In the past Peugeot is a manufacturer that has never really succeeded in capturing my attention. Their cars were just not as interesting as Citroen, and not as good to drive as Renault.
They have always been pleasant to look at, particularly the Pininfarina designed 406 coupe and the 407, but there was never really a car to stir the emotions.
They have a motorsport pedigree and have also created some incredible concept cars like the 907 of 2004 but they haven’t made a production car that has received significant praise for its performance and driving dynamics since the now legendary 205 GTi was launched way back in 1984.
Then, in 2007 Peugeot revealed a new concept car called the 308 RCZ, a great looking sports coupe which, thankfully, has become a reality in the exquisite form of the rather splendid Peugeot RCZ.
Now here’s a car that demands you look at it. Love it, or hate it the RCZ is a little attention grabber.
It is a small and very stylish 2+2 coupe, although as is the case with many 2+2’s you would be hard pushed to get anyone over the age of about 10 to actually fit in the back.
The RCZ is a bit special. It is more individual and better looking than its rivals which, in its price bracket, includes the Audi TT and BMW 1 series coupe.
The interior quality is outstanding; you won’t find much in the way of cheap, nasty plastic in the RCZ which is a major downfall of many modern cars.
The seats are comfortable for cruising but hold you in place when you feel like opening up a bit. It’s full of gadgets like parking assist, electric seats and windows, light and rain sensors, electronically-controlled rear spoiler, Bluetooth and a high-tech sound system.
The RCZ is available with a choice of three engines including a 2 litre diesel and two 1.6 litre turbo charged four cylinder units, one with 197HP and an entry level version with 156HP.
Our test car was the 156HP version with a six speed auto ‘box and both engine and transmission were impressive and capable of getting the RCZ from 0 to 100KM/H in a respectable 8.4 seconds.
The turbo four pot features a useful 240NM of torque available from just 1400 rpm giving it great flexibility and brisk acceleration and unlike some turbo cars it’s happy to rev, pulling strongly all the way to the redline.
Usually, in a car like this I would only consider a manual gear box but the auto in our test car did its job well and will undoubtedly be the most popular option in the UAE.
The car has a very smooth ride, despite its 19-inch wheels and is happy to cruise but when pushed in the corners it proves to be well balanced and disguises its front biased weight distribution well.
The car brakes quickly and stably from high speeds although the steering could do with being a bit more communicative. I would love to see a particularly high performance version of this car with about 250HP, the chassis feels like it could take it in its stride with ease.
Overall, a very enjoyable car to drive but, come on Peugeot, give us one with a bit more grunt and how about a panoramic glass roof?
