Peugeot Bipper Tepee ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

More than ever cars nowadays are designed with plenty of visual appeal but there are still some out there that offer buyers pure no-nonsense, practical transport at an affordable price. Peugeot's Bipper Tepee is one of those cars, based on the brand's popular Bipper commercial van. The Tepee adds rear seats and windows in a bid to offer value transport for those who don't crave a car with kerb appeal. The question is whether it holds enough appeal in other areas to compete with the latest crop of clever supermini-based MPVs that have flooded the market such as Ford's B-Max. Read on to find out.

Despite the badge the Bipper Tepee shares much with its Citroen Nemo and Fiat Qubo cousins including its exterior styling. It is essentially a compact supermini sized van with windows. The shape is pretty boxy with simple prominent front lights and an unusually large bumper that juts out like an excessive underbite. The only real visual flair can be found at the rear with an upswept window line and high gloss rear tailgate section. The Outdoor model varies from others with its slightly raised suspension, more rugged bumpers and roof bars but makes do with some cheap looking plastic wheel trims.

The interior follows a similar theme with its no-nonsense approach to its design with an abundance of honest exposed metal on show and hard wearing rubber flooring. The switch gear is clearly Fiat derived but is no worse for it with everything clearly laid out with a pleasantly robust construction. The gear lever sprouts out from the dashboard putting it in easy reach and thanks to plenty of seat adjustment it is easy to get comfortable despite the lack of reach steering wheel adjustment.

There are plenty of neat storage areas dotted around the cabin and for a car of such compact dimensions space in the rear is excellent, as is the cube-shaped boot which is blessed with a wide opening and 356 litres of space. Furthermore access to the rear is superlative specifically in tight parking spaces thanks to sliding rear doors on both sides.

Under the skin hides Fiat's Punto platform with MacPherson struts up front and a simple torsion beam at the rear. On the road the Bipper goes about its business with minimal fuss. The seats although a little soft and lacking in support are sufficiently comfortable and the ride quality on offer is pretty good at smoothing rough surfaces although it can feel a little springy at times mainly over speed bumps. 

The steering is usefully light notably at lower speeds making manoeuvres a doddle although it lacks any real feedback. The gearshift is also unpleasant feeling very rubbery and imprecise making shifts a real chore and it doesn't like to be rushed. Despite the skinny tyres the Tepee has decent grip and tackles corners reasonably well although body roll is a little excessive discouraging drivers from enthusiastic cornering. 

Under the bonnet is a Fiat sourced 1.3 litre 8v diesel engine that produces a modest 75 bhp. It's a likable unit but it does need a good thrashing to keep up with the flow of traffic on faster roads. It also becomes a little boomy at higher speeds and would really benefit from an additional sixth ratio. It's most at home around town where its peppy power delivery can be best utilised going hand-in-hand with its forgiving low speed ride.

The real bonus however is the economy on offer. If driven carefully it's easy to achieve around 65 mpg. Whilst with us we rarely returned less than 55 mpg which makes petrol station stops infrequent. It also only emits 119g/km which neatly slots the Bipper into VED band C costing owners a tiny £30 annually.

Tech Data 

Price as tested: £13,345
Engine: 1.3 litre 8v 75bhp - 0-62 mph: 16.8 secs - Maximum Speed: 96 mph -
Economy: 49.6 mpg (urban) –74.3 mpg (extra-urban), 62.8 mpg (combined) - Emissions: 119 g/km - Band C (12 months): £30
Dimensions: Length: 3970 mm - Width: 1816 mm - Height: 1742 mm - Wheelbase: 2513 mm

*data from Peugeot UK

DriverVIBE Verdict

The little Bipper Tepee is certainly an oddball choice in the increasingly crowded supermini-MPV sector. At just over £13,000 it offers lots for the money including plenty of interior space, a versatile cabin, and low running costs. Counting against it however is its so-so driving experience, boomy engine and those boxy proportions. The biggest problem it faces is tough competition from the likes of the Ford B-Max which is better looking, more rewarding on the road and far more refined and can be had for similar money. However for many in search of low cost, no-nonsense family transport it will undoubtedly hold plenty of appeal.

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