FIRST DRIVE | Peugeot Landtrek 2.2D offers more muscle for no more money

Stellantis has launched a more powerful 2.2 l Peugeot Landtrek double cab bakkie in South Africa.

The imported Landtrek range was launched here in 2021 in a range of variants all powered by a 1.9 l turbodiesel four-cylinder engine with outputs of 110kW and 350Nm.

That engine remains to power most of the range, but the line-up grows to seven models with the addition of two new double cabs powered by the new 2.2 l turbodiesel.

Available in Allure and 4Action double cab derivatives, the four-cylinder engine produces 147kW at 3,500rpm and 450Nm from 1,500rpm, both paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission with an electronic gear selector (e-shifter) available in 4x2 or 4x4. Along with the power boost, the 2.2 l variants have a higher maximum towing capacity of 3,500kg compared with the 3,000kg of the 1.9s.

At R666,900 for the 2WD and R759,900 for the 4x4, the Landtrek 2.2D is introduced at the same retail prices as the 1.9s — which remain in the line-up — in a bid to make the Landtrek more competitive in a cutthroat market against rivals such as the GWM P300, JAC T9 Hunter, Foton Tunland and Nissan Navara. It begs the question why anyone would buy the weaker 1.9 for the same price, but Stellantis says bigger dealer discounts are available for the 1.9 models.

The Landtrek has been a niche model since its local launch five years ago and moved just 1,307 units in 2025, less than half of what the market-leading Toyota Hilux sells in a month. The low volumes are what prompted Stellantis to revise its domestic production strategy at its new plant being built in the Eastern Cape.

Initially the Gqeberha factory was to build only the Landtrek from 2026, but Stellantis intends to build at least two other, as-yet-unnamed, models from 2028 to ensure the plant’s long-term viability.