Peugeot 107 Allure 5-dr - Expert new car review at MotorBar

“Urban motoring? I’m loving it!
But then I’m driving Peugeot’s
cheeky — and just refreshed for
2012 — city car, the 107...”

EVEN BEFORE YOU CLIMB aboard and drive away, the five-door four-seater 107 makes a favourable impression. Its sharpened-up new look is cute but not in the least 'girly' — fresh short-nosed face, bold grille with LED daytime running lights underlining the high-set headlamps; rising window line running down the side; vertical back door shut-line, distinguishing flared rear wheel arches, and sharply cut-in tail lights flanking the black-tinted all-glass tailgate.

It also comes packaged in a three-door bodyshell — both are equally good-looking. Choosing an engine is even more straightforward because there's just one: a 1.0-litre petrol engine. You do get more choices with trim and equipment levels and can pick from Access (Ł7,995 entry-level 3-door models only), Active and Allure.

Once aboard, the cabin is more roomy than the compact 3.43-metre footprint suggests. With a wheel at each corner and well-considered internal packaging that maximises interior space, there's enough room for four adults.

“Your speed is
beautifully presented by
a single white-on-black
dial — a chunky orangey-
red needle ensures you’re never in any doubt
as to just how fast you’re
travelling. Helpfully,
70mph is at 12-o-clock...”

And it's a nice-looking, neatly-arranged cabin. All of our roadtest team were able to set a good driving position offering excellent visibility despite the steering column only adjusting for height.

Slim A-pillars are appreciated, as too, in the wet, is the large single wiper that clears a lot of the screen.

Your speed is beautifully presented by a single white-on-black dial linked to the column; whatever's the best setting for you, you'll always have a clear view of the speedo. And a chunky orangey-red needle ensures you're never in any doubt as to just how fast you're travelling. Helpfully, 70mph is at 12-o-clock.

The semi-dished seats are smartly upholstered in fabric, with non-invasive bolstering to the backrests and integrated headrests. They also proved to be comfortable on both long and short journeys. Well-sited outer armrests are built into the door panels.

Inset into the speedo's face is a vertical bar graph for fuel and a small screen displaying trip mileage — average mpg and range were, disappointingly, noticeable by their absence. Another neat detail is the 'lollipop' rev-counter mounted on a stalk (at 2-o-clock) behind and above the three-spoke steering wheel's leather rim.

Keeping switchgear to a minimum, the headlight and foglamp switches are incorporated into the indicator stalk where they're also easy to operate. As too are the manually-adjustable door mirrors. Fit and finish is well done; the dimpled moulding for the upper fascia feels and looks good; and even the untrimmed door cappings, painted in body colour, add a sparkle. In a car of this size you need lots of oddments storage — and the 107 delivers with plenty of pockets although instead of a glovebox there's a deep open shelf.

Standard kit includes air-conditioning, electric front windows (rears are wind-up), Peugeot Connect Bluetooth and USB, Aux socket, radio/CD, pod-style rev-counter, tinted rear screen/tailgate and rear side windows, driver and front passenger airbags, LED daytime running lights, remote locking, front fogs, Isofix mountings, speed related electric power steering, ABS, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Cornering Stability Control, and 5-arm 14-inch alloy wheels,

“The rear windows are
of the front-hinged
variety with a manual
catch that let’s them
open an inch or so —
enough to enjoy a
cooling breeze without
buffeting...”

You can also spec-up your 107 with all sorts of accessories: from a tailgate spoiler to roof and body stripes; baby and 'kiddy' seats; parking sensors, curtain airbags (front and back) and ESP.

Two adults is the designated limit for the 107's back seats, so you get two slide-up headrests and two three-point belts. You also get built-in outer armrests, as in the front. The rear windows are of the front-hinged variety with a manual catch that let's them open an inch or so — enough to enjoy a cooling breeze without buffeting.

What you might not be expecting is the excellent foot room; headroom is also fine for those up to 5' 11" and passengers of this size also get adequate knee room — as in not quite touching the front seat backrest. A deep glasshouse keeps it airy in the back, and two adults can travel easily.

While the boot is understandably on the small side (139 litres to the removable parcel shelf), the single piece glass tailgate lifts high and you can still squeeze in a fair bit. Also useful: the lift-up rear parcel shelf-cum-luggage cover sits lower than the rear seatbacks, so more can be stowed there without spilling into the rear cabin. Another well-considered touch: integrated heating elements keep the full glass rear hatch demisted in the winter months.

Folding the split backrests down opens up more space, although they don't sit flat and there's a step-up from the boot floor. But then the 107 is hardly trying to compete with a Volvo estate! More good news — under the boot floor is a full-size spare wheel so should you be unfortunate enough to get a puncture you won't be forced to limp along at 50mph.

Under the 107's bonnet beats a three-cylinder petrol engine. Not a problem — the 998cc motor may only punch out a welterweight 68bhp, but combined with 70lb ft at 3,600rpm that's enough to get it to 62mph in 14 seconds.

On paper that might sound kinda slow, but on the road it's a lively little thing that has no trouble slicing through city traffic or holding its own on fast-moving motorways. Some small-engined cars really don't feel at ease on long motorway journeys but the 100mph 107 feels more than capable cruising (with 3,000rpm showing on the rev-counter) at the UK's legal limit — at which speed it's surprisingly quiet.

“Light and nimble,
easy to place, and with
a well-judged ride
that’s fine for town and
country, the 107
is a breeze to bomb
around in...”

Not only that but however hard we drove it, our test car never returned less that 51.7mpg. Officially the combined economy figure is 65.7mpg and we'd be disappointed if most owners couldn't improve on our test average. Thanks to its sub-100g/km emissions (actually 99g/km), 107 owners won't pay a penny for road tax and escape the London Congestion Charge.

Light and nimble, easy to place, and with a well-judged ride that's fine for town and country, the 107 is a breeze to bomb around in. It handles well; the power steering direct and not over-light. Work the three-pot and you'll enjoy some frisky press-on entertainment of a higher calibre than you would have guessed. Brakes are good and deliver no-fuss stopping when asked.

For the record, the five-speed manual gearbox is accurate and easy-changing (I drove it with an injured left wrist and managed fine), and neither will the clutch pedal tax your left leg in stop-start town driving — if you prefer, a not unreasonable Ł500 gets you a '2-Tronic' auto transmission. Also worth a mention: the five ratios are all you need at this power level so don't think you're missing out; and there's no extra gearchanging required.

While the 107 is perfect in town — slotting effortlessly into the meanest of parking spaces — it's also a great little car for longer real-world journeys. Add in its cheeky charm and 5o+mpg, and you can't really go wrong. — MotorBar

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