Peugeot 207 Active 1.4 8v 3dr Car Review - March 2012

The 1.4 engine is a bit sluggish but the drive is quite smooth and enjoyable once it’s underway. The engine is fairly refined and wind and road noise are barely heard in the cabin. The electric power steering is a bit light when in low gear but it weights up as speed is increased. It handles bends and curves satisfactorily and road grip is not an issue. The ride is well-controlled, but the suspension is a tad firm that sharp bumps are felt. Generally though, the ride is supple and comfortable.

The 1360cc 4-cylinder, 8-valve engine reaches 62 mph in 15.7s. It’s sluggish but it does have the capacity to hit a top speed of 106 mph. The Peugeot 207 Active 1.4’s petrol engine develops a torque of 90 lb-ft at 3300 rpm and produces 75 bhp at 5400 rpm.

The Peugeot 207 Active 1.4 3dr is attractive classy. The soft-touch plastics used for some of the finishing are well-designed and placed. The steering wheel can be adjusted for both reach and rake to accommodate drivers of all shapes and sizes. However the adjustment lever is quite fussy and the door mirror takes some time to get used to as it’s oddly-shaped and positioned.

The dash is well-laid and ergonomically designed but the fascia looks dull and plain.

Entry level versions come with the usual fittings such as electric front windows, power steering, air-conditioning, electric and heated mirrors, front foglights and MP3/iPod connectivity. Cost options are cruise control, metallic paint, ESP and alarm. Top spec versions get tinted rear windows and sports interior pack.

The Peugeot 207 is basically a supermini. Its front seats have ample legroom but the rear seats are cramped and are deemed suitable for children. The boot space holds 270 litres which is enough to hold the week’s grocery. The glovebox is sized reasonably and its sub compartments are really useful, with one acting as a cool box. Creating a bigger load space is possible but the process is quite tedious as the rear seats’ base has to be removed in order to fold them back. Access to the rear is not great, as the model only has three doors.

This version has been crash tested by the Euro NCAP and its rating is a perfect 5. The Peugeot 207 is equipped with twin front airbags including side and curtain airbags, two Isofix child seat mounts and five 3-point seatbelts. Main security features are remote and central locking including deadlocks, immobiliser and a cost option automatic locking when the car reaches 6mph. However, brand reliability is rated low by consumers themselves.

The Peugeot 207 Active 1.4 costs £11.745 and is competitively priced against rivals such as the Seat Ibiza and Renault Clio but it’s not one of the best value superminis in the UK market. Residual values aren't particularly impressive either.

With a combined mpg of 44.8 and CO2 emission rating of 145g/km this version falls under the insurance group 5 and Road Tax Band F. The 207 is fairly fuel-efficient but a diesel version such as the 1.6 Oxygo is cheaper to run, as it offers 74.3 mpg and a 98g/km emission rating.