This car is what I believe is called an oxymoron: a hot-cold thing. It is a small car that feels enormous when you go to park. Off the line it feels fast, but its 0-62 time is unremarkable. So, depending on what you want your small car to do, the Peugeot 207 is either a dream or a nightmare.
It’s hard to deny its family credentials. The rear seats have ISOFIX so baby seats fit. The rear seats also have three 3-point seatbelts and there are curtain and side airbags.
Mum and Dad are looked after as well as the kiddies, with passenger and driver airbags. Plus, the front seats are among the best designs on the market. They support even the largest adults without being hard or too sporty. In many other small cars on the market the front seats feel either too small or too Spartan and harsh.
The cabin feels airy, with lots of head room and whilst the plastics are dark, there is so much glass, the atmosphere is light and modern. The controls are a little less elegant than in some cars, but easy enough to use and once you know where everything is, all controls are close-at-hand.
The 207 is not just suitable for those with young children though; four full-size adults can be comfortable. Head, shoulder and legroom are among the best in class. So if you want a small car, but sometimes take elderly relatives out and want enough room for the wrinkled loved ones, this car should be on your consideration list.
But this interior spaciousness does impact the parking. The light steering means the 207 slots into parallel spaces without making you perspire or worry. But multi-story spaces are another matter. It’s very wide for a small car and the curvy wings add to the hassle. At first I thought this was an illusion created by the swoopy design, but it is 300mm wider than a Renault Clio. Amazingly it is also 22mm wider than the luxury Jaguar XJ saloon also on test in the magazine. Which is just daft, frankly.
The driving experience is disconnected at every level. The clutch is incredibly light, the accelerator doesn’t give you much sense of what its doing and the combination leads initially to wheel-spin. The steering is so light; I think it was made by a soufflé chef. This can lead to an all-at-sea-sensation on twisty roads and the driver has to estimate how much steering input to offer, rather than feel it.
On a poor quality twisty b-road, the handling meant I really had to slow down because every little steering input made the car shift direction quite dramatically. Which was frustrating because the gutsy little engine felt like it wanted to press on.
The engine is not thirsty when you consider what it can do for you. Even laden down with 3 adults and lots of luggage the car delivers a smooth, capable and refined performance on the motorways. With slightly less weight on board it has a sprightly energy and hops from lane to lane, passing other cars as required.
In town, once you master the no-feel pedals it nips around corners and has the kind of jolly feeling I normally associate with the Renault Clio or a Ford Fiesta. But it doesn’t slip through gaps like a Clio, simply because it is so broad.
Like the Vauxhall Corsa, the 207 5-door is not a small car in the traditional sense. It is a half-way house between a small car and a Focus, Astra or 307 size small family car.
If you want a fairly small family car with easy access to rear seats, the room to carry adults and luggage, and good all round performance (a bit of power and quite a lot of economy) then the 207 is for you. If you enjoy your driving, don’t like difficult parking or want to whiz around busy city centres then it probably isn’t.
Summary
A stylish small car, that is quite large. It is light to handle in town, but a stable cruiser on the open road. Wider than is ideal, but delivers a very spacious interior.
Road test car details:
Peugeot 207 1.4 Vti
OTR: £11,895 (new price – check out the used price)
0-62 mph: 12.8 mph
MPG: 46.3
Co2 / KM: 145
By: Matthew Tumbridge