LION-HEARTED PEUGEOT 4007
17 December 2007 - Peugeot

Not too big, not too small

Severe winter weather rolled in last week with a vengeance, gales, torrential rain, floods, ice, sleet, thunderstorms, just the sort of conditions where SUV 4x4 vehicles such as the Lion crested Peugeot 4007 come into their own.

But it is not just in the winter that SUVs are fit-for-purpose. Due to the versatile accommodation these vehicles offer, usually five or seven seats, the elevated seating positions, high levels of specification and imposing good looks, these vehicles are proving more and more popular all the year round. They are ideal work, leisure and family transport for some people.

The continued growth in UK sales, despite the whinging from the anti 4x4 lobby, has been driven in part this year by new models joining the market. Manufacturers have countered claims of 4x4s being gas-guzzlers by introducing lighter weight, more fuel efficient vehicles, and most about the same size in length as a medium sized estate car. Of course there still are hugely expensive monster 4x4s being introduced, sold and used in inappropriate surroundings such as city centres and school-runs. These big heavyweight vehicles will be hit hard next year by the national £400 road tax, the proposed higher London Congestion Charge and the ever increasing price of fuel. So the middle ground of the family SUV 4x4 market is where most sensible people are concentrating their choice of purchase, Honda CR-V, Land Rover Freelander, Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan X-Trail and Kia Sportage territory.

Three additional names can be added to that mid-sized SUV line up. The Peugeot 4007, Citroen C-Crosser and Mitsubishi Outlander. Essentially all these models are the same and built in Japan by Mitsubishi Motors and use the renowned Mitsubishi two/ four-wheel on-demand 4x4 system. The major difference between the three model ranges are the front end styling, the slightly different rear end treatment and a few odd items of specification. Peugeot and Citroen models use their PSA 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine, Mitsubishi their own 2.4-litre petrol unit with an automatic transmission as standard, a VW sourced 2.0-litre diesel engine and now they also get the use of the PSA powerplant.

The Peugeot and Citroen versions entered the UK market in August this year each with a 2,000 unit sales target in the first full year of sales. Mitsubishi’s Outlander went on sale a little earlier but only now gets use of the ‘choice’ PSA 2.2-litre diesel engine.

Whilst the Mitsubishi brand is famous for 4x4 models and they have a huge number of core 4x4 customers, for Peugeot and Citroen this is their first SUV so for their dealers and customers this is a new sales territory.

The Mitsubishi Outlander range has more models and levels of specification to choose from with prices ranging from £19,449 to £26,999. The 2.2-litre Peugeot 4007 and Citroen C-Crosser published prices are identical, £22,790 to £25,490, so customers must choose the brand they like the best, the dealer they prefer or the best purchase price they can obtain.

Views
Winter or summer you never know what lies around the corner when you are motoring and last week’s hurricane force winds, appalling driving conditions brought home to me just how important it is to have the right vehicle to meet the demands of modern day motoring. If you just travel a few miles each day and park in a town or at an office then high motoring costs and congested roads suggest a small compact car is the right choice.

As a motoring writer I’m lucky I can choose a specific vehicle for a specific journey so when a business trip to France with passengers and equipment came along, not forgetting the opportunity to do some pre-Christmas shopping, a mid-sized 4x4 SUV makes sound and reasonable sense. Step forward the Peugeot 4007.

The 4007 comes in a two model line-up, SE and GT. Both use the PSA 2.2-litre turbodiesel, four-cylinder engine with 156bhp and 285lb ft of torque from 2,000rpm and both models use a six-speed manual gearbox with the electronic on-demand two, four and 4WD lock transmission. The SE is priced at £22,790 and the main selling GT at £25,490.

At 4,635mm long, 1,805mm wide the Peugeot 4007 is the same size as a family estate car and even the extra ground clearance and extra headroom which gives the vehicle a height of 1,715 causes no problems with underground parking or getting a space on a ferry. The five plus two seating configuration will be an added bonus for some families but the rear two seats which drop down into the floor are really only suitable for occasional use but when they are stowed the load area is pretty large. The middle row of seats can be folded down as well to create a huge cargo space. With the middle row in place passenger space for two adults is excellent, three passengers can be accommodated at a push. The legroom is pretty good as well. However on more than one occasion my passengers passed comment about the lack of comfort due to the overly firm seatback.

The front seats are however comfortable and the GT version I was driving had heated front seats and the driver’s seat was electronically adjustable for added convenience. The GT specification also includes leather upholstery. The dashboard is well laid out and houses the control and switches in easy to find logical locations. There is storage space within the fascia and in the console positioned from the fascia to between the front seats. It is very user-friendly. GT items of added specification over the SE version includes an uprated CD changer, excellent Xenon headlights, rear parking sensors, which are a must as the door mounted rear view mirrors are too small, and dark tinted glass that I can live without. The test car, as most press cars do, had a very good colour DVD satellite navigation system which incorporates the uprated sound system and a rear view camera and that adds £1,600 to the overall price. The system was brilliant and made driving in dreadful conditions very easy, and more importantly I think, safer.

Whilst the GT version has 18-inch alloy road wheels the SE has 16-inch versions. All models have as standard and excellent array of important specification items that include; cruise control, alarm with remote control locking and deadlocks, automatic air conditioning with climate control, electrically operated front and rear side windows, electrically operated and heated door mirrors, trip computer, front, side and curtain airbags, electronic stability control and anti-lock braking. Outside all models have roof bars, fog lights and a lower tailgate fold flat section for added ease of loading.

It is the overall size, not too big, not too small, the high equipment levels relative to the vehicle’s price and the performance and responsiveness of the well known smooth and quiet 2.2-litre diesel engine that makes the 4007, and the C-Crosser, a really strong contender for sales. Add in Mitsubishi’s reputation for build quality together with their four-wheel drive technology and you end up with the ‘real-deal’ in sensible and affordable SUVs. Some customer might prefer the Land Rover brand name, their 4x4 abilities and credentials but the Freelander is smaller inside and with like-for-like specification costs much more.

Most of the time SUVs are used for on-road work, in good or bad weather and this is where the 4007 scores. It performs really well; 124mph top speed, 0-62mph in 9.9 seconds, 38.7mpg on average, 30.6 to 36.9mpg fully loaded during my week long test. The road holding is good, not very much body roll, the grip is excellent, the steering precise, brakes strong and the engine responsive. Add in the ability to go from two to four wheel drive at the turn of a dial, and with some considerable off-road ability with the 4WD lock facility, the 4007 makes a strong and sensible case for itself. It can tow up to 2,000kg and it also generally looks very smart as well.

As for negative issues there are very few, no automatic transmission option yet, road noise intrusion is one, small door mirrors are another and the forward sloping rear load floor where small items move forward out of reach. The front end aggressive grille styling you either like or not like, but it does make people take notice of this ‘classy’ vehicle. Some potential customers will prefer the front styling treatment of the Citroen C-Crosser.

On a personal note the talented Peugeot 4007 made my trip to France, with the unbelievably bad winter driving conditions, much easier and safer than it could have been.

MILESTONES. Peugeot 4007 GT HDi 156. Price £25,490, (£27,440 as tested). Engine/transmission: 2.2-litre, four-cylinder, turbodiesel, 156bhp, 285lb ft from 2,000rpm, six-speed manual gearbox with electronic on demand two and four-wheel drive. Performance: 124mph, 0-62mph 9.9 seconds, 38.7mpg (33.7mpg actual), CO2 194g/km, VED Band F £205. Insurance group: 13E. Company car tax: 28%. Towing capacity: 2,000kg braked.
For: Sensible size, classy looks, high specification, competitive price, roomy, good practical load space, sure-footed handling, strong engine, fuel economy, easy to use 4x4 system.
Against: No auto transmission option, road noise intrusion, small door mirrors, aggressive grille design, sloping load floor.

Miles Better News Agency

http://www.peugeot.co.uk

More News
  For December 2007
  From Peugeot
  For 4 x 4
  Driver247.com Home Page