Those reviews are numerous: no fewer than 103 207 drivers took the trouble to share their experience with the model. To give a good impression of the car, we mainly selected cars with relatively high mileage. Many of these were equipped with a diesel engine, which is less relevant today. For that reason we selected a number of cars with 1.4 and 1.6-liter petrol engines. And that was very interesting…
It is quite logical that many owners reviewed their 207: there was a 207 for everyone. In addition to the three- and five-door hatchbacks, Peugeot also supplied a 207 SW station wagon and the 207 CC, a convertible with a steel folding roof. Under the name ‘Outdoor’ there was even a slightly rougher station wagon, the spiritual ancestor of what would later become the Peugeot 2008.
Space and practicality
The most practical 207 is without a doubt the SW, so the next owner will make full use of these features of his station wagon. “We deliberately chose a version without a panoramic roof, which still takes away the necessary headroom both at the front and at the rear. Both front seats in the X-line are height adjustable and we have them in the highest position, which provides a nice high seat with still enough headroom. An additional advantage is that a few centimeters more legroom is available in the back. With my height of 1.86 metres, I can sit comfortably behind myself, even on a journey of a few hours.”
Clear story, what about the trunk? “The amount of luggage that can be carried is surprisingly large. Camping equipment for 4 people with 2 tents, tables, chairs, self-inflating mattresses, etc. simply fits in the car. The loading convenience is also great, with rear seats that fold down very easily and completely flat, a low lifting threshold and a handy foldable parcel shelf.”
Speaking of that panoramic roof, the driver of a three-door hatchback is in trouble. “What is a bit disappointing is the headroom on the back seat, the cause of this is the panoramic roof that takes up a lot of (roof) space.” The three-door appears to have another disadvantage, says another. “If someone gets in from the back, the seat must then be moved all the way back to be able to lock again. Actually, that doesn’t fit, unless there is a child or other folding person sitting behind you.”
Seating comfort 207
Opinions are quite divided when it comes to seating comfort. Users who drove a 207 XS, or another version with sports seats, are quite pleased with the furniture. “After about 11 hours, there is no back pain in those super nice sports seats,” writes one of the XS drivers.
Users are noticeably negative about the standard chairs. More than once, users report sagging seats and the seats becoming softer over time. One of them reports: “The biggest point of criticism is the chairs. The driver’s seat is a bit worn and that is causing some back pain. A loan 207 had sports seats, which were much better!”
Handling and noise comfort Peugeot 207
The handling turns out to be one of the strongest points of the Peugeot 207. “I can be brief about the handling and engine: I can handle it very well. It fits tightly on the road, is comfortable but not soft. A friend to everyone. You can easily drive it at 170 km/h without getting rough on the road,” says the driver of a 207 XS Pack with HDi diesel engine. The SW also appears to be satisfactory: “I think the balance and steering behavior are really good,” writes the owner of such a copy. “The car is fairly stiff with 16-inch rims and stays on course without easily understeering. A very nice balance.” The driver of a three-door with the lightest 1.4 engine also experiences this. “Good driving characteristics. Steers not as sharp as a Fiat Grande Punto or Opel Corsa, but much more comfortable. I don’t feel insecure when I take a mini roundabout at 40 km/h. For me, this car was the right mix between comfort and handling in this segment.”
“After 2 years of driving the car, the car still puts a smile on my face every time,” a hatchback driver then writes. “The handling in combination with the engine (lots of torque already at the bottom) is really great.” Are you really surprised that this is a 207 RC with 175 hp?
The sound comfort of the 207, on the other hand, can convince few drivers, so few that it stands out. “The engine is quite powerful, but unfortunately it revs a lot. At 120-130 on the highway it is clearly audible. This is starting to bother me more and more,” said a 1.6 VTi driver. The driver of a three-door hatchback with a diesel engine also contributes. “This seems like a quiet car, but as stated in a number of tests of the 207, that is not true. Only frequencies that are perceived as disturbing have been filtered out. It is still very tiring to drive.”
Disruptions and irritations
In the early years, diesel drivers had to deal with problems with the timing belt, resulting in it being replaced prematurely – and under warranty. An owner who shared this experience previously had to deal with a defective computer, which caused the car to show malfunctions, but not to save them. At the garage he learned that this seems to happen every now and then.
Then the petrol engines: drivers of both the 1.4 VTi and 1.6 VTi report relatively high oil consumption. “Oil consumption is approximately one liter per 4,000 kilometers. I think that is quite a lot, but according to the garage it is within the margins for this type of car with this engine. Well, I’ll learn to live with it,” said the owner of such a naturally aspirated 1.6. It is now well known that the 1.6 THP turbo engines are sensitive to various problems. These were only supplied in the top versions of the 207 and are therefore relatively rare, although they are somewhat more common on a 207 CC.
Defective lamps, which many owners report, are absolutely not an incident. “The car eats the front lights (H7). I think I’m now on the eighth set…,” comments a 1.6 HDi driver. Another rider also wore out six lamps within 100,000 kilometers – and these are not the only riders who have to replace lamps excessively often. Also less threatening to reliability – and wallet – are the rattles and creaks in the interior mentioned by many users.
Do you feel like you’ve just read a fairly bias-confirming article? It probably seems that way. Although the Peugeot 207 treats its owners to pleasant driving characteristics and – especially in the case of the 207 SW – practical properties, there are quite a few weaknesses. For example, the standard seats, unlike the sports seats, appear to be of mediocre quality and experienced drivers find the build quality of the interior to be only so-so. In addition, lamps need to be replaced very regularly and most petrol engines appear to be relatively thirsty for oil. Peugeot scores a lot better on all these points with the new 208.
2023-09-24 13:52:57
#Practical #experience #Peugeot
