Peugeot: Badge of honour

The Peugeot 4007 SUV is roomy and quiet on the road. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

Badge sharing isn't new, nor is component sharing. The problem comes when either the relationship is too obvious, or when a pricier car is based on a cheaper one.

How will this Peugeot 4007 SUV fare when it arrives in New Zealand in November?

Its smart French skin sits atop Mitsubishi's rather good Outlander in a relationship matched by Citroen. There's no replacement planned for the latter's C-Crosser, but the 4007 is holding its own.

Will it work here? We took a drive to find out.

What's new

Not a lot bar the nose, though if our road test is any guide, there's extra sound-deadening. Shared bodywork and cabin components mean the Peugeot and Mitsi are virtually identical in profile, cabin layout, and even in terms of how the instruments look and work.

The company line

Peugeot NZ has confirmed 4007 will arrive in two specification levels, sport and luxury, launching in November with six-speed manual and auto transmission. Specification will be high, with six airbags, stability control, cruise control and parking aids included - plus a third row of hideaway seats.

What we say

This isn't Peugeot's first SUV - in the 1980s it sold a self-badged version of the Mercedes G-wagen to the French Forces.

That was a rough-tough off-roader. Look on 4007 as a talented family wagon and you'll be closer to the mark.

There's the same two, four and four-lock dial as the Mitsi and you'll mostly leave it in front-drive. The cabin's smart, with lashings of leather in our test example and dark surfaces lifted by expanses of matte chrome, which proved disappointingly plastic to the touch. The 510-litre boot is especially practical. The tailgate folds down to deliver a flat floor. A button instantly swivel-folds the second row seats. But the third row proved a fiddle to pull from the boot floor, even with the instructions ... perhaps there's a knack. At best it's suited to school-run errands.

As for the look, viewed from side and rear 4007 could be the Japanese car, but the nose is Peugeot through and through and surprisingly effective at altering the car's visual persona.

On the road

The first thing you notice is this 4007 is much quieter on road than the Mitsi. British road seal's not as coarse as NZ's, but the roads have more potholes, and any noise was effectively muffled.

Meanwhile, this 2.2-litre 116kW/386Nm PSA engine's refinement and broad spread of urge is truly impressive. Mated to the six-speed manual, it pulls well and was frugal enough, delivering around 8l/100km, just above Peugeot's 7.3l/100km claim. The auto will be a tad thirstier.

Handling is more car than tough-truck, though there's plenty of body roll if pushed.

Why you'll buy one

You'll get a smart, effective, four-paw family wagon with a nice engine and a Euro badge.

Why you won't

Peugeot needs to play a smart card with price balanced to additional features. We'd expect a $50,000 to $60,000 range, as it must cost more to justify its Euro brand's more premium image. Too much more and you'll get the Mitsi instead, or take the leap to BMW-Audi-Merc offerings.