Peugeot 307

French Revolution

September 2001

The French are storming the Bastille again, only this time the target is not their own monarchy but the Volkswagen Golf, the benchmark car in the C-segment.

  Their new full-size hatchback, the 307, comes to SA less than six months after its international launch, and is designed to meet the needs of 21^st century car owners in terms of space, safety, comfort and quality.

The first impression is of a car that has been designed with overall packaging as its prime objective, and the 307’s cabin is surprisingly spacious with impressive width, height and length inside. 

  It feels bigger than a Golf, and its dimensions confirm it: it is slightly longer, much higher, and has a 100 mm advantage in the wheelbase.

  There are six models in total, with a choice of 1,6 or 2,0 litre petrol, or a 2,0 litre turbodiesel. In terms of pricing the cars go head to head with Golf, the entry level 1,6 XR targeting the Golf 1,6 Standard, the 1,6 XT going up against the 1,6 Comfortline, and the 2,0 litre XS taking on the Golf 2,0 Highline. In the words of Peugeot’s local boss, Errol Richardson, it’s designed to be a “Golf-eater”.

The 307 range also includes two pedal versions of both the 1,6 and 2,0 litre models, both featuring first-in-class Tiptronic semi-automatic shift facility. The diesel is badged as the Hdi, and comes with manual transmission only. 

Styling is distinctive but with a clear link to the 206 range. Its height is the most striking feature, and you could almost be forgiven for thinking that it is a mini-MPV. In fact the 307’s designers were clearly very aware of the features and convenience that have made the likes of the Renault Scenic so successful, and they’ve added in a number of convenience features. These include a glove compartment linked to the climate control system, slide out storage trays under the front seat, and impressive oddment space for rear occupants. As well as huge amounts of space in all planes, the 307 has real class. In many ways it is the first French car in this segment to get to emulate the Golf when it comes to sensory satisfaction, and the look and feel of the materials is a real match for the Volkswagen. In some ways the cabin architecture reminds of the Audi approach, and there’s that same reassuring air created by combining solidity with luxury.  A number of trim colour combinations will be offered, but even with the conservative black dashboard the cabin feels airy thanks to a huge, steeply-raked windscreen and the expansive rather than cosy dashboard layout.

Dual airbags are standard across the range, and in this respect Peugeot is not quite as generous as some rivals, though a six-airbag package is on the option list. However, safety features on all 2,0 litre models include auto-on headlights, rain-sensing wipers and front foglamps. A key-activated switch in the centre console allowing the passenger airbag to be deactivated, seatbelts with stress-limiters and a seatbelt pre-tensioner for the driver and all-wheel discs with ABS assistance are standard across the range. 

The engine line-up is already well established in existing South African models, and both the petrol powerplants feature in the 206. This means you get 16 valves and fuel injection, and while both units are willing, the 80 kW/147 Nm 1600 has to be worked hard to keep the 1 193 kilogram kerb mass moving with any real speed. The 100 kW/190 Nm 2,0 litre copes better obviously, and strikes a good balance between power and torque.

Driving the 307 is an effortless experience, and the driving position can be tailored thanks to a four-way adjustable steering column and a height adjustable seat. Like the 206, the driver’s footwell is on the narrow side, but you grow accustomed to it quickly.

  The 307’s underpinnings are based on those of the car it replaces, the 306. You get McPherson struts up front, but there’s a torsion beam axle rear end which means that it is semi rather than fully independent. Handling is reassuring and high speed stability exemplary, but it remains to be seen whether the chassis has the fluency of, say, the Ford Focus. Certainly, there are occasions when it doesn’t seem to absorb road imperfections with the finesse we’ve come to expect from French cars, though ride comfort and composure over bumps varies depending on what wheel/tyre combination is fitted. The two-litre petrol models ride on 16 inch alloys with 205/55s, and everything else is shod with 195/65/15s – on steel rims in the case of the 1,6 XR, 1,6 XT auto, and the 2,0 Hdi.

The oilburner received a mixed reception from media on the 307’s Mpumalanga launch, and on paper it falls well short of rivals like the Golf Tdi. There is a mere 66 kW on tap, compared to the Golf’s 81. The Pug’s torque peak of 205 Nm is also below par, yet on the road it feels adequate – you just have to resist any temptation to push it much past 3 000 revs/min. It’s saving grace is the pricing: it undercuts the VW by some R8 000.

Despite the modest output it is a sophisticated unit and boasts common rail, high pressure injection. As well as a high level of refinement, Peugeot claim that it’ll use just 5,2 litres per 100 kilometres in the combined cycle – enough for a very long range on a 60 litre tank!

  The 307 completes a flurry of Peugeot launch activity in the last 18 months and means they now cover virtually the entire passenger car market. The 307 is expected to sell just over 1 000 units next year, and account for about a quarter of the brand’s total. With an array of impressive models and with 13 dealers on stream and another five in the pipeline, the Lion of Belmont no longer looks like the poor relation of the other French brands in our country.