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Large, well built, economical and with more than its fair share of clever design solutions, Peugeot’s Partner is a tough compact van to fault.

It doesn’t handle with any particular agility but it’s comfortable, the model range affords lots of choice and it’s not bad looking. Well done Peugeot.

Businesses want small vans because the traffic’s a pain in the proverbial and there’s nowhere to park at the best of times, let alone when you’re at the wheel of some junior HGV. The problem is that these same businesses also want their small vans to carry lots of stuff so they can make more deliveries in one day and take more equipment or cargo on a single trip. Such a set of requirements is always going to fall foul of the laws of physics at some stage but Peugeot thinks it’s pushed the envelope pretty far with the latest Partner. Think of it as a little big van.

All the leading van makers used to offer one size of compact van but now the majority have two – or at least two wheelbase options on the same model. The Partner is Peugeot’s largest little van with the little Bipper sitting below it in the hierarchy. It’s a set-up that serves to give operators more choice, making it easier for them to get a van that precisely meets their needs. The Partner’s remit is to cater for operators who want the lithe driving dynamics of a compact van but need to carry quite a lot of cargo with it. How does it do? Let’s find out.

The engine range is made up of Peugeot’s stalwart 1.6-litre HDi diesel units and a 1.6-litre 16v petrol. The oil burners will be the big sellers with their 75 and 90bhp outputs and respective torque ratings of 185Nm and 215Nm at 1,750rpm. The petrol has 89bhp and 132Nm at 2,500rpm. The 75bhp diesel powered the previous generation Partner very effectively but this model is larger and heavier. Despite an improvement in the powerplant’s torque, it can struggle with a heavily laden vehicle. The 90bhp option is far more energetic taking 15.4s to cover the 0-60mph sprint compared to 17.9s in the 75bhp model. Both engines stay nice and quite when cruising adding to the driver’s comfort.

The Partner’s underpinnings are adapted from those of the 308 passenger car. There’s a Macpherson strut type set-up at the front and a more rudimentary torsion bar at the rear with anti-roll bars at both ends. The effect is a ride that’s on the soft side making for smooth progress but a lack of body control when cornering. The Partner handles reasonably well with 11m turning circle in the shorter model helping manoeuvrability. The gear lever is perfectly sited in its dash-mounted position but, although pleasantly light, the shifting action is looser than many would prefer.

Where once compact van customers had a strictly limited array of bodystyles to choose from, today’s Partner comes in quite a variety of configurations. The shorter L1 model is 4,380mm long with the L2 adding 248mm of extra rear overhang. The L1 is offered with payload capacities of 625kg or 850kg while the L2 comes only in 750kg guise. In the load area itself, the interior walls are well protected from damage. Access is through the side-hinged asymmetric rear doors or the sliding side doors of which the L1 gets one and the L2 have two.

Buyers can also opt for a two-seater cab layout or take the Multi-Flex three-seater option. This adds a third berth in the middle but it’s extremely narrow and has restricted legroom courtesy of the dash-mounted gear lever. Your colleagues won’t thank you for assigning them to sit in it for any length of time but the Multi Flex system comes into its own with fewer passengers on board. That middle chair can fold down to make a desk or the outer one can drop flat to the floor, increasing cargo space. It ups the load volumes (3.3m3 in the L1 and 4.1m3 in the L2) by 0.4m3 while boosting the load lengths (1,800mm in the L1 and 2050mm in the L2) by 1,200mm.

The Partner’s cab area is positively loaded with storage options. From the dash-top cubbies to the door pockets and the overhead shelf, places to put things are in abundance. The dash is tall and vertically stacked forming a barrier between the driver and the windscreen but visibility is fine out the front and down the sides. Peugeot have used good quality plastics throughout and the interior feels as though it will last. There’s also plenty of adjustment to the driver’s seat and steering column so most people should be able to get comfy.

While petrol engines used to be routinely scoffed at by any commercial operator without half an eye on an LPG conversion, the 89bhp 1.6-litre Partner may not be quite such a laughing stock in today’s economic climate. The price of diesel means that operators are having to travel further to recoup the premium charged by dealers in fuel savings. Whisper it, but for low mileage duties, a petrol Partner might make sense. Experience says we can expect strong fuel economy from both diesel engines and emissions should be similarly low so most buyers will still be filling up from the black pump.

The Peugeot Partner comes in S and SE guises. The standard S models includes a CD stereo, power steering, a ladder frame protector for the driver’s seat and electric front windows. The SE adds electric heated mirrors, remote central locking, a cargo area light that doubles as a removable torch and the Multi Flex passenger seats. Safety provision is a driver’s airbag and ABS so those wanting more comprehensive protection will need to visit the options list.

The Partner must battle it out against some established names at the larger end of the compact van market. Volkswagen’s Caddy, Renault’s Kangoo and Ford’s Transit Connect are the big names it must compete with but it also has the added problem of its sister vehicle, the Citroen Berlingo. With very little other than the badges differentiating Berlingo from Partner operators might have a tough choice on their hands and decisions may come down to the quality of dealer support.

Peugeot’s Partner has grown-up, becoming larger and more sophisticated in the process. The general quality of the build is worthy of note as is the diverse model range that gives more scope for choice than we’re used to in this section of the market. There are vans out there that handle more assuredly than the Partner but in terms of comfort and ease of use, it’s more than up to scratch.

Peugeot has obviously put plenty of thought into the design of the Partner it’s backed with slick features intended to make the working day that little bit straightforward and surprisingly, most of them appear to do the job. With its large carrying capacities and economical engines thrown in, Peugeot’s compact van deserves a place on most shortlists.