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IMPRESSIONS

 
Wow what an engine! With an oil burner like this the petrol engine is totally obsolete.

This Peugeot estate is a real rocket car, one expected to find Batman’s belongings in the glove box with Robin’s in the boot.

 

The really essential piece of kit when you have this SW is a speed camera detector, the car is so powerful that unless the passenger tells you the speed the very fact of watching where you are going and taking your eyes from the speedometer for a few seconds entails the speed limit, whichever one, being broken.

The SW, which was launched in 2004, has convinced more people of the practicality of owning an estate car.

 

It combines style, spaciousness, and safety for those who want both a family car and a load lugging workhorse.

It is however the engine that is the jewel in this Peugeot’s crown, introduced in June 2006 and coupled to a six speed manual gearbox it is perfection personified.

Quiet, smooth, and extremely strong there was never an occasion when we were not totally impressed.

 

We towed a fully laden caravan up to the wilds of north Wales with not a moment’s anxiety of any sort, even when heavy goods vehicles overtook the caravan hardly moved.

 

The acceleration with the caravan hitched to the towball was such that most other vehicles could be left behind, even with the load on the back close attention had to paid to the speed otherwise the law could be broken, we did not want the North Wales traffic Taliban getting us for travelling a mile or two over the limits.

 

For those of us that focus on the safety aspects of any vehicle that we buy it is worth noting that the Peugeot 407 was awarded a five star rating in the Euro NCAP safety classification. All the models have seven airbags as a standard feature.

 

The front passengers have active “anti-whiplash” head restraints, “SMART” adaptive front airbags coupled with pre-tensioning seat belts and force limiters, also side air bags in the sides of the seats and curtain air bags that are shared with the rear passengers.

 

Active safety features include anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Emergency Brake Assist. In the event that Brake Assist is activated the hazard warning lights come on to warn following traffic.

As if that’s not enough there is Electronic Stability Programme and traction control as well.

 

We can’t stop progress but we hate the automatic wipers, they work when you don’t want them, or they are strictly necessary, and when they are really needed they are no where in sight.

The same applies to the automatic headlight control, we always prefer to be in total control of our car’s functions ourselves.

 

The air conditioning worked well, radio is excellent, and on the trip to Wales the seat/seats were everything that one could want in the way of comfort and support.

The “Sport” is halfway in the specification stakes, we thought that it had virtually everything that you would want to make life comfortable and anymore bells and whistles might be a waste of money.

 

 

Techy Bit
Model:                        Peugeot 407 SW Sport HDi 170

Price:                          List £22,500, as tested £24,600

Fuel Consumption:       around 45 mpg (solo) between 26- 29 towing

Kerbweight:                1750kg

Max Noseweight:          76kg

Max Trailer weight       (braked): 1900kg

Max Trailer Weight       (unbraked): 750kg 

 

Adrian French

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