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Peugeot 407
by DEBDEB
Several years ago I moved on from the Peugeot stable after driving two of their models from new (306 followed by 406). I was happy with both but felt that it was time to try pastures anew. My Mercedes C Class which was getting long in the tooth has had to go recently as repairs were getting quite expensive. As a planned interim measure, ... I went and got myself a five year old 2.0 Peugeot 407 S. This is in the spirit of going for something you know and kind of trust. I have now been driving the 407 a few weeks and I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised how much of an enjoyable drive it has been so far. The car is easy to manoeuvre, pleasantly quiet even on motorway cruise, comfortable and well spec'd. It is also quite easy on the eye. The 407 is no Merc by any means but it is pleasant and my fears of having to put up with a plodding motor have been proved to be completely unfounded. My one disappointment has been the fuel consumption which is at par with the Mercedes. With this being a significantly more recent model and a much lighter car (even though the engine is the same size), I expected a better fuel economy. Sadly that isn't the case and 30 mpg in the current fuel price climate isn't much fun. However, if you are looking for a car to tide you over a year or two, I would thoroughly recommend a second hand Peugeot 407.
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Peugeot 207 5dr
by Fat_Kat
My first car after passing my driving test was a lovely electric blue Peugeot 207 Sport, and to this day, it is the best car I've ever driven. I, um, took my time learning to drive, and during the 5 years on a provisional license, I got to drive a wide variety of small cars. The only one that came even slightly close to this one is the ... newest Ford Fiesta. Before purchasing my car, I took a few test drives, but nothing really stood out. After visiting the Ford and Fiat dealerships, and a couple of car supermarkets, it all seemed a bit mediocre. The last place on my list was the Peugeot garage, and I'm so glad that I went there. I drove (what was at the time) the new 207, and I was seriously impressed. It handles amazingly well, is easy to control, and is fun to drive (this is the most important thing, in my opinion). Having owned it for a longer amount of time, I found its shape and size to be very practical and good for a new driver. I found it very easy to get used to the vehicle's dimensions, and the controls are easy to understand and well laid out. The interior space is somewhat reminiscent of a Tardis; although it's a small car, it can comfortably seat five people (all the rear seats have proper seatbelts, not a rubbish lap belt in the middle), and mine had bucket seats for the driver and front passenger, which was awesome! If you need to transport a lot of stuff, the rear seats fold down to give an impressive amount of space to get your shopping in. I can't believe the amount of stuff I could fit in this car. It is so practical, but not unwieldy at all. The car I chose had a 1.4L engine, but felt a lot more powerful. Driving the car felt instinctive, gear changes were smooth and the engine sound was a lovely smooth purr. It's a basic car with everything you need - central locking, electric windows, air-con, and a really good stereo.
Although I bought this car as a new driver, I didn't pass my test until I was 27. It's a car that I imagine most new drivers would like, but it was a bit expensive to insure (£1600/year - ouch!), probably because it has a bit of a boy racer appeal to it. It's a car that I'd be happy to be seen driving: it's practical but still really cool. And it's reliable too, the only problem I had was a faulty engine temperature sensor after about 20,000 miles. One thing you might be a bit annoyed about is that the reverse gear sometimes sticks and you have to declutch twice. Fortunately you won't be travelling at speed when this happens (well, I hope not!), and I only found it to be a minor problem. Apparently it's a common problem with the type of gearbox used in these cars (also used in some Fords, so I am told). I really have nothing bad at all to say about this car.
Just to add, I needed to fit two child seats in the rear of the car, and I had no problems fitting them. There's enough room to fit most brands, I would imagine - it's a pretty roomy car. There was also space for a skinny person to occupy the middle seat, but I don't think they were all that happy about it!
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