Peugeot Partner vs Volkswagen Caddy

What's the difference?

It might not be the most modern looking or feeling small van, but amongst its competitors, the Partner stands out for its relative value and load-lugging capabilities.

It’s somewhat fun to drive but now feels a bit plain on the inside, and could benefit from a few extra options and features to make it more comfortable and maybe even a little more customisable.

Still, I think the Peugeot Partner will fit the needs of many primarily city-based small businesses or tradies who want to work out of a compact and easy-to-drive van instead of an unwieldy and often overkill dual-cab ute.

The appeal of a ready-made camper van is undeniable and the VW Caddy California comfortably occupies a niche within a niche.

This van is nice to drive but it also manages to be a functional and comfortable camper, albeit a very basic one.

There’s no getting around the fact that, while it does have a bed and a camp table and two chairs, it’s lacking cooking facilities and a fridge … and the list goes on. 

This is perfectly fine if you intend to take the rest of your gear (portable stove, fridge etc) as carry-ons for infrequent nights away, but if your vehicle is going to be your camp for regular multi-day trips away then a lot of other approaches make more sense. You could, for instance, buy a 4WD or AWD wagon and a camper trailer. You might spend a little – or a lot – more than what you’d spend on this van alone, but your opportunities for adventure would be a whole lot more expansive.

In the end, it depends on what you want to do with it. This van is more than fit for purpose and it may well provide a more-than-great introduction to the adventure lifestyle for some.

The Partner’s recent update brings with it a new, more contemporary face, with the ‘claw’ style light fittings clasping a body-coloured panel in place of the usual grille fitting. It also updates all the badgework to match the French brand’s passenger car range.

Thanks to these upgrades, as well as the fetching colour and Premium body-matching highlights, it looks pretty schmick at a distance, but up close you can start to tell the Partner’s relative age.

It simply doesn’t look as contemporary or coherent in its design as the much newer ground-up fifth-generation Caddy or third-generation Renault Kangoo with which it competes.

A big part of this is due to the Partner being based on a much older platform which is shared across a lot of Stellantis brands. It started life as the third-generation Citroen Berlingo in 2018, and needs to warp its look overseas to fit the Fiat Doblo, Toyota Proace and Vauxhall Combo (although the Partner is the only version sold in Australia).

As a result, up close you can see its somewhat pieced together brand identity bits and boxy, upright bodywork.

There are some odd touches, like the plastic bumper at the front not matching the gloss black highlights or body coloured bumper at the rear, and the contemporary badgework finished in a matt grey adds yet another texture and colour to the mix.

The theme continues inside, with a huge plastic dash piece jutting into the cabin space. Here, the bits from Peugeot’s passenger car range have been integrated, including the cool 'squircle' steering wheel, digital dash elements and the multimedia screen.

In the centre, the electric shifter part from cars like the current 2008 small SUV has been embedded in the sea of plastic.

It technically matches the brand identity, but it doesn't stop the Partner’s interior from feeling a bit cobbled together, rather than the more unified corporate identity which is so well executed in the VW Caddy, which is almost hard to tell apart from a Golf.

The software is another area the Partner could use some work. It’s fairly simple and straightforward to use, but the layout isn’t very customizable, both for the multimedia suite and digital dash.

Again, the Caddy runs rings around Peugeot in this department, with its more impressively-featured and nicer-looking software it shares with other VW Group passenger cars.

There are also little areas which feel like they’re behind the pace for a top-spec variant. The steering wheel is hard plastic without even the option for a softer wrap, for example, and the Caddy offers an alternate optional synthetic leather seat trim for an operator willing to dish out a little extra cash.

VW’s Caddy California looks good on the outside.

Its interior layout and the materials used – durable plastics on the dash etc. fabric seat covers, and sturdy carpet on the floor – are well suited to an outdoorsy lifestyle that will inevitably bring dirt, sand and mud into the interior at regular stages of the vehicle’s life.

The sliding doors either side – and the large opening when the rear tailgate is lifted – make the Caddy California a more versatile camper proposition than vehicles without those ingress points because the interior can be more readily accessed.

The folding bed, which sits behind the second-row bench seat, ready to be unfolded and used, is a handy addition and, as it’s supported on the vehicle body, that supposedly helps to make it easier to set up and pack down than it otherwise might be. 

However, I had some difficulty in unfolding it all the way out flat, even with the front seats moved all the way forward. Perhaps with some more time and, dare I say it, patience, I could have managed better.

Also the fold-out struts, on the base of the bed and that are meant to slot into B-pillar recesses, seem a bit too flimsy for my liking, especially if the bed can be reasonably expected to cope with the weight of two adults. The mattress is not a particularly spongy one either – but, hey, camping should involve at least some degree of discomfort. Otherwise, why would some people describe it as “roughing it”? I jest – anyway, you could easily replace the standard mattress with something more substantial if you get the urge.

There are folding chairs and a table provided, although I’d be looking to the Aussie camping gear market for more sturdier examples of this kind of outdoors furniture, especially if you plan to put your equipment through regular and prolonged use.

So design-wise the Partner might barely hit the brief when it comes to matching it up with Peugeot passenger car design, but one area where it manages to shine is in-cabin storage.

There’s lots on offer, massive bottle holders and pockets in the doors, storage areas galore in the big plastic dash, with trays in the centre and passenger side, as well as behind the multimedia screen and under the shifter.

There are a set of non-variable bottle holders cut out of the top of the dash, as well as hidden storage compartments under both front passenger seats.

I should mention at this point the Partner has a three-across front bench, although actually putting three people in there will be quite the squeeze, especially given the centre of the dash juts quite far into the cabin area, leaving the centre occupant with nowhere to put their knees.

Maybe it will suit a child in a pinch if you plan to have this as a small business vehicle which may need to be dual-purpose from time to time.

There’s also a fold-down rotating table thing in the backrest of the centre position, designed to be used with a laptop. Another feature of the Partner’s dash is physical toggles and buttons for the climate controls, which are increasingly rare in favour of touch-based menus.

In terms of load area dimensions, the Partner LWB offers 3.9 cubic metres (excluding the bulkhead) and dimensions come in at 2167mm long, 1527mm wide (1229 between the arches) and 1243mm tall. This should accommodate two Euro-sized palettes.

Loading and securing should also be relatively breezy thanks to sliding doors on both sides, a barn door rear which hinges out of the way for forklift loading, and no less than 10 tie down rings.

It also scores decent LED lighting in the roof, so you can see what you’re doing in a poorly lit warehouse, or when using the load area at night.

As for capacities, the Partner LWB has a payload of 898kg. It claims a 950kg braked towing capacity (not much more than the unbraked of 740kg) although in reality 740 seems to be closer to the limit thanks to the 74kg towball download rating.

How does this compare to the Caddy? I was surprised to find the Caddy 5 in equivalent LWB form has a smaller load area (3.7 cubic metres) and a significantly lower payload of 695kg.

However, it can tow slightly more (up to a claimed 1500kg - however has a 75kg max towball download). Additionally, the Partner isn’t able to be fitted with a tailgate to replace the barn doors (an option which some buyers may prefer on the Caddy).

A full size spare wheel is present on all variants to keep you on the road.

The Caddy California is a five-seater: two seats in the front and a three-seater bench seat as the second row. 

Upfront, the driver and passenger seats are manually-adjustable for height, with four-way adjustable lumbar support, and tilt-and-depth adjustment on the seat cushion. They are cloth trim but feel adequately supportive and comfortable and have a height-adjustable centre armrest, stowage compartments and two drink holders.

There are storage spaces aplenty – including a dash with multiple stowage compartments, and an illuminated glove box – as well as two USB-C ports.

The digital cockpit is easy enough to use, as is the touchscreen multi-media unit and we had no strife setting up our smartphone for Apple CarPlay, and although the screen is on the wrong side of small, it’s clear and crisp enough to get a decent idea of what’s going on.

The second-row bench seat is a 2/3-1/3 split, and the second row can be folded, double-folded and removed separately. The two outboard passengers also get access to a folding table in each of the front seat-backs.

This second row of seats has ISOFIX child seat anchors in the two outboard seats and there are top tether points on all of these second-row seats.

The rear luggage compartment has a cover and there are storage bags fitted to the interior walls in the cargo area and also a 12-V outlet back there, as well as LED lights in tailgate. 

Before we get cracking, it’s important to note that we tested the 2.0-litre TDI320 variant (diesel); there is a 1.5-litre TSI220 petrol variant available.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Caddy California Max is built off Caddy Maxi people-mover variant on an extended long-wheelbase platform.

Our test vehicle has a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of $54,990, not including on-road costs. As tested our Caddy California was $56,105 because it has Copper Bronze metallic paint, which costs $1115.

As standard, it has five seats (two in the front and a three-seat bench as the second row), a newly designed dash and instrument cluster featuring a full-colour digital cockpit, an 8.25-inch colour touchscreen (with sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), two-zone climate control, keyless start, a lifting tailgate, and a stack of other features too numerous to list here. Find out for yourself, do your own research for there’s joy in that.

Driver-assist tech includes adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, lane assist, and park assist and park distance control in the front and rear.

The California package includes a foldable bed, storage bags, a foldable table and two chairs, as well as additional interior lighting and ventilation vents.

There are numerous VW genuine options available, including a panoramic glass sunroof as well as a tent that can be attached to the rear of the vehicle, but it was unavailable at time of writing.

There is just one combustion engine option in the Partner range, a three-cylinder 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol unit producing 96kW/230Nm which drives the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The only alternative to this is the E-Partner which sports a 100kW/260Nm electric motor instead.

The three-cylinder petrol is a perky unit sourced from Peugeot’s passenger car line-up, although the Partner range doesn’t quite offer the VW Caddy’s breadth of options; the choice of a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol or a 2.0-litre diesel in two states of tune.

Our test vehicle – the TDI320 variant of the new Caddy California – has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, producing 90kW at 2750-4250rpm and 320Nm at 1500-2500rpm, and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox DSG.

This is a front-wheel drive van and it’s riding on 18-inch wheels and Bridgestone Turanza T005 (215/55 R17) tyres.

One of the key downsides of the Peugeot’s Euro-compliant turbo-petrol engine is it requires mid-shelf 95RON fuel, which could be a blow to those who want to drill down on running costs.

Claimed fuel consumption on the official combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is decent, at 6.3L/100km. Ours spent the week mainly urban commuting and landed closer to the official urban number of 7.3L/100km with a total of 7.2L/100km over a few hundred kilometres.

The 60-litre fuel tank should allow for roughly 950km of driving range at the official consumption. More like 830km using our test figure.

Volkswagen lists the official combination fuel consumption as 4.9L/100km, but during our four day test we only averaged 6.2L/100km.

This van has a 50-litre fuel tank and an AdBlue tank.

One thing which I always like about these little European vans for trades is they’re usually very humane and easy to drive compared to a dual-cab or a van in a larger market segment.

They tend to offer closer to the feel of a passenger car, with some of the little luxuries which are missing in big hollow diesel units like some form of refinement and less noise.

The Partner is no different, and shone in some ways I did not expect.

The brand has done a good job of making it feel like a Peugeot passenger car from a touch-point perspective with the dash elements and the small chuckable steering wheel.

It also has a swift steering ratio, making even this LWB version feel nimble and agile for darting around corners and down tight laneways just as I’m sure its French creators envisaged.

The peppy three-cylinder engine helps the hatch-like feel. It offers a punchy turbo surge and a satisfyingly gruff soundtrack, which makes this little commercial offering quite fun to drive.

The ride is also remarkably smooth for a commercial vehicle, even completely unladen. Car-like suspension handles the bumps and potholes of the city environment well, which could make this a good choice for delivery drivers who will spend a lot of time in urban environments, and maybe are less concerned about getting so close to the GCM rating.

However, it’s not quite as polished as the Caddy, which won me over big time when the fifth generation version arrived in 2022.

The Peugeot can suffer from significant bouts of turbo lag, and its eight-speed transmission can be occasionally jerky from a stand-still, making for the odd awkward moment at T-junctions and roundabouts where this van takes a second to get going again. 

Additionally, some of the fun, refined feeling wears away over time as you constantly come into contact with the hard plastic trims of the interior, and the scratchy urethane steering wheel.

This can get a bit jarring over a full day of driving. It’s for this reason VW puts a leather-bound steering wheel in even basic versions of the Caddy these days.

The software also leaves a lot to be desired, with minimal customisation and laggy interfaces.

Sure, the reality is you’ll spend most of your time working with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto which worked perfectly in my time with the car, but it would be nice to have more customisation for the dash and a few nicer menus for the multimedia screen.

All in all, then, it’s a nice little van to drive, and is excellent at urban duties, but it has a slightly industrial character which will eventually catch up with you after a long day behind the wheel.

The Caddy is better in pretty much every way behind the wheel, but then it also costs over $5000 more in equivalent spec and can't carry as much stuff.

The Caddy California is 4835mm long with a 2970mm-long wheel-base. It stands 1836mm high (including roof rails) and is 2100mm wide (including the wing mirrors). The TDI320 variant has an unladen mass of 1723kg.

This is not the biggest van around and it manages to feel quite manoeuvrable for something that’s fairly box-like.

Visibility is pretty good from the driver’s seat, with mostly clear vision in all directions.

Steering is suitably sharp and well weighted, which is handy for a camper, especially for one that tends to feel its size a bit through sections of the blacktop that involve lots of twists and turns.

The 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine offers reasonable punch – getting the front-wheel drive van off the mark with some pep – and it works well with the dual-clutch auto transmission, resulting in a mostly smooth and unfussed drive.

Ride is well sorted, albeit on the firm side of things and some of that characteristic can be attributed to the van’s dimensions, the fact it was unladen, and it’s shod with 18-inch wheels.

Something people who aren’t used to driving vans should keep in mind: a van’s sides and back-end tend to catch wind gusts in high-wind areas, and that sensation and impact on the van’s behaviour can be somewhat disconcerting if you’re not anticipating them.

This van’s Bridgestone Turanza T005 (215/55 R17) tyres cope adequately with rain-slick bitumen during the recent poor weather.

All-round, this van is well behaved on-road and yields a relaxed driving experience. 

The Partner is covered by a par-for-the-course five year and 200,000km warranty which applies to the rest of its light commercial range, paired with five years of roadside assistance. 

The Partner requires servicing once every 12 months or 15,000km.

When it comes to pricing, you can package the car up with either a two- or four-year service plan (priced at $400 or $1000, respectively) which Peugeot claims can save you up to $437 compared to a-la-carte servicing.

The VW Caddy California Maxi is covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, a choice of three- or five-year Care Plans (capped price servicing), and a free year of 24-hour roadside assist.

A Caddy’s five-year capped price servicing plan costs $1500 and includes two free services.