Car: Peugeot 407 HDi 140
Prices: £20,345-£22,595 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 11
Emissions: 150g/km
Performance: ?: [saloon] 0-60mph 9.8s / Max Speed 129mph
Fuel Consumption: ?: [saloon] (urban) 37.6mpg/ (extra urban) 60.1mpg / (combined) 49.5mpg
Safety: Twin front & side airbags, ABS, ESP
Dimensions: [saloon] length/width/heightmm 4676/1811/1445
WELL OILED MACHINE?
Our Rating: 7.1 / 10
Peugeot has a good record with its diesel cars can the 407 HDi 140 continue that trend? Steve Walker reports.
Peugeot’s 407 HDi 140 ticks the boxes that the car’s core of fleet and company car buyers look to. It’s got the power and pace to tackle long journeys while the economy and emissions should keep costs down. The styling won’t be to everyone’s taste but the 407 is well equipped and temptingly priced and that will swing it for many.
The French have long held a soft spot for diesel and these days the fuel from the black pump is almost as popular on this side of the channel. It all bodes well for cars like the Peugeot 407 HDi 140 which sets out to showcase the latest French expertise in the art of burning heavy oil.
You’ll pay a bit more for a diesel engine compared to an equivalent petrol in most cars but its superior economy and lower CO2 emissions will eat into that premium as the miles tick by and a diesel car’s residual values are likely to be stronger too. Cover a medium to high annual mileage and the diesel should pay for itself in relatively short order. Of course, there’s more to most car-buying decisions than the bottom line and Peugeot hopes its latest 407 can do a lot more than simply help to balance the books.
HDi common-rail diesel engines feature in models from across the Peugeot range and they tend to be very adept units characterised by their smoothness and plentiful torque as well as their economy. The HDi 140 engine in the 407 sits above the entry-level 1.6 HDi and is a progression on from the 136bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine which served the 407 very well until it was superseded. In fact, that 136bhp unit still soldiers on in the 407 mated to the automatic gearbox. The HDi 140 produces its 140bhp at 4,000rpm and a sizable 320Nm maximum torque output at 2,000rpm. That kind of torque rating promises some serious overtaking urge and with the 0-62mph sprint being dispatched in 9.8s the 407 HDi 140 is no slouch away from the lights either. The top speed is 129mph and if you go for the slightly heavier SW estate model, it’s 127mph and a 10.1s time for the 0-60mph sprint.
In general, the 407 doesn’t feel as planted or responsive on the road as its sportiest rivals but buyers who prioritise comfort could easily be persuaded. The car rides poorly surfaced roads very well and is a relaxing drive on the motorway where it displays a high level of refinement.
The look of the latest 407 has been altered but in a very measured, non-drastic way. The chrome grille has been tidied up, there are new bumpers at each end and the one at the rear incorporates a defuser-style insert at its base. Love it or hate it, you can’t have helped but notice the 407 saloon. It’s a car that looks utterly stunning from some angles and decidedly odd from others. Much of this is due to the perceived imbalance between the long front end and the abbreviated tail.
Imagine however, getting shot of the notchback rear and instead stretching the 407 back as if it had been squeezed out of a very big tube of toothpaste. That’s the effect you get with the SW estate version and it looks nothing less than sensational. For those of you accustomed to medium range estates being saloon cars with a hunched fenestration on the back and all the aesthetic elegance of a conservatory mounting your vehicle, it comes as a welcome change.
Inside, Peugeot has gone large with the Piano Black finishes. This lustrous black plastic now features across the range, adding a touch more class to proceedings. The 407’s interior still feels a little dated with some of the materials not quite living up to expectations and those steering column stalks which seem to have featured in every Peugeot and Citroen product since year dot. The central control panel always looks a little busy with its cluster of small buttons but models with satellite navigation get a modern system with an extremely good display.
The 2.0-litre HDi 140 engine can be obtained in two of the 407’s trim levels. The SR model opens proceedings with a detailed specification that includes electric windows, climate control, cruise
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