MOTORNETNEWS  ROAD  TEST  -  AUGUST  2007

PEUGEOT  207  GT

Peugeot's styling has always been chic in the true French manner and the latest creation from this Gallic brand is decidedly so! The 207 is a cheeky little car and the GT adds performance, driving fun, a classy interior and good economy. It is spoilt a little by the rubbery gearchange and the absence of things like cruise control as standard and a left footrest but the price is quite good for a small 'hottie'.

OUTSIDE:

From its wide corporate grille and the dominant Peugeot Lion on the bonnet through its curvy coupe shape to the stubby rear end the 207 GT shouts 'look at me' - or should that be 'moi'? The arrowhead lights slice into the sides of the bonnet giving the car an oriental look and the chrome-ringed driving lights and multi-spoke alloy wheels add some more spice to the confection.

The overall shape is very pretty from any angle  and is sure to be a hit with those who have a flair for fashion. because the front bumper, air intake, auxiliary lights and grille are all integrated the cost of a nose-to-tail bingle could be quite expensive. The rear bumper, however, does a great job in protecting the panels and has a wide plastic insert that does the job admirably. Under the insulated bonnet the engine layout is reasonable but not very sporty and access is good to all areas.

The long doors can be a problem on high kerbs but they do give easy access even to the surprisingly roomy rear seats. There is actually enough rear leg room for a medium-sized adult as your feet go under the seat and the front seat back is recessed to allow space for your knees. 

At the rear there is a small lip spoiler above the panoramic rear window. This window also has a wiper/washer system fitted. Mirrors, bumpers and side rubbing strips are all body-coloured.

INSIDE:

The trim is mostly black with some lighter grey to relieve things a bit. The front seats are sporty and give very good support. The interior is upholstered in black leather and nice quality black cloth. The three-spoke wheel is fully adjustable and has a leather-wrapped rim. The plastics used on the dash are pleasantly patterned to give an elegant look.  highlights in the cabin are in fake Kevlar material that also looks good.

The chrome ringed instrument dials are hooded against reflections and have black lettering on white so are very easily read. The controls for the audio system and air-conditioning are minimalist and simple to use - the glove box is connected to the air-conditioning system to keep chocolate and sauvignon blanc cool (It is a French car after all!).

There are plenty of storage spots around the cabin including two cupholders and the storage spaces have rubber linings to stop rattles. Twin visors have covered vanity mirrors that are illuminated when in use. There is an in-dash CD player and a sunroof to cap off the long list of standard equipment.

LUGGAGE SPACE:

On first appearance it would seem that this chopped-off hatchback would have minimal luggage space, however, that's not the case as there is quite a large amount of room under the hatch. It is deep and the lip at the rear is reasonably high but the rear seats split-fold to make it even more practical. Under the floor is a full sized alloy wheel and spare tyre - if Peugeot can do this in a small car why can't the makers of medium, large and even 4WD wagons do the same. Full marks Peugeot.

The luggage area has a cargo cover and a cargo net, six tie-down lugs, an interior light, two bag hooks and two interior pull-down recesses in the fully trimmed hatch door. 

ON THE ROAD:

The 1.6-litre 4-cylinder engine is turbocharged and pumps out 110kW, enough to give this small car some real zest. The motor revs easily and, while the steering, brakes and clutch are all in keeping with a sporty hot hatch, the gear change is quite vague and rubbery and missed changes are quite common when pressing on. The 207 GT is fitted with Electronic Stability Control but this can be turned off for added fun when the road starts to twist and turn.

The thick C pillars at the rear do hamper rear vision a bit but generally it's an easy car to see out of.  The ride is firmer than the 'cooking' version 207 but not harsh or intrusive. Inside there are drilled pedals for a more sporty appearance although I do prefer rubber pads as they are less slippery in wet weather. There is no left footrest - a serious omission in a sporty vehicle. 

There are automatic headlights and  dipping for the interior rear view mirror plus a natty system that folds the rear view mirrors against the body when the ignition key is removed. Anyone who has ever parked in Paris will realise where this idea came from! One of the best features is the fact that, when turning a corner at night,  the front fog/driving light illuminates on the side  to which you are turning and lights up the road for quite a distance at the side.

Economy could be excellent if you can resist the temptation to play with the gearbox a lot and keep the engine revs up. Even so the average for the week was 7.2 litres/100km although sporty urban driving saw as high as 9.1.

PRICE:                $31,490 plus on road costs - 5-speed manual only available.

STANDARD:    Dual front, side & head airbags; ABS brakes with Brake Assist and Electronic Brake Distribution; Air-conditioning; 17" alloy wheels; central remote locking; Electronic Stability Program; fog/driving lights; engine immobiliser; leather steering wheel; leather trim; Parking Distance Control; power mirrors, steering & windows; 6-speaker audio/CD system; front seat belt pre-tensioners; Sun Roof; trip computer & Traction Control System.

OPTIONS:            Alarm system $450; Cruise Control $250; Leather upholstery $2,750; metallic paint $680.