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Peugeot finally hops on the considerable SUV bandwagon - albeit with some help from a friend. The 4007 is Peugeot's fist stab at an off-road ('soft-road' more like) vehicle and follows the Mitsubishi Outlander and Citroën's C-Crosser to market - all three vehicles are based on the same platform developed by the recent Mitsubishi and PSA (Peugeot and Citroën) collaboration.
The joint venture between the PSA Group and Mitsubishi is seemingly a relatively straightforward way for the European conglomerate to take its slice of the still plentiful SUV market. Except in this case, Peugeot and Citroën have brought a little extra to the table to refine the recipe: a 2.2-litre HDi unit, producing 156bhp in this application. The same, unfortunately, cannot be said for the 2.0-litre VW-sourced diesel unit that currently powers the Outlander to underwhelming effect, and is therefore, some justification for the higher price Peugeot is asking.
Add to that some slightly more attractive (if awkward from some angles) clothing for the 4007 and a much more pleasant interior, and it looks as though the more expensive Peugeot has the Mitsubishi licked.
Mated to the HDi engine is a standard six-speed gearbox. Like its siblings, the 4007's engineering credentials are elevated somewhat by the adoption of an 'on-demand' four-wheel drive transmission - it allows the driver to choose between permanent two-wheel drive mode for day-to-day driving, 'automatic' four-wheel drive mode (which sends torque to the wheels with the most grip) and permanent four-wheel drive for even more demanding conditions.
Peugeot claims mid-size saloon frugality for the 4007 - just shy of 40mpg and CO2 emissions of 191g/km, an excellent selling point in a segment that cops a lot of flack. The 4007 also has the capacity to run on 30% bio-diesel.
A satisfyingly flexible seating arrangement has been utilised for Peugeot's first SUV; like its other family members, there are five roomy seats and two that fold up from the flat load bay. Likewise, the second row of seats can also be folded flat - a split rear boot lid enables easy access to what is a pretty cavernous boot area, if the small seats are folded away naturally.
Contrary to the usual baffling specification and trim options most car makers gleefully offer up, Peugeot has decided to rule out much choice. The basic SE, priced at £22,790, is well equipped with luxuries like cruise and climate control, whereas the GT comes in at £25,490, which starts to look a tad expensive against opposition such as the Land Rover Freelander, Chevrolet Captiva and Toyota RAV4, but you do get 18-inch alloys, leather, Xenon lights and a rear parking aid.
With its competition in mind, Peugeot will also be keen to shift a few before the Outlander receives the PSA diesel unit and a couple of other minor revisions in November. But it certainly looks to be a palatable prospect. Watch out for our review on the Peugeot Road Tests Page.
Richard Tanner - 16 Jul 2007
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29 Jul: Cricketer Andrew Flintoff is helping Shell promote its new FuelSave Unleaded and Diesel. The fuels are claimed to improve economy and drivers can get advice on frugal driving, presented by Flintoff, from Shell's web site. [photo]
29 Jul: Kia Motors UK has announced the launch of corporate YouTube and Facebook pages. The sites will be used to provide inside news and information. Visitors to the Facebook page have the chance to win one of seven experiences including a powerboat trip.
29 Jul: The British Government has confirmed that it will offer a 'Plug-In Car Grant' to buyers of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles. The fund will cover 25 percent of the cost of an eligible car up to a maximum of £5,000.
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