Back
in April we reviewed the Kia Picanto raving about its value for money and new
found maturity that we felt was refreshing for a city car. In the past few
months the market has been flooded with all new models, the first of which from
Fiat in the form of the new Fiat Panda
and then there are Volkswagen group’s hottest triplets the VW UP!, Seat Mii and
Skoda Citigo. These clean sheet designs are intended to shake up the market and
steal valuable sales from already established models. There is one car maker
that has more reason to be concerned than Kia, and that is Peugeot. Its tiny-tot
the cute 107 is about to celebrate its 7th birthday so Peugeot have launched a
swift spruce-up to keep it looking fresh. There is no denying that the 107 is a
more traditional city car in that it’s relatively basic and doesn’t mimic
larger cars as the Kia does so well. We hit the road to find out if Peugeot’s
baby can still compete against the barrage of new models that have crowded the
market and raised the bar even further.
What is it?
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| The 107's predecessor, the lovable 106 |
Rivals: Kia Picanto, VW Up!, Seat Mii, Skoda Citigo
Key Features
- 14” alloy wheels
- Electric front windows
- Remote central locking
- LED daytime running lights
- CD player with Peugeot connect (Bluetooth and USB)
- ESP, ABS, EBD & CSC
- Traction control
- Leather steering wheel & gear gaiter
- 4 airbags
The 107 has always been one of the more interesting cars in its class with its tiny dimensions and wheel-at-each-corner design. Its bubble shape is dominated by pretty massive, cute looking front light units, neatly flared wheel arches and a pert rear end with high-mounted lights sitting either side of the glass tailgate. So what has changed under the 2012 revisions? At the front there’s a remodelled bonnet and bumper, gone is the ugly gaping-mouth grill that was introduced during the cars first nip-and-tuck in 2009 replaced by a far nicer design resembling a miniature 508 that now incorporates LED-daytime running lights (in Allure trim). It’s a vast improvement. At the rear its business as usual, the only change we spotted was the darker tinting to the light units, oh and then there’s the
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| Interior has lots of exposed metal but its very well screwed together & looks funky. |
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| Big speedo and pod-like rev counter add to the fun factor. |
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| Centre console has very few buttons, check out the wacky heater controls. |
Step inside the and its back to the 80’s which
was probably the last time you saw masses of exposed metal and little
pencil-like sticks to lock each of the doors or adjust the mirrors, all that’s
missing is a tape player! Despite this it has bags of charm. The dashboard is a
lesson in simplicity with very few buttons and the weirdest orange-glowing
cylindrical heater controls we have ever seen that proved a doddle to use. The
large, clear speedometer sits on its own behind the leather steering wheel with
a separate pod sprouting out of the side housing the rev counter looking rather
like Mickey Mouse’s ear. Toyota’s influence inside is evident; everything feels
meticulously well screwed together - the textured material used on the dash and
door panels is of particularly decent quality and wouldn’t look out of place in
a car from the class above. All of the switches feel solid and are cited where
you would expect them to be. The seats appear small compared to your average
car but are reasonably comfortable although they offer little lower back support
for longer journeys. This isn’t helped by a lack of seat height adjustment for
the driver and no reach adjustment on the steering column even on our top-spec
model. Despite this most should be able to find a decent driving position.
Another gripe we had is the lack of passenger window controls for the driver and
manually adjustable door mirrors that are a nightmare to adjust from the
drivers seat.
Surprisingly for a car of such tiny proportions
practicality is actually very good in 5 door form with rear doors that open
nice and wide, the lack of C-pillars result in usefully large openings. Thanks
to generously proportioned windows up front the cabin feels airy with enough
room for the gangliest of occupants, in the rear we found legroom to be much
better than expected but it’s a strict 4 seater. Those in the back probably
won’t be impressed by the pop-out rear windows similar to those of 3 doors
cars; they are good way to save money but will make the cabin stuffy in summer
on models without air conditioning. Spacious rear seats mean that unfortunately
boot space has suffered at only 139 litres with the seats in place trailing the
Kia Picanto’s much healthier 200 litres but thankfully this can be increase by
folding the 50/50 split bench. Access to the boot is also pretty poor as
essentially the 107 only has an opening rear window so there is a considerable
lip to lift items over. Storage space throughout the cabin is plentiful, we
counted 12 cubbies in the front for all manner of oddments but it’s just a shame
there is a shelf instead of a proper glove box to hide valuables away from
prying eyes.
Equipment levels are, to be polite sparse even on
our top spec Allure model. Our car came with electric front windows, air
conditioning, alloy wheels, remote central locking and a 4 speaker cd player
with USB and Bluetooth connectivity. Lower spec cars miss out on essentials such
as a rev counter, the snazzy daytime running lights, air conditioning and electric
windows. Thankfully life-saving electronic aids are fitted across the range
including Antilock Brakes and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution with Cornering
Stability Control. It’s a shame to see that base Access models only come with
driver and passenger airbags; stepping up to mid-spec Active trim gains front
side curtain airbags. Further to this if you pay an additional £450 on the
Allure model rear curtain airbags can be added.
The 107 fared reasonable well in the rigorous Euro NCAP crash tests
scoring 4 stars out of a maximum of 5 although quite a few of its rivals have
since bagged the coveted 5 star award.
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| Space in the back is impressive for such a small car but the pop-out windows aren't great. |
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| Boot is tiny and high load lip restricts access, rear seats do fold though. |
The only engine available is a 998cc, 3-cylinder,
12 valve petrol producing 68bhp and 93Nm of torque provided by Toyota
If you find car ownership expensive then the 107 will
be right up your street, if you chose the manual transmission it just sneaks
under the group A emissions bracket at 99g/km of CO2 qualifying for free road
tax and sits in a teenager-friendly insurance group 3. Owners can also expect
55.3mpg combined and up to 74.3mpg if driven carefully on longer journeys, we
averaged 59mpg whilst the Peugeot was with us which meant its 35 litre fuel
tank lasted much longer than we expected. It’s good news for younger drivers as
Peugeot have recently extended their “Just Add Fuel” scheme to include drivers
as young as 21. The all-inclusive, inflation proof three year package provides
comprehensive motor insurance, road tax, vehicle servicing, roadside assistance
and warranty all in a three year finance package with one single monthly
payment. It’s a great scheme for young drivers but a hefty deposit is still
needed, then there is the issue of Peugeot’s asking price for the 107. Our top
of the range Allure tips the scales at £10,045 on the road which seems a lot
for a basic city car when for the same cash you can bag a larger, more refined
Ford Fiesta. Lower down in the range makes much more sense, a 3 door Access
costs £7,995 but misses out on essential kit such as air conditioning and
electric windows.
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| 998cc, 3-pot may be small but it sounds great & is very economical., perfect for town driving. |
On the road the 107 is a near perfect mix of French
comfort and Japanese solidity. The clutch is light and easy to operate at the
steering is nicely weighted with just enough feedback filtering back to the
driver to inspire confidence. The 5 speed gearbox on the other hand is a
let-down feeling overly rubbery and imprecise to use which is made worse as you
have to change gear so frequently to keep the engine on the boil. Turn into a
corner and the 107 rewards the driver with minimal body roll and respectable
levels of grip despite the skinny tyres, if you do push it too hard you can
gradually feel the tyres beginning to loose grip introducing mild under steer
but step of the throttle and the front end tucks in neatly. It feels very agile
and almost go-kart like thanks to its short wheelbase and well controlled body
movements. Ride comfort was much better than we expected feeling typically
French in its soft nature with the ability to soak up any road surface it
encounters much better than many much larger cars and always manages to feel
controlled. Visibility is superb all round making darting around in town more
fun than it should be and parking couldn't be easier. Venture out of the city and the 107 starts to
feel out of its depth forcing the driver to really rev the engine hard to keep
up with the flow of traffic. As speeds increase engine, road and wind noise
levels follow suit not helped by the exposed metal doors making the 107 tiring on
long journeys.
Words and Photos by Rob McSorley
Technical Data
Price as tested: £10,045
Engine: 1.0 12v 68bhp - 0-62mph: 14.2 secs - Maximum Speed: 100mph -
Economy: 55.3mpg (urban) –74.3mpg (extra-urban), 65.7mpg (combined) - Emissions: 99g/km (Band A) - VED (12 months): £0
Dimensions: Length 3430mm - Width: 1630mm - Height: 1465mm - Wheelbase: 2340mm
Price as tested: £10,045
Engine: 1.0 12v 68bhp - 0-62mph: 14.2 secs - Maximum Speed: 100mph -
Economy: 55.3mpg (urban) –74.3mpg (extra-urban), 65.7mpg (combined) - Emissions: 99g/km (Band A) - VED (12 months): £0
Dimensions: Length 3430mm - Width: 1630mm - Height: 1465mm - Wheelbase: 2340mm
*data from Peugeot UK
The Verdict 4/5
There is good reason why Peugeot’s 107 is still
on sale today, it still has plenty to offer buyers. Thanks to the recent
facelift is still looks appealingly modern, is very practical with plenty of
room for 4 passengers and costs peanuts to run. On the road is fails to
disappoint with accomplished handling and a comfortable ride, the only black
mark is its lack of refinement at higher speeds. This is forgiven as after all
this is a city car. In its natural habitat the 107 is wonderfully manoeuvrable,
a doddle to park and its perky 3-cylinder engine is more than capable and
sounds fantastic. Admittedly the class has moved on and the newest arrivals
will give the cute Peugeot a run for its money, and that is its biggest flaw-
in the higher trims its simply too expensive. Despite this the 107 feels like
such a complete package and is everything you could ever need from a city car.
It has the ability to make you question why we need such lavish, well equipped
cars with powerful engines – the 107 is basic, and all the better for it.
You will like
Running costs
Funky styling inside & out
Ride comfort
Characterful engine
Cabin space
You won't like
Active and Allure trims expensive
Tiny boot
Refinement
Special Thanks to; Peugeot Motor Company PLC, Pinley House, 2 Sunbeam Way, Coventry CV3 1ND
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