By Amanda Mfuphi

Bakkies have long surpassed the workhorse “box” and appeal more to the lifestyle aspect of consumers now with manufacturers pitching them as everyday vehicles to live with. I recently had the opportunity to spend time with the Peugeot Landtrek Allure 4×2 model. The Landtrek also comes in the 4Action 4×4 model.

Exterior

The Landtrek has a bold aggressive front design thanks to the large grille with chrome detailing flanked by LED headlights. Our test unit rode on 17-inch alloy wheels while the 4Action model rides on 18-inch alloy wheels. The Landtrek is beautifully designed I received a lot of interest from onlookers with some making enquiries about this new player in the segment.

Interior

The interior adopts the typical Peugeot design layout and ensures ample space upfront for driver and passenger. The interior is unfortunately dominated by hard plastics but it does come with soft touches on the center, driver and passenger armrests. Entertainment is taken care of by the 10-inch touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability as well as 2 USBs. The infotainment screen is great and easy to connect but the sound is a letdown. Navigating the Landtrek is made easier by parking sensors and a rear-view camera. The cabin has ample space with sufficient headroom and legroom for all passengers.

The Drive

The Landtrek is powered by a 1.9-litre 4-cylinderturbodiesel engine that pushes out 110 kW of power and 350 Nm of torque. The engine is paired with a 6-speed automatic gearbox. I experienced a bit of turbo lag with the 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine and it does tend to be on the noisier side, but this is not a dealbreaker. Once it gains momentum, the engine delivers a decent ride and it carries the frame of the Landtrek effortlessly. I also did a bit of gravel driving and found the Landtrek to be stable even when pushed and it offered a decent ride quality despite being on gravel.

The Landtrek averaged 7.9L/100km on a 130km stretch which I thought was decent.

Final Word

The Landtrek Allure model is priced at R579,000 and the 4Action model is priced at R669,900. I was personally impressed with the Landtrek from a design perspective, practicality and technology. Overall, I think the newcomer is quite competent and I anticipate we will be seeing a lot of the Landtrek on the road in the new few months.