Peugeot 107 Urban

When it comes to joint ventures, the 107 has a strong bloodline. Citroen and Peugeot both know a thing or two about small cars, but teaming up with Toyota was a masterstroke, as it added some of the Japanese firm’s famed reliability to the mix. The 107 was given a facelift earlier this year – so has Peugeot upped its game still further?

From the outside, there was nothing much wrong with the original 107, but the revised hatchback now features a classy chrome strip across its gaping grille. Its thrusting chin and flared wheelarches also provide a more dynamic look.

It’s the same script inside, because the simple Peugeot has plenty of style, which is one ingredient missing from its rival. The dashboard
is perfectly suited to a cut-price urban runaround.

The curving centre console and quirky backlit ventilation controls set it apart from the Pixo, while the textured dash plastic provides a classy feel. It’s more practical, too, with a bigger boot and more storage space inside. There are still signs of cost-cutting, including the one-piece glass tailgate, pop-out rear windows and rubber gearknob, but this is all done so neatly that it doesn’t seem as obvious as it does in the Nissan.

Hit the road, and the 107’s cheeky character is equally evident. The distinctive noise of the three-cylinder engine combines with a light five-speed gearshift to make the smallest Peugeot of all one of the best to drive. Its soft suspension copes better with bumps than its Nissan rival, and while there’s greater body roll in corners, it has more grip.

As a result, it’s more likely to put a smile on your face. Light controls and forgiving suspension mean it’s perfect in town, and it’s more accomplished over longer distances, too, as the engine doesn’t work as hard as the Pixo’s at motorway speeds. Disappointingly, stability control is a £310 option, but the 107’s strong brakes highlight its rival’s poor showing.

Elsewhere, the little Peugeot has to take a back seat to the Nissan. In Urban trim it costs £150 more and doesn’t come as well equipped. It matches the Japanese car’s electric front windows, remote central locking and height-adjustable steering column, but air-con adds another £520 and it lacks the Pixo Tekna’s curtain airbags.

With CO2 emissions of 106g/km, the 107 qualifies for the same £35 annual tax disc as its rival, while fuel economy of 46.5mpg on test was better than the Nissan’s.

Are the Peugeot’s cheeky character, more appealing interior and entertaining dynamics enough to see off the cheaper Nissan?