New Peugeot Boxer review

Introduction

Stellantis has been busy updating its entire range of light commercial vehicles, and its attention recently turned to its joint largest van, the Peugeot Boxer.

The Boxer – and the near-identical Citroën Relay, Fiat Ducato and Vauxhall Movano – have been given fresh faces, updated engines and revised interiors.

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To be frank, these large van models needed a refresh, having been around in one form or another since 2006 (when the Relay was launched). They've been tweaked and revised for almost two decades, but the basic structure has remained unchanged. That means they're still capacious, and economies of scale mean they're good value against some models.

But how much can you do to a van to keep it fresh against modern rivals? The Ford Transit – itself getting on for 10 years old – dominates the market, and the more expensive Mercedes Sprinter outsells the Boxer by some margin thanks to its reputation for quality.

Then there’s the bargain Maxus Deliver 9, the new Renault Master (our Van of the Year), the Stellantis-built Toyota Proace Max and the revised Volkswagen Crafter to consider.

Read on to find out how the latest Peugeot Boxer stacks up against the best large vans...

Read more: How we test vans

Overview

The Peugeot Boxer is strong on practicality but its ageing foundations show in comparison with more modern large vans. If you’re after a solid no-frills vehicle that gets the job done, the Boxer won’t disappoint, but more advanced and comfortable options exist – especially in the form of the Renault Master.

Pros

• Good value for money
• Pleasingly refined engine
• Competitive cargo volume

Cons

• Uncomfortable
• Dated interior
• Vague and lifeless steering

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Performance & drive

What it's like to drive, and how quiet it is

The Peugeot Boxer is powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine, developed by Fiat and shared across the Stellantis large van range.

The standard power output is set at 138bhp, although there is a more powerful 177bhp version available if you want to venture beyond the usual 3.5-tonne weight limit. Torque stands at 258lb-ft, which provides enough grunt for most hauling needs, but it’s asking a lot to meet varied customers’ needs with just one engine.

Last-mile deliveries and long motorway miles for couriers tend to have different demands, but the engine in the Boxer does a reasonably good job of covering all bases.

A six-speed manual gearbox comes as standard, with an optional eight-speed automatic gearbox available as an option. The automatic is smooth and well-calibrated, rarely picking the wrong gear at the wrong time, but it comes with a notable price premium and a drop in fuel efficiency of around 10% compared with the manual.

Ride quality in the Boxer is functional and not particularly refined – you can tell the basics of the van are getting on for two decades old. The suspension handles larger bumps and undulations well enough, especially with the 400kg load we had in the back, but potholes and surface imperfections can send unpleasant jolts through the cab.

The Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter and Renault Master all do a much better job than the Boxer of isolating the driver from the road surface.

The steering is light, which makes urban manoeuvring easy, but it can feel nervous and vague at higher speeds, requiring frequent corrections during motorway driving.

“On paper, the diesel engine isn’t anything to write home about, but it works surprisingly well in the Boxer.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

The Peugeot Boxer's latest update has brought noticeable – and much-needed – improvements to the interior, making it a more pleasant place to spend long days.

The redesigned dashboard, updated steering wheel and improved infotainment system enhance the overall experience a bit, but the design is still functional rather than premium, and the touchscreen is particularly disappointing. While the all-electric Peugeot e-Boxer gets a 7in screen that’s only a few years out of date, this diesel-powered model makes do with a 5in screen that’s smaller than most mobile phones.

You do get DAB radio and Bluetooth connectivity but there's no built-in sat-nav app and you can’t link your smartphone to the touchscreen using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. There’s not a single picture of the standard system in Peugeot’s Boxer brochure so make sure you check what you’re ordering before signing. The 7in screen is available as a £400 option and is probably worth it.

Ergonomics are simple but effective. By avoiding including too much modern tech, Peugeot has had to ensure there are physical dials for the climate controls and a rotating knob for the radio volume. For all the criticism of the interior, it’s great to have chunky buttons, switches and knobs to find by touch while driving.

Seating in the Boxer follows the standard large van format, with a two-person passenger bench and an adjustable driver’s seat featuring lumbar support and an armrest. Space is generous, even with three occupants, and the centrally mounted gear lever ensures adequate leg room for the middle passenger.

However, there’s a large panel with two cupholders (for three people) mounted low down in the centre of the cab, which is a silly place when driving solo and a recipe for disaster when three people are on board.

Elsewhere, there’s ample storage, with a large glovebox, a document clip, overhead shelving and dashboard compartments. And that awkward cupholder also has a slot to keep a phone safe – although that’s likely to be suckered to the windscreen.

“With no standard navigation and no standard Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, drivers will be relying on a phone stuck to the windscreen, which seems incredible to me these days.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

Peugeot offers the Boxer in three body lengths and three roof heights, providing cargo volumes ranging from 10m3 to 17m3.

The Renault Master slightly edges it out in smaller configurations, but the Boxer is still one of the most spacious large vans available. It beats the country’s best-seller, the Ford Transit, which tops out at 15.1m3, and makes the Maxus Deliver 9 – with 12.9m3 – look positively paltry.

However, it’s never quite as simple as bigger is better. While the Boxer can carry more volume than a Mercedes Sprinter, that can take a load that’s almost half a metre longer, at 4410mm. The Boxer reaches 4070mm in L4 form at floor height, dropping to 3920mm at mid-height.

Payload capacity is a strong suit, with the Boxer offering up to 1500kg on vans with a gross vehicle weight of 3500kg. That’s about the same as the Transit’s 1472kg and well ahead of the longer Sprinter’s 1200kg. It falls well short of the Master’s impressive 1971kg limit though.

Access to the load area is straightforward, with twin rear doors opening to 180 degrees and a sliding side door on the passenger side. Optional extras include a second sliding door and rear doors that fold fully against the sides of the van, improving loading flexibility.

Peugeot offers heavy-duty variants exceeding 3.5 tonnes GVW for those needing even greater payload, though these require additional licensing and compliance with HGV regulations. The benefit is payloads rising to as far as 30kg.

“Believe me, the back of the Boxer is big! If you want to squeeze as much in the back of a van as possible, there’s nothing else as cavernous.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

Buying & owning

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

The Peugeot Boxer is a profit-making machine for Stellantis – alongside the identical Citroën Relay, Fiat Ducato and Vauxhall Movano – and that’s given them some room to undercut rivals. But if you think that means huge discounts, think again.

On a very broadly like-for-like basis, the Boxer is around £1,000 cheaper than a Renault Master, £10,000 cheaper than a Ford Transit and an enormous £16,000 cheaper than a Mercedes Sprinter. The Maxus Deliver 9 undercuts them all, costing around £4,000 less than the Boxer.

In terms of efficiency, Peugeot says the L3H2 model with a manual gearbox will return 44mpg under WLTP test conditions, dropping to 40.6mpg with the automatic gearbox.

For those considering an electric van, the Peugeot e-Boxer (which we review separately) comes with a hefty £17,000 premium, although it does qualify for the plug-in van grant.

Every Boxer is backed by a comprehensive warranty that runs for three years or 100,000 miles (which is par for the sector and identical to other Stellantis models). A van that’s off the road costs a businesses around £600 a day, so the fact you only need to see a service centre every two years or 32,000 miles is good news for operators.

Maxus extends cover to five years while keeping a 100,000 limit, and Mercedes stops cover after three years but doesn’t place any mileage limit. Ford is rather less generous, covering the Transit for just 60,000 miles.

There’s one other option we’ve not mentioned much: the Toyota Proace Max. It’s identical in almost every way to the Boxer but with more generous equipment levels, a slightly higher price and Toyota's impressive, up to 10-year warranty (although there’s still a 100,000-mile limit).

“For cash buyers the Peugeot Boxer is tempting, but the extra cost for our Van of the Year, the Renault Master, is worth stretching to if you can.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

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