Peugeot 207   Women's view

June Neary and Family Put The Peugeot 207 to the test.

The arrival of any new car is always an event in our household. The kids crawl all over the back seats looking for new gadgets. My husband pops the bonnet and scans the cam covers. And me? I just take a step back and take it all in.

With the Peugeot 207, doing just that was an enjoyable experience. And an enlightening one. I hadnt expected much interest from my neighbours in an affordable model like this one but I was wrong. Words were exchanged over the garden fence.

Cups of sugar were borrowed. It created a stir.

First and foremost, Id say that in my view after having completed a few hundred miles in this car, I think it would be an easy one to own. You slip in behind the wheel and everything feels just right, the major controls falling to hand easily. Too many of the cars I test require you to get out and study the handbook before you can explore all the functions available but with this one, I was up and running almost immediately. If you can operate a payphone, you shouldnt have much trouble with this car.

There were lots of little touches around the cabin which showed just how much care the designers had taken to get things just right. We lost count of what car marketers call surprise and delight features basically, clever little additions you simply wouldnt expect on a car like this.

The engine responsiveness of the 1.6-litre 110bhp HDi diesel engine in the GT variant I tried was more direct than I had expected from this class of car a boon when overtaking slow moving traffic. Its a very torquey powerplant too in other words, theres plenty of pulling power. And thats a help not only when overtaking but in urban traffic as well.

Unlike other cars in this class, I didnt find myself constantly having to change gear to keep the engine on song. No matter how characterful an engine is, if youre constantly having to row it along with the gearlever, it quickly becomes an irritation. All-round visibility is great, again, a boon when youre manoeuvring around crowded city streets. You also feel very safe behind the wheel: its one of those cars you could trust to your eighteen year old daughter (if you absolutely had to), knowing that she would be as safe as it was possible to be. Finally, its secure. Tests have shown that its one of those cars that crooks just walk away from.

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. Prices start at £9,095, but most decently specified mainstream models are in the £10,000-£12,000 bracket.

So no, this car isnt the cheapest in its sector but then you wouldnt expect quality to come without a price. When you sit down and compare it to other cars in the sector, it actually stacks up extremely well. Especially when you take account of the high level of specification included. For example, air-conditioning is available to 207 buyers in two specifications, dual zone manual or automatic.

I particularly liked the fact that 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 apparently been specially developed by a leading French perfume supplier. Other 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. Another factor to consider within the value equation is the long warranty on offer and the useful amount of breakdown cover included in the deal.

I also took the time to research the insurance side and found that the grouping attached to this car (between 3 and 7 depending on model) is much lower than I had expected. Apparently, thats to do with the trouble the designers have taken to achieve a high level of vehicle security. Finally, the research Ive done on dealer networks suggests that Peugeot dealers are amongst the friendliest and most helpful in the industry. They also, Id add, offer the widest range of finance deals.

My local showroom is always keen to invite me in for a coffee and shoot the breeze and they dont even know Im a motoring journalist! Its all part of a more relaxed attitude to selling that really appeals to me.

Id say so, yes. This car looks good, the family like it and, when you add everything up, its also very good value for money. Thats a pretty difficult combination to beat.