Peugeot 407 Coupe (2006 – ) expert review

The 407 Coupe is full of personality. From Peugeot’s wide grinning grille to the lion’s claw marks on the front wings this is a car which turns heads. At least it did when we had it for a week – and in a good way. Entry-level models still come with 17” inch alloys.

Luxury. We drove the range-topping GT model with leather upholstery and integral leather dashboard complete with sat-nav and it was a nice place to be. The central console can be a bit disco-like with a dazzling array of lights and colours. But if it annoys you there is the option to dim it. Everything is done to a very high standard and there is no whiff of corner-cutting.

If you want Peugeot 407 for practicality the chances are that you would be more likely to look at the saloon or sports wagon models. By definition, the coupe does not bump practicality so far up the priorities list. That said, boot space is not to be sniffed at with 400 litres available, or enough to store an electric guitar case sideways, as this reviewer discovered. Access isn’t the best, but then that’s the price for the great coupe styling. Front seat passengers can get themselves nice and comfortable with the electric seats. They also slide forwards automatically for rear passengers to clamber in (Sadly, they won’t be quite so comfortable unless they’re a bit shorter).

You’d expect a £30K coupe to handle well and the 407 certainly does. It is very responsive and behaves superbly through corners. But this doesn’t mean a bumpy ride. The car’s luxury feel extends to motorway journeys which the 407 takes in its stride.

Choose the 2.7-litre model we drove and you’ll be hitting 62mph after eight-and-a-half seconds, knowing the car could keep accelerating to 143 mph. The turbo-charged version we drove is only available as an automatic six-geared diesel but feels very smooth – and powerful.

On average the Coupe will return 33.2 miles for every gallon of petrol you pour into it. Not bad. Though this drops to a wallet-bashing 23.7 mpg if you’re just going to drive it in town. Insurance isn’t going to be cheap at 15E or 16E for our model while the annual tax bill will set you back £215. Buyers can get there hands on a three year warranty providing they keep up with servicing. Peugeot Assistance, breakdown service is free for the first year.

The 407 Coupe was launched in January 2006 – so it’s a little early to know how reliable it is. However, its predecessor the 406 was pretty sound with most problems arising around the axle and suspension. This model seems very sound in build terms.

EuroNCAP awarded the coupe the top five star rating. Front, curtain and side airbags come as standard and each one comes with a steering column airbag too. ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) also features on every model while you can reduce your chances of a parking ding with the rear parking aid. (The SE and GT trim levels include a front parking aid too).

Buyers can choose between S, SE and GT trim. Shiny 17” alloys, cruise control and front fog lights are among plenty of features which come as standard. Go for the GT we drove and you will also get automatic headlights and wipers, 18” alloys, directional headlights, leather upholstery and a sat-nav.

Looks. We found this to be one of the most head-turning cars we’ve had. The 407 doesn’t really score low in any category but this is the one where it emerges with that something that’s a little bit special.