MOVIN’ ON UP
The Peugeot 207 offers style with impressive quality and equipment. Steve Ghosley reports
To follow one phenomenal success story with another takes some doing, but to do it a third time has given Peugeot a huge challenge. Their 205 supermini 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. Now the onus has fallen upon the model we look at here, the latest 207.
Despite its sales success, criticism has always persisted over the rather low rent interior finish of the 206, something Peugeot were keen to address with the more up-market 207 supermini. Of course, better quality tends to mean bigger prices and Peugeot worked hard to keep the 207 at affordable levels.
Priced from £9,095, Peugeot are taking care that the 207 is positioned closely to key competitors like Renault’s latest Clio and Fiat’s Grande Punto. That’s despite the fact that they claim their latest model sets new class standards in terms of trim quality and equipment levels. The design of this car follows the corporate image seen on other models in the range like the 307 and 407 with the large ‘smiling’ grille and sharky front light clusters. The neat styling has shades of 206 about it, yet the car is completely different, based on the company’s ‘Platform 1’ floor pan which it shares with the 1007. The striking and rather sporty look, which was designed in-house by Peugeot’s own stylists, should ensure a strong customer following.
The car is offered in both 3-door and 5-door hatchback form or as a CC folding hardtop coupe. If you need estate versatility, there are also SW derivatives on offer. Peugeot is building the 207 at three sites in France, Spain and Slovakia, ensuring that they’ll have sufficient capacity to meet demand.
"If you need convincing, just shut one of the doors. They close with a reassuring ‘thunk’…"
Peugeot are offering a choice of six petrol and three diesel engines. The petrol models offered are a 1.4-litre 8-valve unit producing 75bhp, a 1.4-litre 16-valve unit producing 90bhp, a 1.4-litre VTi 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, the 207 being the first Peugeot model to use them.
Sitting inside the new 207, you can immediately sense that this car is far removed from the 206 in terms of its quality and elegance. Plus the 207, even in its most basic trim level, is head and shoulders above its equivalent 206 model in refinement. The elegant centre panel houses all the usual heating, ventilating and audio switches and the binnacle behind the steering wheel features three circular dials, mirroring those usually seen on a motorcycle. The overall effect is very pleasing and gives the impression of a very up-market product. The front seats are very comfortable and appear to give good support. In the rear, as with most vehicles in this sector, the available space is rather limited to the size of the passenger and driver seated in the front. With the front seats fully extended backwards, the space in the back can be a bit restricted.
Equipment levels? Well, air-conditioning is available in two specifications, dual zone manual or automatic. In addition, each vehicle is equipped with a fragrance diffuser which is discreetly incorporated into the fascia panel and dispenses one of seven selectable fragrances to keep the interior of your 207 smelling sweetly. Each fragrance has been specially developed by a leading French perfume supplier. Useful features include automatic activation of the dipped beam, automatic front windscreen wipers, electric front windows with one-touch automatic reverse control and a remote control for the radio situated under the steering wheel.
Safety has been designed into the 207 and has already earned a five star rating from the EuroNCAP tests. The 207’s front end contains two impact absorption structures borrowed from the 407 that distribute impact energy more efficiently in the event of a collision. Sill reinforcements and tubular bars in the doors aid structural rigidity. Numerous airbags are installed in the 207 and the front two ‘adaptive’ airbags have a dual-generator function that can vary their pressures according to the severity of the impact. Side airbags and curtain airbags also feature as standard or as an option, depending on the model level. All 207s are fitted with two 3-point Isofix mountings in the rear outer seats, each of which can accommodate a child’s Isofix car safety seat.
Peugeot look like they have cracked it yet again. The new 207 looks the part, is well put together and is definitely a class above the 206. If you need convincing, just shut one of the doors. They close with a very reassuring ‘thunk’. The same as you would experience with a Mercedes-Benz or BMW. The phenomenal success story looks set to continue.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Peugeot 207 range
PRICES: £9,095-£17,112 – on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 3-11
CO2 EMISSIONS: 120-166g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.4 8v] 0-60mph 15.6s / Max Speed 104mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.4 8v] (urban) 33.6mpg / (extra urban) 56.5mpg / (combined) 44.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin and side airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4030/1720/1472
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- Peugeot 207 Van
COMPACT CARRIER
Big loads are not the supermini-based van’s forte but the Peugeot 207 Van carries over the strengths of its passenger-carrying sibling and should make a good choice for UK business. Steve Walker reports…
Supermini-based vans constitute the first rung on the light commercial vehicle ladder. The polar opposite of hulking large panel vans like the Mercedes Sprinter, if your load-carrying requirements don’t measure up to something like this, the smallest of all vans, you could probably make do with a wheelbarrow. While they might be small in stature and have payload capacities little better than those of your average family hatchback, vehicles like Peugeot’s 207 van still find a ready market amongst UK companies. Sometimes nimble handling and low running costs are preferable to sheer lugging ability and it’s here that vans like the 207 come into their own.
There is a school of thought that says if a manufacturer has got a presence in the light commercial vehicle market and a viable supermini in its passenger car range, it might as well offer a supermini-derived van. The development costs are hardly astronomical and, if push came to shove, would probably run to little more than the price of a burly employee with a socket set. Once he’d unbolted the passenger car’s rear bench and chucked it in a skip, you’d be 90% of the way there.
OK, so there might be a little more to it than that. The 207 Van loses the supermini version’s rear bench seat but the area where the back seat passengers’ legs would have gone is panelled over to produce a flat load floor that runs up to behind the front seats. The side panels are carpeted, the rear windows are panelled over and the floor itself is covered in tough rubber matting to help protect the vehicle and its cargo.
Access to the load compartment is through the 207’s wide opening tailgate but it’s not really a compartment unless you specify either the full-length load cover – an interesting hybrid of parcel shelf and roller blind - or the full-height mesh bulkhead. Leave these features on the options list and your cargo is accessible by reaching over your shoulder but the bulkhead will stop hefty items flying forward in the event of an accident and the load cover has obvious security benefits when it comes to keeping valuable items away from prying eyes. However you configure the 207 van’s load area, the load volume is around 1.1m3 and there’s the potential to load it with up to 450kg of cargo. There’s significant wheelarch intrusion at the sides but objects of up to 1,043mm can still be slid between the bulges, provided you can lift them over the pronounced loading lip and angle them through the tailgate aperture which is only 910mm.
"…the 207 van’s small size becomes a strength"
The 207 Van is not a vehicle that’s likely to be stretched to the limits of its loadbay by its owners. The target market for vehicles like this tends to be small businesses such as florists or couriers that need to make deliveries of small items in busy urban areas. Alternatively, the 207 Van would suit security guards, maintenance engineers or other occupations that need to get from A to B with only a small quality of tools and equipment in tow.
For people who don’t need the carrying capacity, the 207 van’s small size becomes a strength, giving rise to low running costs and ease of manoeuvrability. The car handles sweetly with lively steering and tenacious grip at the front wheels. One trait of the 207 is a large front overhang, so parking and squeezing through gaps isn’t as easy as it could be but still a whole lot easier than in larger commercial vehicles. On the open road, ride quality is very good and the 207 will sail through lengthy motorway excursions without becoming wearing on its driver. On the downside, the gear change is sloppy with a loose feel to the lever and the driving position might not appeal to everyone.
Peugeot’s expertise in the field of small petrol and diesel engines is well documented and the 207 van gets a selection of three chosen primarily for their economy. The figure that you’ll see looming large wherever the 207 van is being promoted is the 62.8mpg combined fuel consumption that’s achieved by both diesel engines. You’ll need to tread incredibly gingerly on the throttle pedal to replicate this during everyday usage but it’s a reliable indication that the 68bhp 1.4-litre HDI and 90bhp 1.6-litre HDI engines are about as economical as you’ll find in this sector. The petrol alternative manages a less impressive 44.8mpg but is pleasantly refined and with a 13.9s 0-60mph sprint time, falls between the two diesels in terms of performance. The 1.4-litre oil-burner feels quicker than the laborious 15.1s it takes to do the 0-60mph trial because of the punchy torque output but it’s still going to be beaten away from the lights by all and sundry. The best bet if you’re going to spend lots of time at the wheel of your 207 Van is the 1.6-litre HDI which is almost warm hatchback rapid with an 11.5s 0-60mph sprint and 215Nm maximum torque at 1,750rpm.
Away from the engine bay, Peugeot doesn’t leave a lot of room for the 207 buyer to manoeuvre. There’s one colour on offer, an appropriately utilitarian non-metallic white and one trim level. At least the standard equipment list is comprehensive, particularly from a safety perspective. It runs to driver and passenger airbags, side airbags and ABS with brakeforce distribution and brake assist, while power steering, electric windows, remote central locking and height adjustment for both seats also get a look in. Air-conditioning, ESP stability control and a Thatcham alarm are cost options.
The 207 lags a behind the best superminis in terms of build quality but it’s not bad and with the fripperies of the passenger car stripped away, this commercial vehicle version has a reassuring solidity about its interior. The ventilation controls feel a bit reedy but elsewhere, a lot of the switchgear seems quite high-end and the chrome rings round the instruments are a classy touch. The column stalks are carried over from the 206 and don’t come across as being all that sturdy. Exterior styling can be an important factor for business looking to project the right image and the 207 is definitely distinctive with its Peugeot family front end. Personally, I think Peugeot dropped a bit of a clanger wheeling the gaping maw look out across their model range but sales of the 207 have remained strong across Europe, so I’ll bow to their better judgement.
Overall, the 207 Van is a capable supermini-derived commercial vehicle. The nature of this sector is that sales are never going to be huge but the 207’s refined driving experience and strong engine range mean it’s well-equipped to bring in its fair share. Safety provision is particularly good and running costs are low.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
VAN: Peugeot 207 Van
ENGINES: 75bhp 1.4i Petrol, 68bhp 1.4HDi diesel, 90bhp 1.6HDi diesel.
FUEL ECONOMY: [1.4HDi] (urban) 48.7mpg, (extra urban) 74.3mpg, (combined) 62.8mpg
DIMENSIONS: Length/Width/Heightmm 4108/1719/1802
GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT: 1,570kg– 1,630kg
MAXIMUM PAYLOAD: 450kg