Offroad French Flair by Peugeot
South Africans when it comes to bakkies are spoiled for choice. Whatever your budget & utility purposes, there’s always a bakkie that can fit into your lifestyle. Many would-be surprised that Peugeot has a new model in the bakkie segment. But here’s the thing, Peugeot has ventured into this segment a long time ago.
The Landtrek is simply a re-entry into that market. Jointly developed with Changan Automobile, the Landtrek is sold in Latin America & Sub- Saharan Africa.
Here we have the entry-level 4x2 Allure trim. Double Cab format.
Engine & Drivetrain
In our local range, the Landtrek is equipped with a 1.9 Turbo-diesel engine producing 110kw of power & 350nm of torque. This engine is attached to a 6-speed automatic gearbox with 3 different driving modes affecting the behaviour of the gearbox. Namely Normal, Eco & Sport. There is noticeable turbo lag when setting off but once the turbo spools, the bakkie is quite lively & the surge of power is fun to behold. Claimed fuel consumption is 8.9l/100km combined. During our test period, we saw 9.3l/100km. Not a bad effort in this department but a more linear power band can improve drivability. Along with adding a hold function to the gearbox rather than having the gears hold as standard.
Features.
Feature-wise, the Landtrek has everything you need in terms of utility & comfort. Such as a 1 tonne payload. Mud flaps & Side steps. Load bin
LED lights & Follow me home lights. Rear park distance control with reverse camera. 60:40 split rear seats with 100kg load capacity. A myriad of storage spaces. Dual-zone climate control with rear vents. 6-way adjustable seats. Pan & tilt steering wheel with audio controls & cruise control. Info display within the gauge cluster. Leather & textured fabric combo seats & to top it all off, a 10-inch touchscreen audio head unit featuring Android Auto & Apple Car Play. Loaded would be an understatement.
Noise, Vibration & Harshness.
In our test period, we tried the Landtrek on road, off road & on the highway. The vehicle is a comfortable place to be in with good sound deadening & next to no noise from the standard Goodyear All-Terrain tyres. On road, the ride is communicative & can be a bit firm for some people but the bakkie absorbs bumps nicely with no rattles & squeaks. It is indeed well put together. It especially comes alive off road, and even there, the bakkie performs comfortably.
It’s impressive what was done with the suspension setup in that regard.
The engine when the windows are down does have some noticeable noise in some instances.
Other than that, the bakkie is solid.
Offroad Capability
In 4x2 format, the Landtrek Allure can handle the rough stuff competently. You have features such as hill hold assist, hill descent control & traction control to negotiate general off road obstacles. The standard Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Tyres are up to the task. Naturally the gearbox is programmed to hold its gears within the engine’s power band & this helps with gentle hill climbing. If you’re
using this bakkie in farm areas and along a gentle trail, it does the job nicely.
Design.
You have to love the French flair that Peugeot has been implementing into the brand’s design language as of late.
The Landtrek is striking with the signature Peugeot LED light strip along with the grill & headlights & ‘Landtrek’ branded bullbar & load bin brace. The first thing that hits you about the exterior styling is the sheer size of the bakkie. It has a presence both when it’s stationary & on the road. There’s more of a boxy angular design to the body but it both aids in form & function in that it’s easy to tell where the corners of the bakkie are while driving.
The interior is of contemporary design. Large rectangular air vents with silver trim break apart the touchscreen head unit, aircon & off road controls. One thing that shines about the Landtrek’s interior is the ergonomics of it all. There are grab handles to assist in getting in and out of the vehicle. Where your arms would normally rest have soft-touch leather material. The same material is used on the leather portions of the seating. Speaking of seating, both front & back are comfortable to be seated in with suitable support. Taller individuals will be seated comfortably in the rear seats.
What takes the crown here is the steering wheel. The steering wheel is just the right size & designed to fit into the hands gracefully. So much so, it satisfies tactile urges. There’s much praise to be given here.
The interior may have plenty of hard textured plastics, but it’s for the most part utilitarian. The Landtrek uses the soft-touch materials where it counts.
The Landtrek is well designed & certainly a head-turner.
Price & Maintenance
The Peugeot Landtrek in 4x2 Allure trim will set you back by R579 900. In the price includes a plethora of standard features as shown here on this vehicle. There is a 4x4 4Action Trim model which costs R669 900
Maintenance wise, the Landtrek is offered with a 5 year 100000km warranty & service plan.
Conclusion
The Peugeot Landtrek 4x2 is a solid effort from the French brand. There are refinements that could be done both on the power delivery & dampening for on road use. But other than those, the bakkie will do what it’s set out to do. The curb appeal is great with the design of the bakkie. It will definitely turn heads & garner attention. Especially with the pumping sound system which comes as standard.
If you would like something different from the norm in the bakkie segment, give the Peugeot Landtrek a shot. It definitely adds French flair to the bakkie segment.
