18/11/09

• Price14,995
• We like...Smooth, economical
• We don't...Too expensive

Just-facelifted supermini is well equipped and economical. But is its stiff price too much to take? Motors.co.uk finds out

We’ve long been fans of the 207. It’s a car that, though small, dsn’t feel to be. So strongly, that it'll have you wondering if you need anything bigger. It’s been a year since we’ve tested one and in that time new rivals such as VW’s latest Polo have arrived.

The car we have sits high on the model tree. ‘Sport’ is the ritziest 207 you can get, save for the GTi warm-hatch. And the 1.6-litre 90bhp diesel that powers ours is pricier than the equivalent petrol model. Now the 207 has had a mid-life makeover, giving it a fresh look at the front and reworking the lamps out back. The cabin’s had a freshen-up, too, including new instruments and new seat fabrics. Even so, the price for this car came as a shock because, for what’s asked, you could buy Astras, Golfs, Meganes and 308s from the size class above. Meanwhile, a VW Polo having similar spec and diesel power is slightly cheaper.

Is it worth its price? Well, its 90bhp diesel is smooth, punchy and quiet. This helps towards the 207’s easy-go feel, its fluid ride giving it a convincing big-car feel. It’s smooth across road seams and over changes in tarmac texture, and only the worst road-holes thump through to its cabin. The wheel and pedals are light and precise, and only the gearshift feels woolly. And, why only five forward gears where some of the opposition muster six? Inside, it’s loaded with kit – digital air conditioning, auto-on headlamps, rain-sensing wipers and alloy wheels, although passengers in the rear must crank down their windows manually. And beneath that the cabin plastics, particularly around the glove box and low down on the dash and doors, look second-rate compared with those you’ll find in a Polo.

It’s easy enough for the driver to settle thanks to push-pull and up-down adjust on the steering and a seat that moves for height on a lever ratchet. And elsewhere the room’s generous –it’s one of the bigger cars in its class, and adults will find enough head and legroom unless they are seriously tall, although the rear seat is narrow enough to deter fatties if they’re sat three abreast. The boot’s a good size and has hooks to keep shopping upright, while the rear seats fold easily and well to free up extra space.

Should you buy one? Possibly. But the changes made this year won’t swing the decision. They’re so subtle that you’d need a picture of the old model before you’d spot them. It’s good to drive, though, economical and its emissions count is low. And Peugeot is pretty good at making diesels that run up huge mileages needing little more than an oil change or six. But if you’re seriously interested, we’d look lower down the 207’s model range, where the cars are far cheaper, though still well equipped. As it is, this 207 costs plenty but, for us, dsn’t deliver enough.

To view and buy new and second-hand Peugeot 207s, click on to motors.co.uk
 

• Engines1.6 HDi diesel
• Power90bhp
• 0-60 mph12.7secs
• Economy64.1mpg
• CO2g/km117
• Insurance groups6
• EuroNCAP
• Airbags6
• Seats5

Motors.co.uk value verdict: