Peugeot 207 CC Allure GT THP 156 road test review

It’s probably fair to say that Peugeot are the brand many people think of when it comes to keenly-priced hard-top convertibles, like their popular 206 CC, that this here 207 CC replaced.

The CC (coupe / convertible) range of cars has been a success for Peugeot, so whenever they bring out a new (smaller) car we’d expect a hard-top drop-top variant to roll out soon enough. Peugeot’s metal folding roof was a bit of a coup back in the day, bringing practicality and additional security and safety over the more traditional fabric folders.

We’re used to them now, but it’s still an engineering challenge to fold up a metal roof quickly and neatly; keeping the mechanism weight as low as possible, as well as the general cost of things. Peugeot have got this nailed well and truly, and here is their CC variant of the 207, seen here in top of the range Allure trim and packing a potent 156bhp, 1600cc petrol turbo motor. The 207 CC Allure GT with the THP 156 motor comes in at £19,195, and we have a couple of options on this car, too.

Peugeot 207 CC Allure GT THP 156 road test review

First impressions:
This top of the range 207 CC looks good with the roof down; rounded and chunky bodywork given extra depth by the Morrello Black paint – that has a real chocolate hue to it – contrasting nicely with the silver 17-inch Hockenheim alloy wheels.

As an Allure-spec car, we get an entirely colour-coded body and a darker ‘Shadow Aluminium’ coloured front grille, and those large, backswept headlights feature directional illumination.

With the 25-seconds-up, metal folding roof installed, the 207 CC almost disguises its convertible body and those not in the know might think it a 2-seater coupe, although there are two (small) back seats. And that’s the practicality of the CC design; a warm and secure hard-top for the night time and rainy days, and a disappearing roofline for when the sun finally shines.

Into the interior:
There is some standard leather to the 207 CC in Allure trim; on the steering wheel and gear knob but not the seats, but this TotallyMotor test car enjoys a full leather upgrade.

For an additional £1,050 on top of the £19,195 Allure pricetag, we see the full black leather treatment to the seating and door cards, with white stitching highlights. There’s some electrical adjustment to the front seats, too.

I found the driving position to be adequately comfortable for my taller frame, although with the roof up, I was closer to the roof liner than I would like; starting to feel a little cramped. The rear seats are very small and more self-like, but for the average couple out on sunny road trip, the smart leather interior should do the trick nicely. The seats are heated and there’s dual-zone A/C. The sat-nav system we see here is a £735 extra.

The metal roof does indeed rise and fall reasonably quickly with the simplest of one-touch to one button; absolutely no messing around.

The drive:
There’s a sporty engine under the hood of this 207 CC – although it can be had with a less intense 120bhp, 1.6-litre VTi (non-turbo) engine, or indeed a 1.6-litre HDi turbodiesel with 112bhp. But, it’s safe to say the THP 156 (156bhp) motor we have here is the quickest.

Top speed is 130mph and 62mph arrives in 8.6secs, according to Peugeot, and this 207 CC THP 156 certainly feels quicker than your average small car.

There are six well-matched forward gears to play with, and while at normal speeds the gear shift feels lightweight and a little unsatisfying; at more fun speeds and with quick shifts in mind, the manual gearbox really comes alive with super-fast, slick shifts.

The engine is nicely torquey and mixes a pleasant turbo whoosh with a less pleasant (transmission?) whine; both noises coming from under the bonnet.

Work the gearbox and get friendly with the accelerator, and the 207 CC GT gets a good shift on, and while the suspension is more for cruising than apex-scything, it pretty much keeps up with most that is asked of it. And, bear in mind that this is a convertible car and will suffer form less full-body stiffness than a full hard-top.

With powerful and progressive brakes and that lusty little engine, this 207 CC is good fun on the back lanes, if a little suspension-hampered, but pictured as a comfortable, power-responsive and good-looking cruiser and you’re about in the right ballpark for how the CC likes to be driven and what it’s best at.

I ended up with an average fuel economy of 36mpg after a week and 232 miles with the 207 CC, which is very close to the quoted combined economy of 38.1mpg. And, to be fair to this test car, because of its quick ‘n’ fun engine, it did spend are fair amount of time on the back lanes having fun. With average driving I think the late-30s on the mpg readout is entirely possible.

Ten second sum up:
The Peugeot 207 CC is another good example of practical convertible motoring from the brand. The metal roof system keeps you safe and warm when you want it, and once stowed on a sunny day reveals a handsome coupe shape for two to enjoy. This THP 156 is a peppy performer, but is probably about as much power as the convertible chassis would like to handle.

Prices and availability:
The Peugeot 207 CC range starts at £16,645 for the Active 1.6 VTi 120 and rises to £19,495 for the Allure 1.6 HDi 112. Price as tested, £19,195, for the Allure GT THP 156, plus optional sat-nav (£735) and full leather trim (£1,050). Available now.

www.peugeot.co.uk



Words & pics: Daniel Anslow

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