Peugeot 107 1.0 Urban 2-Tronic 5dr Car Review - February 2012

Despite the limited range of adjustment available on the driver’s seat and steering wheel, it’s relatively easy to find a good driving position. Inside the cabin you are aware of the painted metal trim used – obviously built to a strict budget. With glowing heater controls and pod style speedo its interior design is certainly distinctive though. Switchgear and controls are easy to use and have a nice quality feel to them.

The Peugeot 107 features a 1.0-litre, 68bhp, 3-cylinder, 12-valve petrol engine which has plenty of character and pep for a small city car. Going from 0-62mph is leisurely taking 14.9 seconds and it won’t manage anything more than a top speed of 100mph, but it does return an impressive average fuel economy of 61.4mpg – and that’s why you’d want to buy it. In city traffic it’s nippy enough at lights and junctions and the engine can be worked quite a bit without it being noisy. It’s also capable of holding its own while cruising on the motorway. This model is fitted with a 5-speed semi-automatic 2-Tronic gearbox.

The 107's compact size and design gives it good stability and makes it nimble while cornering with negligible body roll and offering plenty of grip. Its light steering makes manoeuvring in city traffic a simple affair and visibility is excellent all round. Gear changes are slick which adds to the pleasure of city driving.

For a small car the ride is impressive – the suspension dealing with any rough surfaces without fuss. Suppression of noise is good inside the cabin and although the engine can be heard when its working hard it’s not intrusive.

The Peugeot 107 Urban comes kitted out with remote central locking, electric windows, immobiliser and CD+MP3 connectivity as standard with body-coloured door-handles and mirrors to match. Upgrading to the Sport XS version adds coloured body stripes, alloy wheels and interior enhancements. Adding the stability control system will set you back £330, air conditioning £550 and metallic paint £400.

Although the 107 is a small city car the interior space is excellent. You can get two decent sized adults in the back in comfort. The boot is sufficient for your regular shopping needs, providing 139-litres of space with the seats in place, and 751-litres of space with them folded down. The Urban version comes with 50/50 split seating in the rear which will allow you to carry larger loads sometimes, and this 5-door version certainly makes getting access to the back much easier than the 3-door version.

Euro NCAP awarded the 107 a rating of 4 for occupants, 4 for children and 2 for pedestrians which is quite impressive for a small city car. Four airbags are included as standard, as is ABS and EBD, and Isofix child-seat mounting points are included in the rear seats.

You can expect Japanese levels of reliability with the Peugeot 107 thanks to Toyota’s involvement in its development. The 107 comes with a 3-year-60,000mile warranty and regular service intervals of 10,000 miles

Priced competitively at £10,045 for the city car class, it offers impressive fuel economy and budget motoring; ideal for a first car or city run-about. CO2 emissions are low at 106g/km; group 3 insurance, Road Tax in band B, and 61.4mpg on average, all mean that running costs for the 107 won’t stretch even the tightest budget.

Discounts should be available when buying new, so be prepared to haggle for the best price. The 107 can make an astute second hand buy too, but be aware of the Urban Lite model which is the base level and comes with less equipment as standard than the Urban or Sport XS versions.

Selling it on shouldn’t present any problem in the future as it’s affordable and economic to run. It makes an ideal first car for drivers who have recently passed their driving test.