Peugeot Rifter

Peugeot Rifter at a glance

From Partner Tepee to Rifter

The third Partner and Berlingo family was revealed at the 88th Geneva Motor Show in March 2018. Peugeot used the moment to give its passenger version a name of its own. The van stayed the Partner, while families now bought the Rifter. The full history of the van line is in our Peugeot Partner article.

Technically the family uses the front end of the EMP2 platform and keeps the rear of the previous model. Sales started in June 2018, and the first cars reached customers in September 2018. In 2018 L'argus reported that base versions cost €1,800 to €2,200 more than the Partner Tepee they replaced.

Two lengths, five or seven seats

The Rifter is offered in two lengths. Parkers lists 4,403 mm for the Standard and 4,753 mm for the Long. Swiss magazine autosprint gave 4.45 m for the five-seater at the Geneva launch, so early figures differ slightly.

Both lengths can be ordered with five or seven seats. In the Long, the third row slides, while it is fixed in the Standard. Each side has a sliding rear door, which helps in narrow parking spaces.

Boot and everyday practicality

The maximum figures apply with the rear seats folded and the third row removed. The front passenger seat folds flat, so long items of up to 2.70 or 3 metres fit inside. L'argus measured these figures at the 2018 launch.

Cabin and equipment

An 8-inch touchscreen with navigation sat on top of the dashboard at launch. A double glovebox can hold a 15-inch laptop, and a 230-volt socket sits at the base of the centre console. Depending on the version, a colour head-up display was available.

Advanced Grip Control and hill descent control were offered as options from the start. Peugeot also showed a Rifter 4x4 Concept in 2018, a camper study with a 96 kW (130 PS) diesel, all-wheel drive and a two-person roof tent. It stayed a concept. The specialist Automobiles Dangel has also converted production Rifters.

Engines and gearboxes

All engines met the Euro 6d-TEMP standard at launch. Parkers quotes up to 57.6 mpg (about 4.9 l/100 km) for the BlueHDi 100 and up to 43.7 mpg (about 6.5 l/100 km) for the PureTech 130 automatic. Its 0–60 mph times run from 10.1 seconds for the strongest diesel to 16.5 seconds for the BlueHDi 75.

e-Rifter: the electric version

Peugeot presented the e-Rifter on 26 February 2021, and it went on sale in autumn 2021. It uses a 50 kWh battery and a 100 kW (136 PS) electric motor. Before the facelift its WLTP range was up to 280 km.

In January 2022 Stellantis stopped selling combustion versions of the Rifter, Berlingo and Combo Life in the EU, the United Kingdom and Norway. For about two years the Rifter was therefore available there only as the e-Rifter.

The 2024 facelift and the return of combustion engines

A facelift was revealed in autumn 2023, and sales began in early 2024. The battery and motor stayed the same, but efficiency improved. Carbuyer gave the updated range as up to 199 miles (about 320 km), against around 170 miles before. German Wikipedia lists 326 to 334 km on the WLTP cycle. A 100 kW DC charger fills the battery from 0 to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes, and an 11 kW wallbox needs about 5 hours. A 10-inch touchscreen became standard.

From March 2024 combustion engines returned to the range. Stellantis also planned a 1.2-litre mild hybrid with 90 kW (122 PS) for mid-2025.

Safety and sales

Euro NCAP tested the Rifter in 2018 and awarded four stars out of five. In Germany 20,624 Rifters were registered between 2018 and December 2024. The best year was 2019, with 6,379 cars.

Sister models and rivals

The Rifter shares its body and technology with the Citroën Berlingo, the Opel Combo Life and the Toyota ProAce City Verso, and since 2022 with the Fiat Doblò. Outside the group it competes with leisure MPVs such as the Renault Kangoo and the Volkswagen Caddy. Other Peugeot models are in the Peugeot catalogue.

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