WELL OILED MACHINE?

Peugeot has a good record with its diesel cars can the 407 HDi 140 continue that trend? Steve Walker reports.

Main Article

In general, the 407 doesn't feel as planted or responsive on the road as its sportiest rivals but buyers who prioritise comfort could easily be persuaded. The car rides poorly surfaced roads very well and is a relaxing drive on the motorway where it displays a high level of refinement.

The look of the latest 407 has been altered but in a very measured, non-drastic way. The chrome grille has been tidied up, there are new bumpers at each end and the one at the rear incorporates a defuser-style insert at its base. Love it or hate it, you can't have helped but notice the 407 saloon. It's a car that looks utterly stunning from some angles and decidedly odd from others. Much of this is due to the perceived imbalance between the long front end and the abbreviated tail.

Imagine however, getting shot of the notchback rear and instead stretching the 407 back as if it had been squeezed out of a very big tube of toothpaste. That's the effect you get with the SW estate version and it looks nothing less than sensational. For those of you accustomed to medium range estates being saloon cars with a hunched fenestration on the back and all the aesthetic elegance of a conservatory mounting your vehicle, it comes as a welcome change.

Inside, Peugeot has gone large with the Piano Black finishes. This lustrous black plastic now features across the range, adding a touch more class to proceedings. The 407's interior still feels a little dated with some of the materials not quite living up to expectations and those steering column stalks which seem to have featured in every Peugeot and Citroen product since year dot. The central control panel always looks a little busy with its cluster of small buttons but models with satellite navigation get a modern system with an extremely good display.

The 2.0-litre HDi 140 engine can be obtained in two of the 407's trim levels. The SR model opens proceedings with a detailed specification that includes electric windows, climate control, cruise control with a speed limiter, remote central locking and a trip computer. There are body-coloured bumpers and side mouldings and 16" alloy wheels to improve its exterior look but it also has satellite navigation and a Bluetooth hands free phone kit.

The Peugeot 407 has consistently been one of the better-equipped models in the medium range sector and that looks set to continue. It will certainly need to have a strong value proposition in light of the ferocious competition it faces in the sector. Mondeo, Insignia, Laguna, Citroen C5 - all of these big guns are battling it out for a finite number of sales and the fleet customers which form the mainstay of this market will be driving as hard a bargain as ever.

More power tends to mean a bigger thirst but the HDi 140 is actually more fuel efficient that the 136bhp unit it replaces. The combined cycle economy of 49.5mpg is excellent for a car of this size and Peugeot's FAP particulate filter also helps to kerb emissions of the nasties that diesel engines have a tendency to chuck out. In terms of CO2 emissions, the engine registers 150g/km which will go down well with the 407's tax-sensitive core market of fleets and company car drivers.

Diesel engines will account for the major part of the Peugeot 407's sales and of its diesel units, the 2.0 HDi 140 is the standout choice. Committed cost-cutters will prefer the entry-level 1.6-litre unit but the mixture of pace and parsimony laid on by this 2.0-litre engine makes it a more satisfying all-round choice.

In the wider market too, the 407 HDi 140 looks competitive. Its equipment levels are tough to better anywhere else and although the looks are slightly gawky from some angles, the car is a distinctive choice that stands out visually from its contemporaries. A comfortable, relaxed driving experience also adds to the 407's appeal and together, these factors should be enough to underpin its continued success.