Peugeot 207 CC 2007 Review

As the sun makes a comeback, it's out with the woolly winter wear and in with the skimpy summer skirts and shorts. And with spring just around the corner, it's the perfect time to buy some big Paris Hilton sunglasses, let your hair down and jump into a convertible.

With most drop-tops that come through our garage, it's fists up to reinforce your claims for a drive. But, not surprisingly last week, the keys were practically thrown at me.

That's because we had a Peugeot 207 CC. And it's not because it's a bad car, in fact the Pug convertible proved to be a lot of fun to drive.

The fact is I got the keys because of its looks.

The 207 CC is undoubtedly a girly car, with its off-centre cabin, long, shiny lights, and perky rear end. You either love it or hate it. It is fashionable, but still peculiar looking.

Kath and Kim would say: “It's noyce, it's different, it's unusual”.

And they would have it right on the money with its distinctive design.

The hard-top convertible is available in two 1.6-litre engines; we hit the town in the turbo version, available only with a five-speed manual.

At $39,990, it is a more affordable convertible. It's less expensive than other hard-top convertibles such as the Holden Astra and Volkswagen Eos. But these do offer more cabin space and bigger engines. Its main competitor is likely to be the Mini Cooper S Cabrio, although this only comes with a soft top and still has a higher price, whereas the 207 CC has a sophisticated hard top.

But for a small car pitched at females, it's got a surprisingly big bite to it. A female doesn't want to sacrifice performance for style. And with the 207 CC turbo, you don't have to.

The 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbo was developed in collaboration between Peugeot and BMW and has the engine used in the 207 GT Hatchback.

The engine generates 110kW of power and a strong 240Nm of torque from as early as 1400rpm.

The delivery feels smooth and constant through the rev range, with reasonably tall gearing. It feels quick around town and on the motorways and is fun to drive. Acceleration is responsive even when in a higher gear at lower revs.

But one thing you notice during urban driving is the harsh ride. It seems to find the many potholes and bumps on the road when travelling at a lower speed and it digs its heels into them.

But hit the faster motorways and it's more gentle, sweeping over the blemishes instead.

Road noise is noticeable from the front tyres, whereas the engine isn't quite loud enough. It drives nicely but, while you know that behind the wheel, you want others to know it too. Just because it's a girly car doesn't mean we don't like a bit more of a growl to our engines.

The steering feels a bit light, with noticeable torque steer kicking in under hard acceleration. It can also give you a bit of a surprise when turning a corner as the wheel flings back if you don't have a strong enough grasp on it.

The convertible comes with some good safety features, such as Electronic Stability Program standard on the turbo model, ABS and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, four air bags and an active roll-over protection system.

The electronic hard-top roof is very impressive when retracting, all done in 25 seconds.

Boot space is adequate, until you want to show off the car's flexibility by removing the roof. This practically cuts boot space in half but you've got extra storage room on the two back seats.

The 207 CC officially has two rear seats but even a five-year-old would struggle to fit in. An adult can forget it, our attempt showed it was virtually impossible to get both legs inside the car.

Going topless also doesn't sacrifice the driving dynamics. Apart from the wind and the cooler look, there's little difference driving with or without roof. But the car takes on a new persona when dropping the roof and revealing the cabin.

The long doors make it difficult in tight car parks but this is the case in most convertibles. If the price tag is still too high, the normal 1.6-litre engine is $5000 cheaper at $34,990. We have yet to test this powertrain but, after a week in the turbo model, there would be no need to beat yourself up for spending the extra cash. It's a justifiable investment.

The 207 CC isn't perfect, but if you're after a young-looking, fun car with that bit of pizzazz and burst of fun, it's definitely worth feeling the breeze in this Peugeot.

Snapshot

Peugeot 207 CC

Price: $39,990

Engine: 1.6-L/4-cyl turbo, 110kW, 240Nm

Transmission: 5-speed manual

Economy: 7.2L/100km