Peugeot 207 CC

The drop-top 207 is a vastly improved car over its predecessor, with a sophisticated driving experience and a quality cabin.

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Rating:
On the road price: £15,195 - £17,595
For : Cohesive styling, much-improved roof mechanism, well made interior, smooth engines.
Against : Sloppy manual gearbox, nervous steering, useless rear seats.

Driving
The 207 CC has a chassis that's something of a mixed bag. Starting with the positives, the ride is superb, with supple damping and first-class bump isolation. Even the largest of potholes register as a distant thud, while surface changes are absorbed without fuss. On the negative side, the steering is far too light and feels nervous at speed. Although turn-in is crisp, there's precious little connection between the driver and the road. However, Peugeot's range-topping 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine (jointly developed with BMW) is a cracker, and suits the CC's character perfectly. What it lacks in raw acceleration it more than makes up for with plenty of low-down torque and smooth, linear power delivery. With 244Nm on tap at a lowly 1,400rpm, you rarely find yourself in the wrong gear, and unfamiliar roads can be tackled with real gusto. Sadly, the gearbox isn't on the pace. It's disappointing there's no sixth ratio, while the slack nature of the shift discourages you from working the drivetrain hard.

Marketplace
When the original 206 CC was shown in concept form in 2000, most thought Peugeot was playing a practical joke. A folding hard-top? On a supermini? Nobody could quite work out how the French firm was going to pull it off. But it did, and the 206 CC was one of the UK's best-selling convertibles for nearly five years. Don't therefore underestimate the pressure that car's successor, the 207, is under. While the 206 virtually had the sector to itself, this Peugeot has some serious competition: MINI, Vauxhall Tigra, Mitsubishi Colt CZC, Nissan Micra C+C, even sister firm Citroen's C3 Pluriel - all are after the 207's blood. Luckily, the stylists have done a good job. Gone are the flabby wings and top-heavy stance of the 206, replaced with sharper lines and a more svelte profile. The 207 CC has almost a roadster-like stance. It also has roadster-like power in the range-topping 1.6-litre THP 150 variant, though the non-turbo 1.6 120 variant will sell best. There's also a 1.6 HDi 110 turbodiesel.

Owning
It's obvious from the interior that the 207 CC has been taken upmarket. Gone are the 206's cheap plastics, for a positively premium feel. From the double-stitched (but optional) leather to the reach and rake adjustable steering column, it's clear Peugeot wanted to build a car that would appeal to a wider audience. Indeed, the driving position is almost spot-on - though in common with other supermini CCs, the rear seats are virtually unusable, with near vertical backrests and a very short squab. In terms of its roof arrangement, the 207 has some welcome improvements over the 206. It's now fully automatic, with no catches to fiddle with, and can be operated at speeds of up to 6mph. With it up, the boot is a huge 449 litres, and while top-down capacity is reduced, a couple of decently sized squashy bags can easily be stowed. It's even better in terms of long-term ownership, with impressive fuel economy quoted for all engines, and retained values likely to be superb. What's more, prices may be up over the old car, but the payback in terms of quality and refinement more than makes up for this.