Peugeot 4007 2.2 HDI

By Sam Hardy

December 2009

• Rating:

Sales of large SUVs may have been hit hard lately, but here’s one model that’s gearing up for success. Peugeot’s 4007 now comes with an automatic transmission.

It’s a £1,300 option, and the six-speed Dual Clutch System (DCS) takes the price of the flagship GT model to a hefty £27,145. Hooked up to a smooth 156bhp 2.2-litre diesel engine, it promises decent fuel economy and refinement – but can it justify a price tag that puts it into Audi Q5 and Land Rover Freelander 2 territory?

Compared to the manual version, there’s no performance penalty – the DCS posts the same 0-62mph time of 9.9 seconds – while combined fuel consumption is 38.2mpg and CO2 emissions are an impressive 195g/km.

On the move, the gearbox swaps ratios smoothly, while neat race-style steering wheel paddleshifters add some driver involvement, which sits well with the 4007’s car-like handling. The transmission dulls response from a standstill, though, which means you can find yourself crawling on to fast roundabouts, despite your demand for
acceleration. However, with respectable refinement at speed and strong punch for overtaking, it’s relaxing on the move.

With 2WD and 4WD settings, an enormous boot plus a versatile cabin that can offer up to seven seats, the 4007 is a capable and well equipped, if rather awkward looking, family car. That price tag is just too high, though. We’d go for the SE-spec model or Hyundai’s revised Sante Fe (see Page 26) instead.

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