Peugeot 407
Peugeots 407 Certainly Isnt Backwards About Coming Forward. June Neary Warms To The Boldly Styled Saloon
Back in 1998, the
Peugeot 406 was a class act but by 2004 it had become rather embarrassingly off the pace. Up against cars like the Mazda6, the
Honda Accord, the
Ford Mondeo and the
Vauxhall Vectra, the 406 couldnt possibly cut the mustard. Something new was needed, something that wouldnt just blend into the scenery. The 407 was the result and sitting on my drive, it was creating quite an impression with my neighbours who were frantically twitching their curtains trying to figure out just what had landed.
Its certainly different. I had opted for the 2.2-litre petrol powered model and that gaping grille, priapic bonnet and hunched up rear end gives the car an almost cartoonish proportion. From some angles it looks great and from others rather awkward.
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One thing its not is boring and at first acquaintance it seemed a whole lot better screwed together than some
Peugeot products Id sampled.
The 407 may take up a lot of road but the passenger compartment isnt the biggest in class. Yes, theres room to swing a generously sized cat up front without doing too much damage to the soft furnishings but kneeroom in the rear isnt overly generous, especially if a taller driver has bagged one of the front seats. Again, the styling has have taken priority over practicality when it comes to boot space, the stub tail preventing a truly big boot. The solution in this instance is to opt for the low slung 407 SW estate version which has plenty of room astern.
Right from the outset, the investment in quality is manifest. The fabric seating of our test car felt better and seemed of higher quality than many of the bargain basement leather trims fitted to upper-spec mid range saloons and the seats had both enough lateral grip and were comfortable enough. The steering wheel is trimmed in leather but featured neat cut outs for the thumbs. The dashboard follows the trend for waterfall centre consoles on which most of the major instruments are placed and sees a welcome move away from the rattly hard plastic ventilation and air conditioning controls that have blighted many Peugeots of yore.
Expensively slush moulded plastics yield to the touch along the top of the dashboard whilst there are classy looking appliqué strips along the dash and doors to brighten the interior ambience a little. The Peugeot staple of chrome-ringed dials and a chrome and leather trimmed gear knob are also evident. Thankfully the steering wheel is a little better looking than some of the blandly bulging tillers fitted to many Peugeots. Some thought has gone into this cabin.
The 160bhp 2.2-litre petrol engine that powers the mid-range 407 model I received will be familiar to 406 customers, powering as it did the sporting SRi version, and its a very good unit. Zippy enough to entertain in a straight line, itll make 60mph in 10.1 seconds and run on to a top speed of 136mph, helped in no small part by the 407s very slippery shape.
Fuel economy is surprisingly good for a peppy petrol powerplant in what is a deceptively large car, the 407 2.2 returning a creditable 31mpg on the combined cycle. Emissions arent this 407s strongest suit, although the 214g/km figure wont preclude it from business buyers who are genuinely sold on the look and feel. The steering is very good, as is the gearchange although the car handles more like a big 607 saloon than a spry 307 hatch.
As a motorway or A-road car it makes a lot of sense but if you prefer wringing your car out around corners you may well find it a little soft.
Prices kick off at £17,450 for the 2.2-litre SE version with the SV tacking another £1,000 onto the price and the range topping Executive being priced at £20,450. When stacked up against rivals from
Ford,
Vauxhall and
Renault, those prices look reasonable. The question is, would you put your hand in your pocket for one? With the premium brands like
BMW and
Audi offering small cars in this price bracket, many potential customers are willing to sacrifice a bit of space in order to have that sprinkling of Teutonic fairy dust to plump up the resale values.
Three years down the line how much will your 407 be worth? Its something youll need to factor into the equation when you make price comparisons.
Personally, Id love a 407 on my drive. The neighbours, however, seem undecided.
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