Peugeot Expert vs Renault Master

What's the difference?

Mid-sized (2.5 to 3.5-tonne) commercial van buyers have a variety of makes and models to choose from, even though most buy the venerable HiAce.

Latest VFACTS figures confirm Toyota’s long-standing dominance, as the HiAce commands just under 40 per cent market share with the remainder spread across ten competitors from Europe, China and Korea.

One of those is Peugeot’s Expert, which is available with a choice of wheelbases, transmissions and model grades. It currently represents just 1.3 per cent of sales in this segment, so we recently spent a week behind the wheel to see how it compares to the market leader.

It's only taken the whole decade so far, but the 3.5-tonne van – you know, the really, really big ones ­– has finally been dragged into the 2020s with the latest version of the Renault Master.

Now in its fourth generation since 1980, this oversized box on wheels from France is said to leapfrog all its ageing rivals as a result, including the Fiat Ducato, Ford Transit, LDV Deliver9, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Volkswagen Crafter that all debuted some years ago now.

So, how does France’s big new van fare? And where’s the promised all-electric version? Read on to find out.