Peugeot 307 CC

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. And here at Auto Express there's plenty of opportunity to slap on the Ambre Solaire and do just that, as our long-term fleet currently comprises a number of convertibles, including an Audi A4 Cabriolet, a Vauxhall VX220 Turbo, a Smart Roadster, a Daihatsu Copen and a Peugeot 307 CC.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Gary Lord

June 2004

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. And here at Auto Express there's plenty of opportunity to slap on the Ambre Solaire and do just that, as our long-term fleet currently comprises a number of convertibles, including an Audi A4 Cabriolet, a Vauxhall VX220 Turbo, a Smart Roadster, a Daihatsu Copen and a Peugeot 307 CC.
Thankfully, summer seems to have well and truly arrived, after an unusually cold spring which meant the CC's Mercedes SLK-style folding hard-top had stayed firmly in place, especially as heated seats are sadly not an option. The last Peugeot convertible we ran, a 206 CC, joined us at the beginning of winter, and we had it for only six months, so chances to get the roof down were few and far between - which was probably just as well, as the mechanism was not without its problems.
However, KN53 FUT's top has been a joy to behold so far, and happily glides up and down. Unlike the junior CC, there are no clips or handles to operate, either. There's one simple button, and once the windows are lowered - also a one-touch operation - the process takes about 16 seconds, and then your motoring is purely al fresco.
What also strikes you about the 307 is that when the lid is up, it really does feel like a bona fide coupé. The cabin is so airy and light that a couple of passengers have been quite surprised when I have stopped at a set of traffic lights and lowered the roof - they hadn't even suspected they were sitting in a drop-top!
What seems to distinguish the Peugeot is the light grey leather interior we ordered, as it really makes the car stand out. On my daily commute through south London, I've certainly had plenty of shouts of "Nice car mate" - especially from 206 CC owners, who seem to do a double take when they clock the 307. Perhaps this is because the car still seems to be a rare sight on the capital's roads, despite the fact it was launched last autumn.
Why is this? Well, despite being one of the most comfortable cabrios around, the 307 isn't the best-looking, even with the roof down. Perhaps Peugeot could have followed Audi's lead and made the convertible's lines sleeker than those of the tin-top. From where I sit, though, the view is fine. The silver thumb pads on the steering wheel, along with the dash surround and leather facia, give an upmarket feel, and there are no harsh cabin plastics. What's more, the colour-screen sat-nav has impressed passing bike couriers when the roof is down.
The Peugeot is practical, too - if you put the passenger seat forward, rear legroom is fine. I've done a few airport runs, as the boot is surprisingly big and takes a couple of holdalls with the roof up.
A minor gripe is the fact that, when the clouds do open, the auto wipers don't keep up with the rain on the windscreen. The only other blot on the 307's copybook was mentioned in our last report (Issue 798), when a pizza delivery bike collided with the passenger door. The CC was left with Warwick Wright in Clapham, which fixed the scratch in a couple of days - albeit for a hefty ΂£623.21. But we took advantage of the car being off the road and got the 6,000-mile service done a little early.
While we were there, we were told there was a recall, as 307 odometers aren't matching up to the trip computers. But oddly, both keyfobs are required to fix it, so this will need addressing when the car returns to Peugeot - and that's not until the end of the year, so there's plenty of time for me to join those mad dogs soaking up the summer rays.