Peugeot 207 GTi THP 175 Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Peugeot 207 GTI THP 175
Prices: £16,995 - on the road
Insurance Group: 15
Emissions: 171g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 6.9s / Max Speed 137mph
Fuel Consumption: (combined) 41mpg
Safety: Six airbags, anti lock brakes, electronic stability control, steering stability program, ISOFIX child seat fixings
Dimensions: Length/Width/Heightmm 4035/1720/1460

CRANKING UP THE PRESSURE

Our Rating: 7.4 / 10

Peugeot’s record of building hot hatches is second to none. How does the 207 stack up in GTi THP 175 guise? Andy Enright reports

Ask most people what they consider the definitive hot hatch and there will often be a split between the Volkswagen Golf GTi and the Peugeot 205 GTi. Both camps have a loyal following and both can point to more recent spells in the histories of their respective companies when the hot hatch offerings have been less than stellar. Just as Volkswagen has returned to a rich vein of form with its latest Golf GTI, so Peugeot followed suit. Their 207 GTi THP 175 expects to write the next – and somewhat happier – chapter in their history of small performance cars.

The THP (Turbo High Pressure) engine is part of the reason why this car looks set to succeed. Developed in conjunction with BMW, it’s a smart piece of engineering and gives the GTi the grin factor that’s been missing for too long from hot Peugeot tots.

The 1.6-litre turbocharged ‘Prince’ powerplant has a good deal going for it. Anybody who drove the old 206 GTi 180 will be amazed at this engine’s tractability and smoothness right across the rev range. There’s none of that bog and surge characteristic that afflicts many turbocharged engines and although it’s down a few bhp on the 206 at 175bhp, it’s nevertheless a far quicker car in real world conditions. It’ll get to 60mph in 6.9 seconds, which is over half a second faster than the old 206 GTi 180, and will run onto a top speed of 137mph where conditions allow. Peak torque of 244Nm is available from only 1,600rpm all the way up to 4,500rpm but a transient ‘overboost’ function allows for 264Nm for short periods, again a massive improvement on the 206 GTi 180’s 206Nm showing.

As indeed is ride and handling. Where the 206 was crashy and nervous at the limit, the 207 feels a whole lot more supple and confidence-inspiring. ESP stability control is fitted as standard and can be switched off if you really want to cut loose but we’d recommend a race circuit or an airfield. A clever steering system automatically countersteers when the ESP electronics detect one side of the car on a slippery surface, reducing braking distances and maintaining directional control. The five-speed gearbox bucks the trend for six ratios but suits the power delivery of the THP engine very well. If only its operation was a little slicker.

If you’re expecting a car with the visual flair to match its rather extrovert performance, the 207 GTi THP 175 might come as a slight disappointment. I must admit I like its rather low-key look. There are 17-inch alloys wheels, a small spoiler at the top of the rear window, twin chrome exhausts and some satin black finishing but it won’t turn too many heads. That’s not to say the styling isn’t handsome or deft: it’s just not in any way braggardly. The current models have slight revisions to the front end the most obvious being the relocation of the fog lights to independent slots cut into the bumper. At the rear, the LED light clusters could be the highlight.

The 207 represents a big improvement over the 206 in terms of perceived quality. The materials in the cabin look and feel sturdy with no obvious flaws in terms of the way it all fits together. The lower specification models lack some of the fancy detailing you get as you ascend the range but the interior of a 207 is generally a pleasant place to be. The latest cars benefit from revised instrument panels designed to give a more modern feel and some upgraded trim materials. This GTi model feels a little more upmarket still with its alcantara-trimmed bucket seats for four but if you were expecting something radically different to the 206, you’re not really getting it. It feels be