Peugeot 407 2004 review

Peugeot has also been doing more and better, without some of the fanfare of its French friends.

Its Coupe-Convertible cars, the 206 and 307, are the headline acts and it is still banking the sales from success in the World Rally Championship, though it took a hammering this year trying to match Sebastian Loeb and Citroen.

Now Peugeot has its critical newcomer, the 407. The main-meal model in the French line-up, will head the menu for at least the next four years. So it is vital.

The look is completely new, from the gaping rounded mouth to the tip of the tail. The 407's frontal treatment could have been copied from some sort of giant fish and definitely sets it apart from its prestige rivals.The styling has polarised people's opinions of the car. Some say it is a mismatch, with a nose that's too long and a tail that is nothing special.

We try to avoid styling discussions in Cars Guide because the subject is so personal, but this time around even we have to concede Peugeot has been very brave with the 407.

The mechanical package is less confronting, from the combination of four-cylinder and V6 power to sedan and wagon bodies, five-star safety and a super-clean diesel.

Peugeot went aggressive with the pricing, rolling in the import duty cut from January 1 to provide a starting point at $42,790 for the 2.2-litre manual sedan. The top end runs to $58,990 for the SV V6 automatic wagon.

The equipment makes the car a bargain as well as a good buy. It has everything from anti-skid brakes and eight airbags in a five-star safety package to airconditioning and CD sound, alloy wheels, cruise control and the electric aids across the range from the basic ST.

Go all the way to the SV and you get xenon headlamps, a leather cabin with heated electric seats, JBL eight-speaker sound and variable electronic settings for the suspension.

The starter engine is a four-cylinder with 116kW of power, but the HDi diesel leads the line-up in pulling power withs 320Nm of torque. The V6 has 155kW.

They are an interesting mix and so is the gearbox line-up – six-speed manuals, a four-speed auto on the 2.2 and diesel and a six-speed Tiptronic for the V6 in the SV.

The 407 is being pitched into a class that is massively competitive and includes everything from upscale locally made cars to benchmark BMWs and Benzes likely to be on someone's shopping list.

ON THE ROAD
THE 407 is an exception on the road. It has a distinctive look that screams Peugeot, just as surely as the noses of the latest Alfa Romeos trumpet their Italian design, style and history.

Peugeot has given the 407 a new face that will eventually be mirrored across the range.

The 407's flagship SV sedan looks more modern, and is definitely roomier than previous mid-sized Peugeots, but the family feel is familiar. It's what you get from the seats, the look and operation of the controls, then the feel up from the road.

Peugeots have always been great driving cars for Australia, able to soak up the worst conditions and cover long distances without fuss, and the 407 is the same. We took our time in the V6 SV, which made life enjoyable, but the basics of the car will be like the flagship.

That means cushy seats, a quiet cabin, a car that handles pretty well for a semi-luxury car, and that incredible long-legged feel.

We wondered at first about the selectable "active" suspension, a gimmick on most cars. But it means you can have a sporty feel and it worked well on a run through one of the toughest roads we know.

The brakes are great, the xenon headlamps terrific, the CD sound fine, and we liked the level of equipment at a reasonable price.

We are still not convinced about the styling, but the biggest drama for the 407 will come from its opposition. It is a good car, but not a standout when the field runs all the way from the Alfa Romeo 156 to the Volvo S40.

We prefer the 407 to the Renault Laguna, but only by a small margin, and we'd also take it well ahead of a Citroen C5. So it's the narrow French champion, but then you have to consider it against cars from Honda and Nissan and the European pacemakers that makes a comparison choice much tougher.

The 407 is a great drive and will be an excellent country car, but less impressive in the city. The V6 isn't all that pacey, even if it can be light at the pumps. The tiptronic V6 responds well, but we worry about suburban life with the 2.2-litre four.

The turbo diesel, however, could be the sleeper in the 407 range. It has more torque than either the four or six and the rest of the impressive package.

We are so intrigued we intend to take a second look at a 407, with diesel motivation, to see if it is actually the car we should be recommending for a French connection.

THE BOTTOM LINE
THE new Peugeot has raised a lot of questions over its styling, but is a classically French drive.