Peugeot 407 HDI 110 Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Peugeot 407 1.6 HDI 110
Prices: £18,745-£21,995- on the road
Insurance Group: 9
Emissions: 129g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 11.7s / Max Speed 119mph
Fuel Consumption: (urban) 44.1mpg/ (extra urban) 68.9mpg / (combined) 57.7mpg
Safety: Twin front & side airbags, ABS, ESP
Dimensions: [saloon] length/width/heightmm 4676/1811/1445

NEVER BEEN CLEANER

Our Rating: 7.0 / 10

The 407 makes economy its strongest suit with the 1.6 HDI diesel engine installed. Steve Walker reports

Getting an edge on the competition in the closely fought medium range car market isn’t easy but by fitting the 1.6-litre HDI diesel engine to the 407, Peugeot has given its family saloon a fighting chance. 57.7mpg and 129g/km is the bottom line and that may be enough to seal the deal for buyers looking to control their costs.

Ten years ago, drivers who could reliably tell you how much carbon dioxide was contained within their car’s exhaust gasses were firmly in the minority. They may even have been viewed as being a little bit strange and were certainly the people to avoid at parties. Today, CO2 is right at the top of all our car-buying agendas and weighs particularly heavy on the minds of those who drive company cars. Everyone knows it’s bad for the environment and it isn’t great for our personal finances either, thanks to its links to road and company car taxation systems. Suddenly, cars with low CO2 emissions are sexy and Peugeot’s unassuming 407 HDI 110 is taking its turn in the limelight.

The 407 is Peugeot’s entrant in the fiercely competitive medium range family car sector. It’s where the likes of Ford’s Mondeo, Vauxhall’s Insignia, Renault’s Laguna, Volkswagen’s Passat and numerous others compete to mop up sales which are mainly derived from the fleets and company car user choosers. In this market, a car’s performance on the balance sheet is as important as its performance on the road and Peugeot is confident that the 407 HDI 110 will excel in this area.

109bhp from a 1.6-litre diesel engine doesn’t sound like a huge amount when the task in hand is shifting the sizable 407. Torque of 244Nm from 1,750rpm will help avoid progress becoming too feeble but straight line speed isn’t what this car is all about. The 0-60mph sprint takes 11.7s and 119mph is the top speed, which is unspectacular and along the lines of what you can expect from the other entry-level oil-burners in this class.

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 sound insulation helps keep noise levels in the cabin down as does the 407’s slippery shape.

The look of 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.

Inside, Peugeot has gone large with the Piano Black finishes. This lustrous black plastic now features in selected models, 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.

Peugeot’s confidence in the viability of the 1.6-litre HDI 110 engine in the 407 is underlined by it’s availability across the entire range of trim levels. Even the standard S models get luxuries like climate control, cruise control with a speed limiter, remote central locking and a trip computer. Only the front windows are electric but the list of safety kit is comprehensive and includes ESP stability control. Above the S sits the SR which adds satellite navigation and alloy wheels and above that, it’s the Sport but given the cost-cutting remit of this engine, the S level is likely to be a popular choice.

The 407 HDI 110 is available in saloon and SW estate forms. It certainly seems to have a strong value proposition which bodes well in light of the ferocious competition it faces in the sector. Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Insignia, Renault Laguna, Citroen C5 - all of these big guns are battling it out for a finite number of sales and the fle