Peugeot 407 SW Sport Road Test

The Estate Car Was Powered with a 2.2HDi Diesel Engine and 170 BHP

Jun 15, 2008 Simon McBride

The Peugeot 407 SW has set new standards in style when it comes to the space race in the estate sector of the market but does this style mean less substance?

There is no doubt that the Peugeot 407SW is one of the best looking estate cars in Europe but, priced from £22,895, does the trendy looking car offer more design than practicality?

Exterior

The Peugeot 407 has a very sharp angled rear, which gives it a short rear overhang making it look stylish and neat

The front of the car has the familiar Peugeot family grille and is almost identical to the saloon version.

Practicality

When it comes to practicality versus style the Peugeot 407 SW does lose out against its major rivals. The boot space with the rear seats folded is equal to 1,365-litres that’s some way off its rivals, which is a downside if it’s maximum load space that you are looking for.

Folding the seats is not as simple as it should be especially when rival cars have a one-stop mechanism to fold the seats flat. In the Peugeot the base of the seat has to be pulled and then the seat has to be folded down separately. Whereas, the system in the Honda Accord Tourer works by pulling a single lever to lower the rear seats.

Interior

Move into the cabin and the most noticeable sign is that the interior has been carried over from the saloon – ultimately this means that build quality is first class and all the dials and gauges are neatly positioned and within reach of the driver.

A distraction can be the mass of controls on the central console but these switches are all clearly marked and simply navigated as long as the manual of the car is read.

The 407SW shares the same platform as the 407 saloon – this means that the wheelbase is exactly the same length. A family of average height will have enough space but those over 6 foot will find the rear space quite cramped.

On the Road

Under the bonnet the Peugeot 407SW is powered by a 2.2 lire HDi diesel engine, which is impressively almost whisper-quiet when at speed and at idle. It has 170bhp so the car is very responsive when there is a need to push on.

The 407 SW is a relaxing and easy estate car to drive however when driving enthusiastically there is a little body roll when cornering.

The Peugeot 407 SW is definitely one of the most stylish estate cars in the european market around and if you can afford to sacrifice a little space for stylish looks then this could be the ideal solution.

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