PAUGEOT Partner Minivan test drive since 2008 Minivan

PAUGEOT Partner test drive: Potential Partner summer resident

The idea was to test all the types of mini -loaders available in our market - that the name of the heel received the name in the Russian language. We decided to start with the product of Peugeot.
However, the Partner model of Partner's Press Park Peugeot Citroen Rus was not a cargo version of the Partner. The Peugeot Partner XT 1.4 had to be content with (passenger version). But this car turned out to be quite interesting, and the difference with the truck is quite easily represented.
The first impression of the interior in the cabin is very spacious. From the old habit of holding a hand on the steering wheel, hanging the elbow outside the window, I had to refuse the length of the forearm only to put the elbow on the windowsill. The review is good, the racks (that the front, that the rear) do not overlap it. Very convenient shelves-pounds on the dashboard is a trifle, but pleasant.
The second impression here is quite noisy. The engine (especially promoted to high speeds) is heard well. The tires that go on a not too smooth road (and there are a clear majority in Russia) are no less well.
However, such a careless attitude to noise insulation understandably of Peugeot experts sought to create a car of maximum simplicity (and prices). For this is still a commercial machine (even in the passenger version), and the criteria for choosing potential buyers are different.
For the same reasons, Peugeot Partner is a minimum of electronics. In general, the savings are visible wherever possible. For example, if the right rear -view mirror has an electric drive, then the left simple mechanics. Another example: the control keys for the electric drives of the side glasses are put to the front panel, and are available to the driver and the passenger. Due to this, the costs of one switch, several meters of wiring and a pair of relay are saved. The sliding back door is only one right (although some classmates of Peugeot Partner have two of them).
It is possible that fans of the bells and whistles will keep their lips, but Peugeot Partner is not designed for such buyers. The French approach seems quite understandable and logical to me, and he suits me. Such simplifications do not affect the convenience of management, and the cost of the car is a very, very significant thing.
1.4 liter engine. (75 hp and 120 nm) seemed weak. Indeed, for a car with a equipped mass of about 1200 kg, and even with a decent frontal resistance, it will not be enough.
However, the engine is very elastic, forgives negligence in the work of the clutch. The calculated regime for him is a calm commercial ride at speeds of 60-70 km/h, and at the same time it has very small gasoline expenses. Later it turned out that you can ride Peugeot Partner differently. But more on that below.
The suspension initially made a mixed impression, but then its advantages sailed mainly. Yes, the suspension seems a little harsh. But what else to expect from a car with a payload of 600 kg? But on what other car you can move the bed policeman (and it is not to crawl out and not to crawl), and at the same time not to experience any emotions from the impact of the push (for some reason it is not particularly felt, although it should), nor from worries about the safety of the suspension.
The Peugeot Partner suspension is equally indifferent to the pits and bumps with which our roads abound. Yes, you have to pay a high -frequency shaking in some sections of the highway, as well as some noisiness, but, in my opinion, it is worth it.
Tests of a car of this class would be incomplete without a freight trip. I somehow did not want to go to the furniture store (and thereby combine the pleasant one). The case of a colleague moved the case.
The newcomers transported the little things independently, but there were two things that did not resolutely fit into their sedan (as well as in the universals of their acquaintances). It was a refrigerator 1.8 m high and a mattress size of 160x190 cm.
It turned out that the rear seats are Peugeot Partner, folded and lowered behind the backs of the front seats, stick out high enough. I had to do it differently, we only folded the backs of the rear, as well as the right front seats. At the same time, the length and the remaining height of the body was quite enough to lay a tall refrigerator, and the mattress lay down on top and side of it, playing the role of the shock absorber along the way.
During loading, one of the small shortcomings was revealed. The loop of fixing the back of the left rear seat is quite strongly protruding (while the right loop is hidden by the massive persistent rear side door). This delivered us some troubles during loading is good that we loaded an easily deformable mattress, otherwise it would be more difficult. It seems that when modernizing the machine, this knot should be changed.
At the same time, I will say about another feature of the Partner lid of the neck of the fuel tank. It opens with a key, so at the gas station it will not be possible to limit yourself to communicating with the gas station through the window from the car will have to go out. It is possible that for the passenger version focused on private ownership, the neck should also be redone.
But back to a truck. The review through the rear window was naturally blocked by large (as it should be at the city car) Partner's side mirrors provided completely safe restructuring.
The movement with the load in its dynamics both overclocking and brakes very slightly different from the movement of an empty machine. Naturally, with loads close to maximum, this will change, nevertheless ...
At first, I tried to pass the turns in a loaded car with increased accuracy (remembering the raised center of gravity). However, I quickly realized that the rigidity of the suspension is quite enough for Partner even with a high load would not burst into unpleasant rolls.
After unloading, the car felt better (even more in my imagination). In addition, the time was later (the move took place on a weekly day after work), I was waiting for dinner at home, and the streets were quite free ... In general, I decided to try what Partner is capable of when driving in active mode.
It turned out that it was quite capable. If you spin the engine to 4.8-5 thousand revolutions per minute (the red sector starts with 5.5 thousand), then the machine shows a dynamics, for which you can not blush on Moscow streets.
True, one thing quickly became clear, but when driving in this mode, the fuel -dimerand arrow seemed to began to sink before his eyes. For city races, Peugeot Partner is clearly not intended, however, it was clear and so.
I could not do without adventures in the evening on the road near Moscow, I had to change the rusted wheel. Some flaws were also revealed here. Firstly, to free the wheels located under the bottom of the wheel (which is characteristic of mini-loaders), it was necessary to use the wheel key, which is the handle of the jack. The hook, playing the role of a screwdriver sting, was round, the groove is flat, and the screw was well -cooked. In short, for the first time, unscrewing the mounting screw passed with a big creak in the literal and figurative sense of the word. But which is easier to make a hook flat along the outer contour (it is even better to provide it with the appropriate ledges-fixers).
The second feature (not too pleasant) was not long in coming. The weather was rainy. Казалось бы, чего проще: бросить пробитое колесо в багажник, и спокойно ехать в шиномонтаж. Однако так просто это не получилось. Выяснилось, что рамка крепления запасного колеса фиксируется только при наличии этого самого колеса. Пустая же рамка гремит и может выскочить из крепления. Пришлось пошарить в сумке, где, по счастью, обнаружился шнурок. С помощью шнурка я подвязал рамку запаски, чем избавил себя от необходимости в сумерках и под моросящем дождем пихать под брюхо злополучное колесо. В общем, в перечень необходимых мелких доработок я бы включил и фиксатор рамки крепления запасного колеса при отсутствии оного.
Если говорить о других мелких недостатках, то упомяну педали. Они расположены в лесенку - от педали газа до сцепления. На мой взгляд, педаль газа и педаль тормоза все же должны располагаться на одном уровне. Дополнительное движение правой ноги вверх при переносе с газа на тормоз это лишняя доля секунды (она может не ощущаться но она есть). И именно этой доли секунды на дороге может и не хватить.
Что касается высоты педали сцепления, то тут есть за и против. Да, большой свободный ход сцепления предпочтителен, когда речь идет о водителе не слишком высокой квалификации (добавлю - или о водителе наемном, который не всегда бережливо относится к чужой собственности). Однако слишком высоко уходящая при освобождении педаль сцепления тоже не хороша в городских условиях она постоянно требует задирать колено к подбородку. Это вызывает усталость, нога начинает опираться на педаль (большой свободный ход это провоцирует), а там уже недалеко и до того, что сцепление начнет слегка тереться и греться что негативно скажется на ресурсе диска. В общем, я не уверен в том, что на Peugeot Partner свободный ход и высота педали сцепления оптимальны.
I tried Partner on the highway. Before the limits indicated in the instructions (160 km/h) I did not accelerate, and the car is still unfamiliar. However, in 4th gear at about five thousand revolutions, the car moved at a speed of ~ 130 km/h, that is, the reserve (in the form of the fifth gear and about 400 rpm).
 
Conducted the regular Michelin Energy tires. It is possible that they are not the quietest but the road (including wet) hold very well. The clearance of Peugeot Partner is to match many parquet SUVs - 180-200 mm (depending on the load). This allows you to feel confident when parking in Moscow borders.
In general, Peugeot Partner is quite consistent with the concept of which it was created. This is cheap (about 440 thousand rubles), economical (if you do not drive with a breeze) a very spacious and unpretentious car. It is not surprising that it is mainly sold in commercial operation. Partner is quite suitable for the role of a taxi, a rebellious van of small wholesale, for a single businessman using the car on weekdays for work, and on weekends for relaxation.
However, Peugeot Partner is easy to imagine in private ownership. It seems that inveterate summer residents will also appreciate its capacity, high clearance, suspension rigidity and simplicity. Moreover, there are also versions with a diesel engine that is much more suitable for a truck. By the way, in the fall, the Partner diesel version should also appear in the press park of Peugeot Citroen Rus - it will be interesting to compare ...
Among Russian motorists, the traditions of animism are still very tenacious: cars are humanized, give them their own names, build relationships with them ... I am not sure that Peugeot Partner is able to become a favorite family member (although a stranger soul of a darling). But here this car is able to become a reliable partner, I have no doubt.
 
 

Source: Business car club