Review of the new Peugeot Partner Tepee 7-Seat

Van-based MPVs may not be the most salubrious of vehicles but they deliver the things that many families crave - space, practicality and a low price. It's indicative of just how much room there is inside the standard Peugeot Partner Tepee that it's available with a pair of extra seats in the rear, giving the five-seater space to accommodate seven. Now larger families can get in on the van-based MPV act.

Past MPV versions of the Partner van have been overshadowed to an extent by the equivalent models based on the Citroen Berlingo. The vehicles have always been identical bar the badging and some minor details but Citroen has tended to market its Berlingo Multispace more aggressively and has a bigger name in the MPV market thanks to its wide range of other people-carrying products. Similarities to the Berlingo Multispace are no reason to overlook the latest Partner Tepee. Both cars are available in seven-seat guise through the selection of the Family Pack option and as a result, are amongst the most affordable ways to transport seven people. Which one buyers choose often comes down to which manufacturer can deliver the most attractive deal.

Choosing the Family Pack seven-seat option does limit your engine options somewhat. Rather than the full range of Partner powerplants, seven-seat customers have to make do with the 1.6-litre HDi 90 diesel engine. 90bhp and 158Nm of torque isn't a huge amount for shifting six passengers and a bit of baggage, even if that torque is available at a lowly 1,750rpm. The result is a 0-60mph sprint that's on the sluggish side at 15.3s. The top speed is a more than adequate 99mph and the vehicle rides on up-rated suspension to help cope with the heavier loads associated with the seven-seat capacity.

The latest Partner doesn't feel obviously like a commercial vehicle in the way it handles and rides. It's comfortable with none of the crash, bang, wallop that can ensue when heavy duty suspension meets with poorly surfaced roads. Those familiar with the old Partner will notice more lean in corners and less accurate steering but this is a larger vehicle that's far more comfortable to ride in and that's a trade-off that buyers in this market will be happy to make.

".buyers get one of the cheapest seven-seat vehicles on the market"

The seven-seat Partner Tepee is fitted with three individual, reclining, folding and removable seats in the second row. The third row is comprised of a pair of seats which can be folded down or removed completely when not in use. With all the seats occupied, the boot space is cut to just 100 litres but you can fold unused seats down or lift them out to open up progressively more of the car's exceptional carrying capacity. The basic configurations provide 470-litres with the rear seats folded down or 650-litres with the rear and middle rows folded. Because all of the seats can operate individually, however, there's a multitude of ways to set-up the Tepee's cabin. The specially shaped back of the central seat in the second row includes two cup holders and creates a table between the two outer seats when folded while the wide sliding side-doors afford decent access to the rear.

Peugeot hasn't skimped on using every trick in its armoury to improve day to day utility of the Partner and there are numerous features, both standard and optional, which increase practicality. There are trays in the back of the front seats and under-floor storage spaces in the rear, one of which being designed to hold the sliding luggage cover that can hide the boot contents from prying eyes. The general feel of the cabin is quite utilitarian and the fancy soft touch plastics found in more expensive MPV products aren't really in evidence. There's little doubt, however, that the Partner Tepee can live with its bigger brothers on grounds of function and user-friendliness, which is what its buyers tend to want.

The Family Pack which provides Partner Tepee customers with the option of seven seats is available in the S or Outdoor specification models. It comes at an £800 premium to buyers of the entry-level S derivative but Outdoor customers need only find an additional £570. The price differential is accounted for by the addition of side airbags which are already standard on the Outdoor to the S model. The Partner Tepee has always counted value for money as a key selling point but the Family Pack means it can be compared directly with seven seat vehicles and here it looks like even better value.

All Partner models feature remote central locking, electric front windows, a CD stereo, twin front airbags and ABS with EBA. The S then adds body-coloured exterior trim, front fog lights and some handy practical accessories. It's the Outdoor model that does things a bit differently by incorporating 4x4 styling features like an under body protection tray, side mouldings, roof bars and raised suspension. Off-road driving should not be attempted but the Outdoor looks a shade more purposeful than the unassuming standard models.

The Partner Tepee can return just under 48mpg on the combined cycle and that's an impressive showing, even if it does tail off a little with a full complement of passengers and luggage on board. Emissions too are very reasonable, the Tepee's 90bhp engine generating 154g/km of CO2. Being of commercial vehicle origins, the car also benefits from lengthy service intervals of 2-years or 12,500 miles which will reduce costs further.

Peugeot's Partner passenger car has been a key player in the van-based MPV sector virtually since its inception but the latest Tepee model takes the voluminous interior of the low-rent original and adds a shade more quality. It's also available in seven-seat guise thanks to the optional Family Pack and this helps send its practicality rating off the scale.

Overall, buyers get one of the cheapest seven-seat vehicles on the market and while it does force some compromises on its owners, it delivers what's important. The spacious, well-thought-out interior is sturdily built but lacks a little finesse and on the road, while sometimes lethargic, progress is smooth enough. The Partner successfully masks its commercial vehicle origins and in this form makes a lot of sense.