Peugeot 4007 top speed - NEW DESIGN - FULL REVIEW

Peugeot 4007 top speed - NEW DESIGN - FULL REVIEW,Get past the slightly startled-looking wide-mouth grille and garish chrome trimming and roof bars and the 4007 really isn’t that bad. Better, in fact than the more expensive Outlander. Peugeot’s 2.2-litre HDi unit is both more refined and more powerful than Mitsubishi’s VW-sourced 2.0-litre diesel, and is also a reasonable justification for the 4007's higher price.

A wide band of torque gives the 4007 good low-end acceleration and mid-range overtaking ability, provided you’re willing to work the six-speed manual gearbox.

Ride quality, at least on the SE model’s 17-inch rims, is equally suitable for all manner of urban and suburban terrain, benefiting from enough body control to minimise the wallow that characterises some off-roaders, while still eliminating the majority of disturbances in the road’s surface. Even the steering is responsive and well weighted, and while ultimately it lacks the sparkle that would define the car as an engaging driver’s tool (albeit one in an off-road dress) it makes the 4007 an unexpectedly absorbing drive.

The interior will satisfy anyone looking for a reasonably upmarket environment with a good price. The surfaces are tactile, and the cabin is spacious and feels solidly put together, with the exception of the clever but flimsy and uncomfortable pair of seats that fold up out of the flat load bay.

The second row of seats can also be folded flat simply by pressing a button in the boot area – plus the split rear boot lid allows for easy access to what amounts to a vast load bay. With all seven seats in use boot space is just 184 litres, but this expands to a cavernous 1686 litres should you need it.

This, together with a reasonable standard specification, gives the 4007 a solid feel and useful versatility that should satisfy most people buying in this market.

Providing, that is, that they have a fascination for chrome grilles and bad residuals. The 4007's likeable dynamics and interior packaging certainly have appeal, but unfortunately for Peugeot, the cheaper Outlander offers much of the same versatility and appeal for considerably less outlay. At that point, the high-priced 4007 will be rendered closer to a novelty purchase than a reasonable ownership prospect