Peugeot 207 CC

When Peugeot first showed the 206 CC concept in 2000, most people thought it had gone mad. A folding hard-top on a supermini – how could bosses make that affordable?

Up until that point, the complex roofs had only been seen on Mercedes’ SLK and SL, so the French company pulled off a world first by making the technology cost-effective at this end of the cabriolet market.

And its efforts were certainly rewarded. The 206 CC proved a huge success all over Europe, and was one of the UK’s top-selling convertibles for five years. Now, the 207 is carrying on where its predecessor left off.

While the old model was penned by Pininfarina, the design of the new CC was brought in-house – although there are plenty of similarities. For starters, both cars have a roof made of two parts. But this has an unwelcome impact on the styling. For the panels to fill the roof gap, the windscreen has to extend a long way back over the cabin. This means it’s easy to bang your head on the A-pillars when you get in the car, plus they cause blind spots at junctions.

Thankfully, the 207’s driving position isn’t as bad as the 206 CC’s. A lower seating position means you don’t feel hemmed in by the windsceen. And the latest car’s cabin is roomier and better built than those of its Vauxhall Tigra and Mitsubishi CZC rivals.

Once on the road, the Peugeot shows why it’s such a sales hit. For starters, the 1.6-litre engine is a real cracker.

The turbo unit has a linear power delivery and plenty of low-down torque, so acceleration and in-gear response is never lacking. That’s just as well, though, because the slack manual gearbox makes changing up and down a real chore. The five-speed transmission is the weakest link in the 207 CC’s package.

The chassis is a mixed bag. Supple damping helps to isolate bumps, and the ride is composed. While there is still some movement to be felt around the A-pillars, the CC resists body shake better than similarly priced rivals. Small Peugeots have always been famed for their sharp turn-in, and the drop-top is no exception. It’s no hot hatch, but it’s tough to beat in its class.

Surprisingly, the 207 was as quiet as the A3 with the roof down. Add the hard-top, and the CC has bags of appeal. While the rear seats are too cramped even for children to sit in, the Peugeot is easy to drive, affordable and attractively styled. It’s plain to see why the French car continues to be such a firm favourite in the UK.