Do you know which pickup truck was the most popular in Ukraine in the first half of 2024? It turns out to be this Peugeot Landtrek! It may be somewhat unusual for someone to see a pickup truck from Peugeot, because this brand is usually associated with elegant cars that are "cooked" according to specific French recipes. And here it is - a pickup truck! However, in the global and historical context, Peugeot pickups have existed for a long time and have been quite successful. Now the Peugeot brand is trying to achieve this result in Ukraine: the Peugeot Landtrek pickup truck has appeared here relatively recently, but has already become a prominent player in the market. Thanks to what?
Design: simple exterior, well-thought-out interior
It is difficult to describe the appearance of a tool. You have a hammer or an axe, and we all know what they should look like. There's a pickup truck, and this automatically means a large size and an open body. There may be differences in the type of cab - single, one and a half, double - but in this particular case, everything has already been decided by market conditions.
Even though the Peugeot Landtrek is available with a single or double cab, only the most popular double cab variant is offered in Ukraine. All that's left is to add a radiator grille in the characteristic Peugeot style (like an inverted and horizontally stretched trapezoid), branded headlights with fangs in the form of LED strips, large 18-inch wheels - that's the whole design of the Peugeot Landtrek.
The exterior of the Peugeot Landtrek is a combination of a practical pickup truck body and Peugeot ' s distinctive design features : small LED-fangs under the headlights, a recognizable grille and wheel rims. The dimensions of the car correspond to its class: length - 5.33 meters; width - 1.96 meters; height - 1.9 meters; wheelbase - 3.18 meters.
The interior is much more imaginative. The signature original Peugeot style is evident everywhere: the overall shape of the front panel with narrow ventilation deflectors, the steering wheel with only two spokes, the widely spaced tachometer and speedometer with a digital screen between them. Even the shape of the buttons on the center console and the shape of the door handles. You can also note the numerous shelves and cup holders, or mention the silver trim. The interior of the Peugeot Landtrek pickup resembles an almost passenger car!
The main thing at this time is not to look closely at the displays. That's because the image quality is there, but the familiar menu and localization-translation logic is gone. And there are plenty of other comments. A protruding block to the left of the steering wheel interferes with the front view - sometimes you hit your knee painfully when boarding/disembarking. The armrest is also inconveniently mounted - you can hit it with your elbow when shifting gears. And in the back, you can't sit with your legs raised high.
Otherwise, the rear part of the cabin deserves only positive feedback. If you forget about the position of the legs, it turns out that there is a lot of space for these legs; and there is enough headroom. The rear side passengers are separated by a small armrest, but it is installed at a good height and at a convenient angle. There are ventilation deflectors, a central niche and side pockets, and hooks for bags. The backrest of the rear seat can be folded down to transport bulky items in the cabin, and the seat itself can be raised up to provide access to hidden niches. To summarize: when it comes to convenience and practicality, the Peugeot Landtrek has squeezed the maximum out of the rear of the cabin.
The entire interior may be made of hard plastics, but it is beautifully drawn and well thought out in terms of practicality: praise! Although there are still some comments - both general for pickups (such as not very comfortable seating) and specifically for the Peugeot Landtrek model (armrest in front, lack of localization-translation of displays). Instead of the usual trunk, there is an open body with a length/width of about 1.6 meters on each side and a gap of 1.2 meters between the wheel arches. The vehicle's payload is up to 1020 kg.
Technology: frame base and springs, all-wheel drive with a lowering row
Where did all this come from, which is the subtitle of this section? We're used to Peugeot passenger cars and their respective passenger platforms, and here we have a mini-truck. Of course, all this could not have come out of nowhere: the Peugeot Landtrek was developed in conjunction with the Chinese company Changan, which, among other things, produces pickups of this class/format. Moreover, it really looks more like a joint development than "badge engineering" with a change of logos - at least, this is what the typical Peugeot-style interior indicates. Although it would have been better if the Peugeot Landtrek pickup had not only the interior but also Peugeot turbodiesel engines.
However, we have what we have: under the hood of the Peugeot Landtrek test vehicle is the D20TCIE engine, which has a designation with a larger displacement. In fact, the inline 4-cylinder diesel engine has a displacement of 1910 cubic centimeters, but it also has a turbine and direct fuel injection. All this makes it possible to obtain from such an engine a power of 150 hp at 4000 rpm and a torque of 350 Nm at 2800 rpm.
Next up is the transmission, which includes a traditional 6-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive. The latter can operate in three modes: 2H - rear-wheel drive; 4H - all-wheel drive with a rigid front axle connection (part-time); 4L - all-wheel drive with a low-range (gear ratio i = 2.7). In addition, there is a rear differential lock and a hill descent assist system.
In fact, today such a transmission set is already a "generally accepted standard" for a normal pickup truck of a similar class and format. The same goes for the chassis structure: a frame base, independent front suspension on transverse arms and springs, dependent rear suspension based on a beam-bridge and springs, ventilated brakes in front and drum brakes at the rear. Thus, the Peugeot Landtrek pickup is not surprising in design, but tries to meet class standards. The only thing missing is an automatic transmission combined with a turbo diesel engine.
The design and overall dimensions of the vehicle determine its good all-terrain qualities: a ford depth of more than half a meter and a ground clearance of 235 mm, large entry and exit angles and rear wheel articulation, and classic all-wheel drive with a low-range. By the way, please note: the Peugeot Landtrek pickup has part-time all-wheel drive . That is, the connection of the front wheels is rigid, which does not allow the use of 4H mode on good roads. But at the same time, this rigid connection is identical to the locking of the center differential on cars with permanent all-wheel drive. Add the rear differential lock and you have an almost complete set of locks. Engaging the4L downshift occurs with a noticeable jolt, but then the car crawls confidently on steep hills. All transmission shifts are realized through a round selector in the cabin and actuators hidden somewhere in the depths of the structure - this is instead of shifting the all-wheel drive with a separate lever that directly controls the transfer case. As long as everything works properly, the shift scheme with a separate selector is definitely more pleasant and comfortable for the driver: no unnecessary noise and vibrations in the cabin, no 4H/4 L connections with brute force.
Behind the wheel: comfortable shaking, noisy dynamics
Strange combinations of words and terms? However, the Peugeot Landtrek pickup truck proves that it is possible. For example, the front suspension usually tries to ride quite comfortably, it tries to gently handle bumps and pits on the road. However, the unloaded rear axle often jumps on bumps, throws the heavy wheels up, and then there are secondary vibrations. The perception of the comfort of this car depends on where people are seated: the driver and front passenger perceive it to be more comfortable; the rear passengers try to object by throwing phrases in between jumping on the seat. However, there is an effective method to improve driving comfort and reconcile everyone - it is to load the body with several hundred kilograms of ballast.
In principle, the behavior of the chassis is quite typical for pickup trucks of this segment and design, where the unloaded rear axle on leaf springs is crucial. The same is true of the vehicle's handling: the steering wheel makes 3+ turns from stop to stop, high-profile tires add confidence on the road, but completely erase the backward force and precision of reactions. It looks like this: you turn the steering wheel to the right - the car goes to the right? Well, that's good! And then we'll see, correct, steer...
If there are also bumps under the wheels and no cargo in the body, the rear wheels can jump up and down in the bend. Here comes another bend, and we start the same thing again, not forgetting about the considerable rolls of a rather tall vehicle. Driving a Peugeot Landtrek pickup truck does not give pleasure from the process itself, it is rather just an element of the work of delivering certain goods (ordinary or specific) to their destination. In this case, the satisfaction comes from the fact of doing the job, multiplied by a very high level of permissiveness and disregard for the condition of roads or off-road conditions.
It's a similar story with the engine and gearbox. The turbodiesel engine does not surprise with its power, which translates into impressive dynamics - even when unloaded. Still, there is at least enough traction and horsepower to drive confidently - even when loaded. It's just that you need to choose the right revs. After all, if the tachometer is at 1.3-1.5 thousand, the turbodiesel barely pulls even an empty car, and with an unpleasant loud roar and low-frequency vibrations. However, as soon as the revs pass the 1.5 thousand mark, the engine corrects itself and demonstrates much more confidence: excellent traction and acceleration, now I believe in the potential of 150 hp and 350 Nm! And this maximum is reached at higher revs, but the engine does not mind. It easily gains 3.5-4 thousand revolutions, and the entire midrange (from 1.5-1.7 to 3.5-4 thousand) is full of a uniform increase in traction, power, acceleration - no dips.
Just have time to shift gears and operate the clutch correctly. By the way, the first gear is frankly low: it is clearly designed for driving with a loaded body. Also, the clutch "grabs" somewhere in the middle of the pedal stroke, so at first you have to operate the pedal smoothly and carefully. But then you get used to it, and it becomes clear that the gear range is quite well composed: there are no large gaps between 2-3-4-5 gears, and the sixth gear is openly "highway".
The turbo diesel and manual gearbox are not designed for exciting emotions, but simply to do their job; in principle, like the whole car. Someone will want more power and dynamics (for understanding, 0-100 km/h in 14.9 seconds and 150 km/h top speed are declared); but rational buyers will pay attention to the level of fuel consumption: 9.7 liters per 100 km in the city is promised, 7.4 liters per 100 km on the highway. My personal impressions confirm this: steadily around the city I get 9-9.5 liters, plus or minus a liter depending on driving conditions and driving style; on the highway, when driving at a speed of 90-100 km/h, fuel consumption was 7.5-8 liters. You won't be able to drive much faster, as fuel consumption increases and the car is quite noisy. Surprisingly, however, the car feels quite stable even at speeds close to its maximum - for example, I expected more sway and sailing from a side wind.
Price: how much does Peugeot Landtrek cost and who are the competitors
If we talk about the main range of the Peugeot Landtrek model and the 2024 model year, Ukrainian buyers are offered only two options: always double cab, always turbodiesel and manual transmission, the only difference is in the configurations - ACTIVE or ALLURE.
Thus, the Peugeot Landtrek ACTIVE pickup truck offers ABS and ESP systems, front and side airbags, inflatable side curtains, cruise control, rear differential lock, power steering, air conditioning, fabric seats, rear parking sensors and a rearview camera, a multimedia system with a 10-inch color touchscreen, 17-inch alloy wheels, etc. The price of Peugeot Landtrek 1.9 HDi 150 4x4 MKP-6 ACTIVE starts from UAH 1.446 million or $35 thousand.
The Peugeot Landtrek ALLURE variant adds the following: keyless entry and engine start, lane departure warning system, dual-zone climate control, 360-degree surround view cameras, color matrix display on the instrument panel, 18-inch alloy wheels, chrome door handles and mirrors, side steps, etc. The cost of Peugeot Landtrek 1.9 HDi 150 4x4 MKP-6 ALLURE starts from UAH 1.549 million or $37.8 thousand.
In addition, I would like to mention the 2023 vehicles that can still be found in warehouses in Ukraine, because there are many interesting things there. Firstly, similar Peugeot Landtrek pickups, but the 2023 model year is expected to be more affordable - the difference is about 40 thousand hryvnias for any of the above configurations. Secondly, among the 2023 vehicles, you can find versions with a powerful 2.4L Turbo 210 gasoline turbo engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission - currently the only option to get a Peugeot Landtrek with an automatic transmission. Please note that the Peugeot importer periodically closes some versions of cars and opens others, and this story also applies to the Peugeot Landtrek pickup truck. Therefore, it is possible that we will see other versions of this pickup before the next model year. But for now, the general picture of the current prices is outlined.
Numerous airbags, fog lights and alloy wheels, a 10-inch central display and air conditioning are already present in any vehicle configuration. The maximum version adds LED-fangs, all-round visibility, a color dashboard display, lane keeping assist, etc. By the way, please note: next to the row control button, there is also a button for body illumination - it seems like a small thing, but it's so convenient.
