Review of the Peugeot e-Rifter

The Peugeot e-Rifter is an electric MPV that returns both practicality and performance. Available with either five or seven seats, the e-Rifter has a spacious and simple interior that will appeal to both families and businesses.  

Rivals to the Peugeot e-Rifter include the Vauxhall Combo e-Life and Citroen e-Berlingo.

Peugeot e-Rifter Pros: 

• Spacious and comfortable interior 
• Good handling and suspension
• Available with either five or seven seats 

Peugeot e-Rifter Cons: 

• Technology is pretty basic 
• No premium materials in the interior  
• 170-mile electric range is not practical for long journeys   

Our Peugeot e-Rifter review covers:

• Boxy exterior complimented by nice SUV styling
• Practical and spacious interior 
• 774-litre boot in the five-seater and 209 litres in the seven-seater
• One engine available with a 50kWh battery
• Two trim levels: Allure and GT

Typical for an MPV, the e-Rifter has a boxy exterior but with a hint of SUV styling. Peugeot has added black plastic to the car to give it a sporty kick, making it more appealing. 

Available with five or seven seats, the e-Rifter is generous with interior space regardless of your setup. There's plenty of space throughout the cabin for adults over six feet tall; those in the front won't be rubbing shoulders, and those on the third row in the seven-seater won't have too many complaints. They also have easy access to the rear, thanks to the rear sliding door.

For storage space, you'll find all the usual compartments such as a centre console, deep door pockets and a glovebox. There's also some overhead storage in the front which is handy for bulkier items. 

Boot space comes in at 774 litres in the five-seater, which can be extended to a massive 3,000 litres with the rear seats folded. For the seven-seater, luggage space decreases to 209 litres which is tricky if you're planning a weekend away with the family.

It's clear that Peugeot chose practicality over luxury for the interior. The dashboard and cabin are simple and well laid out, but it lacks any premium materials like soft-touch plastics. 

Coming as standard in the e-Rifter is an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but doesn't feature a built-in sat-nav as standard. The graphics are decent, and the system is easy to use, but it falls short of the more advanced systems you'll find in the Volkswagen Caddy. If you want more tech, go for the GT trim, and you'll get a 10-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. 

Two trims are available for the Peugeot e-Rifter: Allure and GT. 

Allure comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, manual air conditioning, rear parking sensors, a cloth seat trim with blue stitching, a height and lumbar adjustable driver seat, tray tables on the back of the front seats, voice recognition technology, and lane keep assist and speed limit recognition. 

GT adds to this with 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, a 180-degree colour reversing camera, a leather steering wheel, dark tinted rear side and tailgate windows, and a 10-inch digital instrument cluster.

You get a 50kWh battery in the e-Rifter. It comes with 136hp, a top speed of 84mph and an acceleration of 0-62mph in 11.2 seconds. Its official range is 172 miles, similar to rivals such as the Citroen e-Berlingo and Vauxhall Combo e-Life. 

Charging takes just over seven hours using a wall charger, but thanks to fast charging capabilities, it can charge from 10-80% using a 100kWh charger in 30 minutes.

On the road, the e-Rifter returns pretty decent performance. Thanks to its small steering wheel, you can manoeuvre the car into small spaces, and the handling is accurate when cruising at low speeds. When you up the speed, the handling maintains its composure giving you confidence on a windy road. 

Suspension is also good. It tackles potholes and bumps in the road at low and high speeds, making for an enjoyable and comfortable ride.

Prices for the new Peugeot e-Rifter start from £32,315.00 OTR* or to lease from £359.95 per month. 

Looking to get behind the wheel of the Peugeot e-Rifter? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers, with a range of leasing deals available to suit your every need. 

Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase thanks to a low initial deposit, fixed monthly payments and various benefits included in your deal, such as road tax and breakdown cover. 

*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change, always check with your nearest retailer.