Car: Peugeot 207 range
Prices: £10,695-£16,995 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 3-11
Emissions: 99-166g/km
Performance: [1.4 8v] 0-60mph 15.7s / Max Speed 106mph
Fuel Consumption: [1.4 8v] (urban) 33.6mpg / (extra urban) 56.5mpg / (combined) 44.8mpg
Safety: Twin front and side airbags, ABS
Dimensions: Length/Width/Heightmm 4030/1748/1502
LITTLE BIG CAR
Our Rating: 7.0 / 10
Peugeot’s improved 207 is the latest in a long dynasty of successful small cars from the French marque. Steve Walker reports
Peugeot has a strong track record when it comes to superminis. The 205 started it all off in 1983 and things got even better fifteen years later with the 206, a car that was to sell over five million units worldwide. In 2006, the onus fell on the model we’re looking at here, the 207, now improved with what Peugeot promise is a range of small but significant detail enhancements.
The design of this car is based around the family face that’s now common across the Peugeot range with the large grille and elongated front light clusters creating a front end that grins manically. The striking and sporty look, which was designed in-house by Peugeot’s own stylists, has divided opinion but you can’t accuse Peugeot of treading a conservative path.
Peugeot is offering a choice of five petrol and three diesel engines. The petrol models offered are a 1.4-litre 8-valve unit producing 75bhp, a 1.4-litre VTi variable valve timing unit with 95bhp, a 1.6-litre VTi giving out 120bhp, plus 150 and 175bhp 1.6-litre turbo options. The diesel offerings are all second generation common-rail high-pressure direct injection powerplants and start with a 1.4-litre HDi producing 70bhp. This is followed by a 1.6-litre HDi 16-valve delivering 90bhp and a range-topping version of the same engine with a variable geometry turbocharger producing 110bhp. All these units are a result of the joint venture between PSA Peugeot Citroën and BMW Group, so many of them are also found in BMW’s MINI.
The 207 is a hefty vehicle tipping the scales at nearly 1,300kg. In the 1.4-litre VTi car, the 0-60mph sprint takes 12.8s and the top speed is 115mph. By contrast, the MINI which uses the same engine weighs 1,135kg and can get to 60mph in 10.9s, evidence of the impact that less weight can have. The advantage of the Peugeot’s mass is its composure and that all important big car feel out on the road. It’s an unhurried, comfortable car to drive that’s great on longer journeys and takes to twisty back roads with relish thanks to its well-judged suspension. As long as you don’t expect too much pace from the overworked smaller engines, the 5-speed gearbox is the only real drawback. The slack action isn’t what you want in a nimble supermini and it lets the rest of the driving package down a bit.
The 207 represented a big improvement for Peugeot in terms of perceived quality and the latest versions aim to enhance that reputation. The materials in the cabin look and feel sturdy with no obvious flaws in terms of the way they all fit 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. Rear legroom is not as good as in some rivals, although there’s compensation in the shape of a 310-litre boot capacity.
The styling themes that have gradually rolled out across the Peugeot model range are nothing if not distinctive and as with anything so wilfully out of the ordinary, the look of the 207 may not be to everyone’s taste. For the uninitiated, the 207’s main distinguishing features are those elongated headlamps that stretch back from the nose into the front wings and the huge grinning grille below, its teeth braced by a dark central bumper. The current models have slight revisions to the front end the most obvious being the relocation of the fog lights, on models which have them, to independent slots cut into the bumper. They were previously mounted on the side of the grille. Around the back, things are less extrovert but the overall look has real purpose about it. The LED rear light clusters could be the highlight and from any angle, it’s immediately obvious you’re looking at a Peugeot 207.
Equipment levels? Well, the options range from the basic Urban model through S and Sport to the plush SE premium, the green Economique and the pacey GT and GTi models. Buyers can choose from 3-door and 5-door hatchbacks, SW estates and CC convertibles with an SW Outdoor model also offered that looks a bit like a 4x4. Air-conditioning is available in two specifications, dual zone manual or automatic. In addition, the car can be equipped with
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