Peugeot Boxer (94-06) - Review

With more than 140 different models on offer, cargo capacity varies greatly. The smallest van, at 2.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight, holds 7.5 cubic metres of cargo and has a payload of 660kgs while the largest holds 14 cubic metres of cargo and has a payload of 1,500kgs.

Unlike some of its rivals, the Boxer never offered a driver’s airbag and ABS brakes as standard across the range until recently. Both were on the options list, though, so it’s worth checking on the exact specification before making a purchasing decision. The 2002 facelift saw strengthening of door components and locking/latch mechanisms, along with the standards fitment of an engine immobiliser, although an alarm remained on the options list.

While the Boxer is essentially the same vehicle as the Citroen Relay, Citroen has for some time offered a series of cashback deals which lower the price of its vans by up to £2000. But such are the vagaries of the secondhand market that Peugeot is deemed to be a more upmarket brand than Citroen and used prices tend to be higher. Peugeot's warranty was three years/60,000 miles while Citroen offered three years/100,000 miles but the very latest models have been increased to match Citroen’s tally. Servicing for the 2.0-litre and 2.2-litre models is 12,500 miles while the 2.8-litre versions go for 20,000 miles between checks. Those common rail HDi engines are renowned for their frugality, so fuel consumption figures in the low 30s should be possible.

We've heard no horror stories about problems with this van. The number of old models still running suggest that it will provide good service for many years, especially in HDi format.