country mile, is the is the Toyota HiAce, of which a new-generation version has just been released - along with higher pricing to match.
Every Expert model comes with autonomous braking, forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, front and side airbags, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, auto headlights and wipers and attention alert as standard, in addition to niceties like a 7-inch multimedia touchscreen (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), fog lamps, and air-conditioning, among others.
Three short-wheelbase Experts are on offer, from the entry-level 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel (85kW/300Nm) with six-speed manual, to the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel (110kW/370Nm) with either six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.
Read the Peugeot Expert 2019 Review
These variants are then complemented by two long-wheelbase models, both featuring the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel and six-speed automatic but in two power ratings: either 110kW/370Nm or a range-topping 130kW/400Nm.
Payload capacity for the Expert spans 1000kg to 1300kg dependent on variant, while braked towing capacity varies between 1500kg and 2200kg.
The short-wheelbase Expert offers a 2512mm load length, while the long-wheelbase variants extend that figure to 2862mm. A removable flap in the lower bulkhead frees up an additional 1160mm of room for longer items across the range.
The new Peugeot Expert comes backed by a five-year/200,000 kilometre factory warranty, with service intervals pegged at every 12 months or 20,000 kilometres, whichever comes first.
While not rated by Australia's ANCAP vehicle safety scheme, the Expert has achieved a five-star rating under Europe's NCAP scheme.
How much is the 2019 Peugeot Expert?
*Not including on-road costs