Peugeot 4007 - Long Term Test : OFF ROAD BUT ON MESSAGE

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We've decided to buck the current eco-trend by adding a family 4x4 to our long term test fleet. Just as well it's a good one then. Jonathan Crouch gets to grips with Peugeot's 4007

Is it OK yet to run a 4x4? If it isn't, then I'm in trouble as I've just taken delivery of a large 7-seater Peugeot 4007 and I'm very happy with it. This, after all, is an SUV for which no apologies are needed. No hulking Range Rover or Porsche Cayenne, this instead is a diesel-powered, reasonably frugal family seven-seater that so far is proving very easy to live with.

If you didn't actually know that Peugeot made a 4x4, then I wouldn't be surprised. The French marquee hardly has an off roading history and hasn't even bothered putting an all-wheel drive option into any of its more conventional road cars. Still, with the growth of the SUV market, it was clearly felt that representation in this sector was needed. Hence the PSA Group proposition to Mitsubishi that both Peugeot and Citroen dealers should be able to sell re-badged versions of the Japanese brand's Outlander model. That seems to me to be a very sensible way to start off in a market that you've no prior experience in and it explains why the 4007 feels pretty good on - and off - road straight out of the box. This car's distinctive chromed nose stands out amongst the growing cluster of compact 4x4 models. Offering seven seats, that Mitsubishi-developed off-road ability and hi-tech Peugeot diesel power, it's an appealing package as long as you get the right price and you're not a hard core mud-plugger. If you're tired of MPVs and want to run the family about in something with a little more attitude, then a 4007 could fit the bill. Unlike its rival Citroen C-Crosser and Mitsubishi Outlander stablemates, the 4007 range doesn't offer a petrol option. Instead, our long term test car comes a 2.2-litre HDi diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, the engine I would have chosen anyway. This unit will generate 156bhp and 380Nm of torque and is even capable of running on a 30 per cent mixture of diesel biofuel without resort to modification. The engine has been modified from that found in the 407 saloon range to offer additional lugging power but much of the basic architecture is the same - which is no bad thing.

"Peugeot's penchant for functionality and innovation is clearly visible in our 4007â€¦"

Mindful of the fact that our car is running on very road-orientated tyres, I must confess to not having been very brave when it comes to testing our 4007 off-tarmac. Still, with the right rubber, you'd expect that the car should prove reasonably competent. Optimised for on-road use, the all-wheel drive system is enough to maximise traction on slippery roads and muddy tracks, although those looking to tackle more arduous terrain would be best served looking for a vehicle with a proper low-range transfer case and a little more in the way of overall ground clearance. The 4007's `on-demand' 4WD system enables the driver to select three modes of drive, while on the move. First is `Permanent 2WD', intended for normal tarmac use, with all power directed to the front wheels. In `Automatic 4WD', engine torque is delivered automatically to wheels that require the most traction at any time. Should you find yourself in a sticky situation however, you might need to select `Permanent 4WD'. This set-up splits torque 50:50 between front and rear wheels. The idea of all this technology is to give the 4007 what Peugeot call `the best of both worlds', enabling it to tackle reasonably rough terrain, yet still provide acceptable on-road dynamic behaviour and competitive fuel economy. Peugeot's penchant for functionality and innovation is clearly visible in our 4007, with its flexible 5+2 seating configuration and my kids have enjoyed crawling all over the car. I like the fact that, for ease of use when exiting the third row seats or when reconfiguring the boot layout, the second row seats can be electronically folded forwards using the buttons located internally next to the rear wheel arches. The two occasional use seats in the rear can be simply folded away under the floor, while the second row of seating also slides and reclines for greater comfort. The 4007 also offers plenty of stowage space throughout, with over 20 individual storage compartments. All five rear seats can be folded away easily to provide a flat floor and vast load space of up to 1,686 litres, while the boot capacity is 510 litres when the second row of seats are in use. To help loading items into the huge boot space, there's a split two-piece tailgate. Folded down, the lower section drops the sill by 64mm allowing heavy goods to be easily loaded, while doubling as a handy bench, capable of supporting up to 200kg. List prices suggest that you're likely to pay somewhere between £23,000 and £26,000 for your 4007, depending on the spec you choose. In reality, Peugeot dealers general willingness to sharpen their pencils should mean that you can pick one of these up for not much more than a conventional five-seat compact 4x4 like a Honda CR-V or a Nissan X-TRAIL. Aside from the Citroen C-Crosser and Mitsubishi Outlander (which are priced comparably), affordable 7-seat compact 4x4 alternatives include Chevrolet's Captiva and Hyundai's Santa Fe. But what about this car's eco-friendliness? Well, the 2.2-litre HDI engine does an admirable job of allaying the fears prospective 4007 buyers may harbour concerning their environmental impact. This substantial seven-seat 4x4 is never going to tread as lightly on the earth as a tiny citycar but the 39mpg and 191g/km carbon dioxide emissions figures we've achieved mean that at least owners will be able to hold their heads up reasonably high at the Greenpeace AGM. To be honest, the green issues don't bother me a great deal in this case. The differences to the planet in running this car compared to running the large diesel MPV that would be the obvious alternative are so slight as to be not really worth bothering with. Far more important is the 4007's suitability as a day-to-day family companion and on that front, so far at least, the signs look good.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Peugeot 4007 range
PRICES: £22,806-£25,448 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 12-13
CO2 EMISSIONS: 191-194g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 129mph / 0-60mph 9.9s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [16" wheels] (urban) 29.7mpg / (extra urban) 47.8mpg / (combined) 39.2mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS, ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 4645/1805/1715