The shopping basket
What it is: Continuation of the lineage of the 2 series Peugeot from 205 till present, a small compact vehicle.
Why buy: Think of frugal living, a cheap driveabout but with the stability of cars above it plus its stunning looks. The interior is spacious despite the size and has very supportive seats.
Best drivetrain combo: 1.6hdi diesel 120 with ETG6 auto or manual
Best trim & features: GT Line, Allure
The business partner
What it is: Imagine the European version of a Probox. Drives with comfort of a European saloon but with space double that of a Probox.
Why buy: Much bigger than a probox, very comfortable, Much more economical than most in its class. The torque comes in handy up Kenya’s undulating hills and its running costs are unparalleled.
Best drivetrain combo: 1.6hdi with manual gearbox
Best trim and features: Tepee with Zenith roof. It can double as a people and goods carrier.
The Hottest hatch
What it is: Peugeot’s answer to the Golf Gti. I am yet to see one but rumor has it that there is one already.
Why buy: When you are young, or young at heart, excellent grip around corners.
Best drivetrain combo: Default 1.6thp 263hp with manual gearbox and Limited slip differential standard.- Yes, the lower powered 263hp version is faster than the original 270hp version.
Best trim and features: Using a fully forged and reworked version of the 1.6thp that many have been remapped to higher performance level. It also has the famous Peugeot handling.
The French RAV4
What it is: Imagine a 2wd SUV with ¾ the ability of a 4wd minus the baggage of an extra axle due to implementation of an electronically controlled lock diff with selectable driving traction modes.
Why buy: Frugality, agility
Best drivetrain: 1.6 or 2.0hdi with EAT6 auto gearbox and Grip Control
Best trim and features: Allure or Hybrid with SatNAV
The French Executive
What it is: Continuing Peugeot’s tradition of French saloons with great interior space and equipment.
Why buy: Excellent ride and handling with big legroom.The design is head turning and its well equipped. The diesels are great to drive, reliable and economical.
Best drivetrain combo: 2.2hdi GT with EAT6 auto for good power, but 2.0hdi can still do the job.
Best trim and features GT or Allure with full led headlights, power seats, etc etc
And now for the surprise, “The reward for the job well done”
What it is: Europe’s best 7 seater People Carrier (Citroen C4 Grand Picasso Exclusive+).
I was initially to include the Peugeot 5008, but its inhouse rival, the Citroen C4 Picasso beats the 5008 plus the Touran hands down as the best car based 7 seater. It is based on the newer, better, lighter platform, EMP2 rather than the 5008 whose origins goes way back to the Peugeot 307.
Why buy: When you have populated the earth, you really deserve a purposefully built vehicle which rewards you for your efforts as you ferry the progeny in comfort and peace and this is really it.
Best drivetrain combo: 2.0hdi with EAT6 auto or manual gearbox, settle for no less.
Best trim and features: Exclusive+ with too many options to list, but start with massage seats with electric adjustable footrest feature. Supportive headrests, great for sleepy head passengers while driving. Then there is the futuristic tft cockpit and park assist.
