Peugeot 307 CC
If You Want An Open Top Car Without The Compromises, The
Peugeot 307CC Makes A Good Fist Of The Job. June Neary Reports.
Ive always had something of a love/hate relationship with open topped cars. While I love sporty roadsters, Ive often felt that the inconvenience factor of a soft top makes more sedate four
seat cabriolets a bit of a pointless exercise. Couple that with the fact that any four setare car with its roof chopped off is rarely a sparkling drive and youll understand my reticence. When the Peugeot 307CC arrived at the office, I was mildly intrigued but certainly in no rush to grab the keys and take it for a spin.
It looked the part, especially from the front end, although the rear betrayed a bit of elongated rear deck that betrays many convertibles with folding hard tops. I liked the surprisingly classy interior and after a while I felt that despite my initial reservations the 307CC could grow on me.
| Build |
 |
| Comfort |
 |
| Depreciation |
 |
| Economy |
 |
| Equipment |
|
| Handling |
|
| Insurance |
|
| Performance |
|
| Styling |
 |
| Value |
|
Peugeot list a series of refinements as long as your arm, most of them concerned with safety. As well as the standard anti- lock brakes, traction control and twin front airbags, the 307 CC features Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBFD), Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), side airbags, automatic rain sensing wipers and automatic light sensing headlamps, seatbelt pretensioners and pyrotechnically operated rear rollover hoops that automatically deploy if the car thinks that, despite all the electronic safety systems, things are going to go dirty side up. A Thatcham category 1 alarm, electric windows and door safety brackets that prevent the doors opening in the event of a high-speed incident complete the ensemble. You certainly cant accuse Peugeot of ignoring the detail.
Standard equipment on both cars includes cruise control, digital air conditioning, aluminium interior detailing and a full body coloured exterior. The 180bhp version we tried features a comprehensive equipment list that includes 17-inch alloy wheels, half- leather trim sports seats, rear parking sensors, electrically folding door mirrors and a five-disc CD autochanger integrated into the fascia to prevent theft. The multiplex wiring system means that optional extras such as satellite navigation and the hands-free phone system can be integrated easily and cost effectively when specifying the car. Other features youll need to fork out extra for include pearlescent paint and a full leather interior trim.
Unlike many cars of its type, the Peugeot 307CC offers a decent sized boot, the capacity of which is decimated when the hood is folded down but its a price many are willing to pay for the additional refinement, safety and security that the metal roof affords. Both cars feature a manual gearbox but the 138bhp also offers the option of a four-speed automatic which is a boon for those who want to sup on some particulates in the city.
Three engines are available and neither of the range-topping 2.0-litre units is short on zip. Less impressive is the performance offered by the 110bhp 1.6-litre engine which labours a little under the weight of that roof mechanism but is affordable and reasonably refined.
The 138bhp 2.0-litre engine that powers the 206GTi will be the choice for most but you can also order a powerful 180bhp unit borrowed from the 206 GTi 180. The 1.6-litre engine can perform the 0-60mph sprint in a fairly lethargic 13.
5 seconds but the 2.0-litre cars are better, both posting similar times around the 10s mark. In practice the 180bhp version we tried pulls well but never feels particularly enthusiastic. Perhaps its the additional weight of myriads of electric motors it needs to haul about but the 307CC never feels like a sports car.
With its emphasis on the upper reaches of the affordable market, does the 307CC run the risk of interloping into the lower end of the premium
Audi/
BMW bracket? Not a bit of it. With the 1.6-litre model priced at £16,995 and the range-topping 180bhp version pitched at £20,940 on the road, the Peugeot is still a good few thousand pounds shy of cars like the somewhat flaccid BMW 318Ci convertible which would need additional and expensive optioning to approach the Peugeots trim levels. Only Renaults Megane Coupe-Cabriolet is in any way comparable.
The Peugeot 307CC leaves me with rather mixed feelings. The styling will turn heads and the car feels a class act, but its not a car that will interest the keen driver. Still, those in the market for a four seater convertible rarely feel the need to push the car to the limit, preferring instead to roll around soaking up the sun and the admiring glances. In this regard, the 307CC is beyond reproach, but the more powerful 180bhp version therefore seems a tad redundant, the 138bhp model performing these duties quite adequately.
<< Back to Peugeot car reviews
<< Back to car reviews homepage
Find New & Used Cars in the UK |
New & Used Peugeot Cars For Sale UK
