2010 Peugeot 4007 Reviews

Is there anybody out there who actually believes their quality of life has been improved by the invention of voice-recognition phone answering services?  Peugeot at least must think so, because – while normal Bluetooth phone pairing in a car can be taxing - the Peugeot 4007 Bluetooth uses a voice-recognition system that raises the definition of frustrating to a whole new level.However, once installed, the voice-recognition works fine for dialling and answering calls hands-free.  Thankfully the Bluetooth pairing system is the only odd thing about the new Peugeot 4007 compact soft-roading SUV.  You can usually expect all sorts of quirky switches and controls in French vehicles, but this car is straight forward and conventional.Appearance and fit-outAnd unlike most Pugs, the 4007 seems to be in touch with its masculine side. It has rugged good looks, plenty of brushed aluminium accents inside and out, plus four-wheel drive with a diff lock and a rattly diesel engine. Essentially it's an Outlander made by Mitsubishi in Japan.While the exterior looks bold and macho with its aluminium roof racks, rugged panels and solid sidesteps, the interior is all luxury in the top-of-the-line, seven-seater SV trim model I tested.  Over the standard ST trim, the SV adds 18-inch alloys, electric driver's seat, heated front seats, leather upholstery and trim, and Xenon headlights with auto height adjustment and washers for an extra $5000.The leather is soft and plush with tasty contrast stitching. The instruments have nice chrome accents and there is plenty of brushed aluminium and fake carbon fibre aboard to satisfy most male egos.  Some of the plastics are a bit hard and could scratch with use, but the areas that your elbows and hands will touch are padded leather.The coloured computer display in the centre of the instrument binnacle is a nice touch with plenty of information.  While the steering wheel is annoyingly non-adjustable for reach, the electric driver's seat is multi-adjustable so it isn't too difficult to find a good driving position.The Pug comes in five or seven seat options, but the SV is only available with the extra third row.  There is plenty of leg and headroom in the cabin, even in the third row of seats, although that back bench is thin and hard, suitable only for children on short trips.Folding out the rear row is a bit tricky first go and a bit stiff, but that should loosen up with some use.  When folded down it leaves a flat floor and the second row also tumbles forward to provide an enormous rear cargo area.  Drivers will find the controls conventional and the driving experience fairly typical of most soft roaders.MechanicalIt features a 2.2-litre diesel engine that owes its origins to Ford and the PSA group that builds Citroens and Peugeots, and also appears in the Land Rover Freelander 2.  It's not the smoothest and quietest of diesels around. It clatters at idle and rumbles under power, but has strong pick-up, 380Nm of hauling power and will deliver good fuel economy. Even in peak-hour traffic it returned a very respectable 7.4L/100km.There is hardly any lag when you accelerate off the mark with maximum 380Nm of torque on song from just 2000rpm. However, it doesn't cope well with all that torque, spinning the front wheels in the wet, lighting up the traction control and yanking the steering wheel left and right.Four-wheel drive systemThere is much less wheel-spin and torque-steer histrionics when four-wheel drive is engaged on the convenient rotary dial in the centre console.  The dial makes it a simple process to move from 2WD to 4WD and to lock the diff, giving you the impression that this is a go-anywhere adventure machine.But its lack of a full-size spare, clearance and approach and departure angles, plus its overall level of luxury appointments mean it will rarely venture into more challenging terrain than the gravel driveway of your children's private school.  Most drivers will probably stay in 2WD for the economy benefits and only engage 4WD to negotiate the slippery grass around the rugby field.DrivingIt has a plush ride, a tippy feeling in corners and the steering is a bit too sensitive, especially on the highway.  But the brakes have a solid effect on slowing the 1.8-tonne vehicle, and the double-clutch, six-speed auto transmission is quick, slick and silky smooth.Despite its rugged appearance and the off-roading pretensions of the drive selector dial, this is a suburban soccer taxi.  The Bridgestone Dueler tyres tell the tale: They are the ‘HT’ type for highway terrain, not ‘AT’ for all terrain.

A sensible Mitsubishi Outlander wrapped in stylish Peugeot bodywork sounds like a good idea.  Which is precisely why the French company has produced its latest, the 4007.Despite years of resisting the SUV push - Xavier Peugeot once said he thought the 4007 was too much of a departure for Peugeot - the company has been forced to accept the sales growth of compact soft-roaders.  Peugeot is now playing catch-up, aiming to recover some of the ground lost to the Japanese, Koreans and even European contenders like the classy Renault Koleos.Peugeot may have had to be dragged into the off-roader segment but since its launch, the company has sold more than 25,000 4007s worldwide.  However, the 4007 is still a curious cross-cultural experiment.  It uses the Mitsubishi Outlander body, all-wheel drive system and interior as well as Peugeot's own state-of-the-art 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine under the bonnet.Peugeot has redesigned the front of the car to give it not only a Pug family look but a beefier off-road presence. It also threw in a bit more chrome at the SV model but the rear-end and interior are still easily identified as the Outlander.Models and pricesIn Australia there are two 4007 models, a starter ST and more luxuriously appointed SV.  Prices open at $45,490 for the six-speed manual ST, topping out at $54,190 for the leather-clad SV with a six-speed dual clutch gearbox.Fit-out and equipmentWith a seven-seat option the 4007 is definitely aimed at families with a versatile seating and load carrying arrangement. The SV gets the third row pew, which retracts into the floor when not needed, as standard.  The second-row sliding seats also split 40/60 while the entire row can be flipped and folded away automatically in the SV.Like the Outlander, the rear tailgate is a split affair. The lower section can fold down to be used as a picnic table or seat and can support up to 200kg, equivalent to two adults and a cheese platter.  The SV gets all the fruit expected of a range topper.There are six airbags, electronic stability control, cruise control, rear park sensors, climate control air-conditioning, 18 wheels, rear privacy glass, chrome door sill kick plates and window surrounds, Xenon headlights, leather trim plus electric and heated front seats, Isofix child seat mounting points.DrivingAnyone jumping out of an Outlander will feel right at home in the 4007.  It drives and feels like the Mitsubishi, and the only real difference is the silky six-speed DSG gearbox and energetic 2.2-litre turbodiesel in place of the 2.4-litre or V6 Mitsubishi engines.Like all Peugeot diesels, this one is strong on urge and reasonably frugal. I managed a respectable 8.5 litres/100km in mostly city driving.  But it is so torquey at low speeds it will tug at the steering wheel in front-wheel drive mode until speed picks up.That's really no surprise because 300Nm of torque is readily accessible from just 1500 revs, propelling the car like a slingshot.   The DSG is smooth once underway but can be a little hesitant from the traffic lights.The diesel heartbeat is well concealed from the cabin. Only under hard acceleration am I aware that this four is an oiler. At cruising speeds the diesel is almost silent.  The suspension comes from the Mitsubishi donor car and still feels too soft and wallowy for me compared to a VW Tiguan or Nissan X-Trail.  For most conditions the ride is fine but push through the corners and the 4007 feels less precise, the extra weight of the diesel over the front end making its presence felt.Inside, the SV gets leather on the dashboard and seats but still has a little too much Mitsubishi seeping through.  Like the Outlander, the front seats are comfortable and supportive but could do with more vertical adjustment. Even at the lowest setting, they are still set too high. Shorter folk will love the driving position though.  The third row is a child-friendly zone only.Despite a valiant attempt, Peugeot has not really given the interior enough of a distinct French look or feel. Slam the rear doors and you'll see what I mean. They feel tinny and cheap.  The lack of a reach-adjustable steering wheel has also been inherited from the Outlander.So the 4007 gives Peugeot a start in the soft-roader race but it has only built a marginally better Outlander. Diehard Peugeot fans will love it but the superb diesel cannot hide the fact that this is really just a more-expensive Mitsubishi.The bottom lineFrench off-roader with an identity crisis.75/100