Wheelchair Accessible Peugeot Partner Three or Five Seat Which One to Buy?

When it comes to choosing the right wheelchair accessible vehicle for your needs the most important consideration is the wheelchair passenger. The vehicle you buy needs to be large enough for their wheelchair and allow space for them to sit comfortably.  Another consideration that needs to be addressed is how many additional passengers will need to travel within the vehicle and whether that is with or without the wheelchair passenger as the vehicle may have to do a multitude of jobs. As wheelchair accessible vehicles are available with a variety of different seating options, I regularly get asked by my customers which seating layout is the best and my answer to them is there are benefits for and against each type that will vary depending on your individual requirements. 

Below I have come up with a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of each that might help you decide if you are in a similar situation.  I have based the comments on a Peugeot Partner, but these comments will also apply for similar sized wheelchair accessible vehicles such as a Citroen Berlingo, Ford Tourneo Connect, Fiat Doblo.

Three Seat Peugeot Partner Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV).

I call the three Seat Peugeot Partner wheelchair accessible vehicle the bread and butter of wheelchair accessible vehicles and is always the first type of WAV I show a new customer as it is a great starting point. 

Advantages of 3 seat

1. Cheaper price than the equivalate five seat model. 
2. Offers more forward space for the wheelchair passenger because of the lack of additional seating brackets, so the wheelchair passenger can sit slightly further forward.
3. The wheelchair passenger does not have to sit behind a row of folded-up seats, meaning they feel more as if they are in the vehicle and not left feeling they are sitting in the luggage compartment. 
4. Narrower single rear seat increases the available width for the wheelchair or mobility scooter.
5. Certain compact 8 mph mobility scooter will fit inside.

Disadvantages of 3 seat

1. The rear seat is fixed and cannot be removed without using tools. 
2. The rear seat is slightly thinner so is not quite as comfortable as the standard factory seat. 
3. If you are not transporting a wheelchair passenger, you can only ever carry a maximum of three people in the vehicle including the driver. 

Picture showing a typical three-seat wheelchair accessible Peugeot Partner.

Five Seat Peugeot Partner Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV).

A five-seat wheelchair accessible Peugeot Partner is a very versatile vehicle, it is basically two cars in one. On one hand it can carry up to five people including the driver, then by simply folding up two of the rear seats it can transform into a vehicle that can transport a wheelchair passenger or mobility scooter and up to three other people including the driver. The five-seat Peugeot Partner is a great choice for those people who do not always need to transport a wheelchair passenger but don’t want the burden of owning two vehicles.

 

Advantages of 5 Seat

1. Have the option to carry up to five people when not transporting a wheelchair passenger.
2. When transporting a wheelchair the remaining single rear seat is a standard width and not a slimmer seat as found in many three-seat models. 
3. All three rear seats can fold forward or be removed (60/40) No tools needed.
4. Easy to convert between a standard car and a car suitable for transporting a wheelchair passenger.
5. Early five Seat models up to about 2015 came with three individual rear seats meaning that you could fold up or remove just the center rear seat and have space between for a small 4 mph mobility scooter and still have seating for four people including the driver. 
6. If the wheelchair passenger is able to transfer to one of the vehicle seats, depending on the size of their wheelchair, it may fit behind the row of rear seats. Meaning you can still carry up to five people including the wheelchair user. 

 

Disadvantages of 5 seat

1. Cost more than the equivalent three seat model. 
2. Reduced length within the wheelchair area because of the additional rear seat mountings. 
3. When transporting a wheelchair passenger, unless the rear seats are removed from the vehicle the wheelchair passenger is left looking at a row of folded up seats.
4. Slightly less width for the wheelchair alongside rear seat when in three seat mode. 
5. Can be difficult to fit larger mobility scooters inside.  

A picture of a typical five seat wheelchair accessible Peugeot Partner in five seat mode. 

 

A picture of a typical five seat wheelchair accessible Peugeot Partner in three seat mode.

Four Seat Peugeot Partner Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV).

I know this article is titled wheelchair accessible Peugeot Partner three or five seat which one to buy and for many there will be a clear winner based on their requirements between the two. However there is a third option and that is the four-seat wheelchair accessible Peugeot Partner, and this can be a great option for those that are divided between three and five seats as it offers a good balance of benefits between both models. 

Advantages of 4 Seat

1. Can carry up to four people including the driver plus a wheelchair passenger or mobility scooter.
2. Offers more forward space compared to a five-seat model, because the rear seats are mounted on either side.
3. The wheelchair passenger does not have to sit behind a row of folded-up seats, meaning they feel more as if they are in the vehicle and not left feeling they are sitting in the luggage compartment. 

 

Disadvantages of 4 seat

1. Rear seats are narrower than the standard sized rear seat so not as comfortable.
2. The rear seats are fixed and cannot be removed without tools. 
3. Less width for wheelchair or mobility scooter between rear seats. 
4. Not as many used vehicles in the market for sale when compared to a three or five seat, therefore can attracted a price premium. 

Buying a used WAV vehicle. 

I know it can be hard sometimes to decide what type is best because you want all the best bits from each layout, but my advice is to prioritise what is really important. 

If you are looking to purchase or would like more information regarding a used wheelchair accessible Peugeot Partner or any other wheelchair accessible vehicle, then please contact us on 01934 820077.  We are based in the village of Banwell on the outskirts of Weston Super Mare and stock a range of quality used wheelchair accessible vehicles for sale. The majority are ex-Motability vehicles with low mileage, one owner and a full-service history.  We offer part exchange and even arrange delivery to your door.

To view our current stock of used wav vehicles please visit. https://www.michaelharrawaycars.co.uk/vehicle-type/wheelchair-accessible-vehicles/