You have to hand it to PSA Peugeot Citroen. The group uses the same platforms and powertrains in showroom-rival models of the two distinct makes, and makes as good a job of differentiating them as anybody in the business, thanks to the work of the separate styling studios.Offhand, I can't think of any passenger-car area in which Peugeot and Citroen use the same bodywork apart from the budget and full-size MPV sectors. At the budget level, the van-derived Citroen Berlingo Multispace and Peugeot Partner Combi are effectively the same car, yet there's one Peugeot version which doesn't so far have a Citroen equivalent. That's the chunkier-looking Escapade, which also comes with a higher than standard ground clearance, so that, while not being anything like a 4x4, except in the specification of its tyres, it's designed to tackle rougher surfaces.Between them, the Partner and Berlingo account for almost three-quarters of all budget MPV sales on the UK market - that's over 12,000 between them last year, with the Citroen on 50% and their only rivals from Renault and Fiat trailing.Two-thirds of buyers in the segment last year went for diesel engines, which make a lot of sense in cars of this kind; so the fact that the new Partner Combi has an 88bhp HDi engine available, as well as the old-stager 1.9 diesel, puts it in a stronger position. There are 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol engines too, but they're in an ever-decreasing minority.It's worth repeating that the standard equipment level is quite basic. Air-conditioning and ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution add a full £980 to the price. On the other hand, all versions of the Partner Combi went on sale with an introductory offer of 0% finance over three years when bought through the Peugeot Passport scheme.In general, what we've noted elsewhere about the Berlingo Multispace HDi applies equally to the Partner Combi. But the Escapade - I began by saying it with a short second "a" (poser!) only to be gently corrected by a Peugeot person who gave it the normal English pronunciation - is a different matter. This is a Peugeot with no direct Citroen counterpart.The name and specification are intended to give the idea of leisure, the Great Outdoors, bumping down to the riverbank, heading along a rough track to a remote campsite, or whatever. Although it shares the vast interior space and elevated driving position of all the Multispace/Combi range, the Escapade is more for younger family customers than for oldies who buy the standard version because it's easy to get in and out of.Peugeot likes to call the Escapade styling the "adventurer" look. Well, there are wheel arch extensions, grilles for the headlamps, front foglamps, a body-coloured front bumper and larger 15" wheels.But the most significant thing is that the Escapade sits 30mm higher than the standard Combi at the front, and a more modest 3mm at the rear. The suspension is modified in several significant ways, and the extra-length front springs let the car clamber more easily over rough ground. While it doesn't have a huge competition-style sump guard to protect the underside on rocky surfaces, the Escapade does have a skid plate, and all the fuel lines and so on are protected too.Peugeot has given the Escapade some rather decorative side stickers, and the interior treatment involves plenty of metal-effect trim.I've always been impressed by the practicality of the Combi/Berlingo design, but what struck me right away about the Escapade was how quietly and smoothly the HDi version runs.This is no sports car, of course, but the 154lb/ft of torque available from 1900rpm means that there's no shortage of mid-range grunt. The 0-62mph acceleration figure is pretty fair for a car of this general bulk, although the extra Escapade height to be pushed through the air does mean a drop of a couple of miles per hour in the maximum speed.While the official fuel consumption figures are the same as for the standard Combi HDi, it's worth bearing in mind that they're taken on a rolling road. In real life, I'd expect the Escapade to lose out a little on economy too.Even with the standard version you have to be prepared for a fair amount of body lean on enterprisingly taken corners, and the higher stance of the Escapade means that there's even more leaning-over on tap. But once you make allowances for that, it can be pushed on smartly on minor roads, where the ride quality remains fine.I suppose I shouldn't be thinking about the Escapade with any idea of refinement in mind, but that did, honestly, play its part in my overall impressions, because of the unexpectedly smooth running of this relatively unsophisticated vehicle. Maybe I need psycho-analysed. Or maybe people who don't appreciate this kind of car do. Engine 1997cc, 4 cylinders Power 88bhp Fuel/CO2 49.6mpg / 152g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 13.4 seconds Top speed 97mph Price £11,095 Details correct at publication date
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