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Peugeot RCZ

By John Slavin
Freelance Contributing Writer
25 October 2010

Things haven’t been rosy for Peugeot the past few years. They’ve made some cars that have been perfectly reasonable, but dull and uninspiring – which is perhaps worse than making a piece of utter rubbish that’s brimming with character. The RCZ could be the saviour Peugeot needs, though. But is it any good?

It’s certainly very, very good to look at. The original 308 RCZ concept was unveiled in 2007, and in it’s translation from concept to production, it’s lost none of what made it brilliant. The double-bubble roof and rear screen is still there, as is its wonderful bottom. Indeed, the RCZ is so good looking that everyone I spoke to thought it was worth at least £30k.

And yet it’s not. Prices start at around £20k, which makes the RCZ a very tempting prospect based solely on its appearance. But if it’s so inexpensive, there’s got to be something wrong with it, right? Wrong. The build quality is fabulous; the test car I drove had a full leather dash, as well as leather seats. Buttons were solid and felt ‘right’ to push, and the only area which felt unpleasant to touch was the bit behind the steering wheel, which you never touch anyway, and about 6cms of plastic around the handbrake. It really is lovely.


The build quality is fabulous


Granted, it’s basically identical to the regular 308 inside, but that’s hardly an insult, the 308’s interior is one of its finest features. So then, it must be rubbish to drive? Nope. It’s not at all. I wouldn’t call it a sports car by any means, but it’s predictable and fluid at any speed through the bends, and while it might not be mind bendingly quick to accelerate, it’s certainly fast enough to put a smile on your face.

So what is wrong with it? It’s a car which costs less than a TT but that looks and feels as good as one. It drives well, is fairly quick, and is definitely good fun. So where’s the ‘but?’ In short, there isn’t one. The steering wheel is a bit big, and the back seats are useless, but that’s nitpicking. You don’t expect it to even have back seats, so complaining that they’re small is a bit like complaining that a free meal has no gravy, and the large steering wheel can be rectified by speccing an optional small one.

I really, really struggled to find a fault with the RCZ. It’s that good. The 156bhp THP Petrol I tested struck a good balance between entertaining sports car and comfortable GT car, but if you’re feeling adventurous there’s a 200hp version with shorter, more aggressive gear ratios, and if you want good looks with decent economy, there’s a 163hp diesel.

So if you’ve been considering the RCZ but reckon it’s going to be rubbish, think again. It’s as good as it looks!



The double-bubble roof and rear screen is still there, as is its wonderful bottom



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Top 10 Series: Niche Dwellers

By Ben Foulds
Freelance Contributing Writer
03 August 2010

Mental...
It's the year 2000 and you're a road tester at a car mag. Peugeot has recently unveiled its new 307 and, oh look, they're giving you one to try for a week. What's more, you also happen to have a Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf, Citroen Xsara and Vauxhall Astra at your disposal. So you line them up together to see which is best. Wonderful.

Fast forward ten years, and BMW has launched its new 5-Series GT. And would you look at that, they've lent you one to review. You want to do a comparison test, but here comes the snag. What on earth do you compare it with? It's a hatchback for starters, and a tall one at that, so testing it feature-for-feature alongside regular executive saloonery would be like testing a weasel against a domestic cat. An MPV, then? Well, the GT is big and practical, granted, but it also has a sloping roofline and only five seats. So it’s going to be whipped on the practicality front by your average people-mover. Here, then, is a car that doesn’t really fit into any specific category.

Nowadays, of course, this kind of thing is as common as a Ferrari-branded baseball cap. Every other car launch is greeted by questions such as “What the hell is it?”, “How many bootlids did you say it has?”, and “What’s wrong with my 5-Series Touring?”.

But while it’s easy to be cynical, some of these awkwardly-marketed products have a point, and are definitely worth a look over more conventional rivals. Here, then, is a run-down of ten of the best niche cars you can buy:

1. Daihatsu Materia


Like a supermini but taller and wider, and clearly designed using a box as inspiration. This means it's got plenty of space inside and has more character than Kermit the Frog after a tube of blue Smarties. It won't set your hair on fire with its performance, nor will it have you lapping roundabouts with a manic grin on your face, but that's not really the point is it?


A masterpiece. When Ford axed its old Galaxy, they replaced it with two cars: a new, bigger and plusher Galaxy, and this, which finds itself somewhere between its bigger brother and the C-Max in terms of size. It comfortably seats seven plus their luggage, yet manages to be sporty and (whisper it) desirable too. Recently facelifted and still the best MPV you can buy by a country mile.


While the ubiquitous Smart can sometimes seem a little too compromised to really work, the little iQ has the tiny footprint thing nailed to a T. The thing is, even though it's only 2mm long, it's actually as wide as a Focus so you don't feel like you're going down the M1 in a tumble-dryer. The boys at Toyota have put some real thought into the interior too, so despite its meagre length, it can fit three adults quite easily. The only downsides are a slightly rubbish dashboard and a high list price.


Shorter than your little finger but still seats three


4. Infiniti EX


The luxury branch of Nissan is still a relative novelty in Britain; that alone is no reason to avoid it - especially when it makes cars like the EX. Billed as a crossover to rival the likes of BMW's X1 and the Lexus RX, it's more interesting than either and a hell of a looker while it's at it. Sadly it's only available in petrol guise at the moment (though that's the same 3.7-litre V6 as you'll find in the 370Z). Have no fear, however - there's a diesel on the way...


EX: More desirable than an X1?



Is it a supermini? Is it a family hatch? Is it an MPV? Well, it's all of those things actually. Or maybe it's none. Whatever, the A-Class was a very different animal to anything we'd seen before when the first generation hit dealerships back in 1997, and it remains pretty unique to this day. Its innovative 'sandwich floor' means that it's roughly a million times more spacious than a 1-Series, despite being the size of your shoe, and the quality's much better on the latest one. We have to applaud the three-pointed star for not giving us an A3 clone; rumours have it, however, that the next A-Class will ditch the special floor and become just that. Shame.


Not so long ago, Nissan was turning out the dreary Primera and Almera. Those models have been consigned to the history books, though, as the Japanese marque sets its sights on becoming the king of the crossover. The funky Juke has just replaced the Micra, but it all started a few years back with the Qashqai. Offering 4x4 looks in a footprint no larger than a Focus, it became a hit overnight and Nissan hasn’t looked back since. The Qashqai +2 gains two more seats but loses a bit of style in the process.



S-Max: Ford's Masterpiece
In much the same vain as the Qashqai, the 3008 gives you rugged looks and a raised ride height, but without the traditional off-roader thirstiness or the danger of having eggs thrown at you in Salisbury town centre. The styling is divisive – I think it’s a pleasing shape but you might equally consider it worthy of the Room 101 treatment. Whatever you think, the 3008’s trump card is its interior, which is an unexpected concoction of plush materials and – get this – Audi R8 styling.


It showed a lot of guts on Kia’s part to put the Soul into production, as it’s the kind of car that can break a company’s reputation if mucked up. Happily, the jacked-up supermini resulting from the Koreans’ endeavours is really rather good. Part of its appeal lies in the opportunity for personalisation – you can have the roof tattooed for goodness’ sake – but it also packs a punch when it comes to practicality and user-friendliness. Quite why anyone would buy a Rio with this next to it on the showroom floor is beyond me.

9. Skoda Yeti


What is it with Skoda’s naming strategy? They call their executive car ‘Superb’, which is pretty much the definition of making a rod for your own back, and then they go and name their crossover after something supposedly abominable. No matter though, the Yeti is a clever little thing, combining cheeky-yet-tough styling with practicality and economy. Get the 1.2-litre petrol with two-wheel-drive and you’ll have yourself a gem.

10. Ariel Atom


Ok, so the Atom probably doesn’t really count as a ‘niche’ product in the usual sense of the word, but who cares? It does 0-60 faster than you can say ‘Aaaaaah’, goes onto a top speed of 140mph, and yet has no bodywork to speak of. And is road legal. Mental.



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Full Review: Peugeot 308CC

By John Slavin
Freelance Contributing Writer
28 July 2010
In the summer time, a car roof can be a hindrance... Occasionally. Most of the time, though, it’s of vital importance because it serves to keep you sheltered from the chronic, torrential downpours that blight the UK. When Peugeot sent a 308CC for me to test I was hoping for blazing sunshine, so I could celebrate the very purpose of cabriolets. Alas, it rained a lot; there were only two or three days when the roof could be open at all.

With the roof in place, the 308CC is very much ‘a car.’ The 140hp diesel engine in the model tested allows for a 0-60 time of just over 11 seconds, which is pretty slow. 140hp sounds a lot, but the mechanism for folding the roof and the extra reinforcement to keep the chassis stiff make the 308cc a very heavy car.


If the sun is out, the 308CC is a whole lot better than average


Cornering is neutral and stable, but unexciting, as is the feedback from the steering. The gearbox allows you to select the gear you’d like in a tactile, but simple way... indeed, it works very much like you’d expect a car to, had you learnt to drive by reading a book. It’s so simple to operate that it’s foolproof. It’s pleasant, though, rather than annoying; you can waft along without anything but your choice of radio station to concern you.

However, with the roof up, it looks odd. The proportions are a bit funny, the rear looks too long with such a flat, stubby rear screen, and the front looks a little too short. The Peugeot ‘face,’ love it or hate it, is present and correct. Inside, though, everything is absolutely beautiful. The dash is covered in a firm but squishy material that you find yourself poking at all the time. Chrome detailing sets the black leather off, too. Seats are well bolstered, endlessly adjustable and comfortable, all the controls are placed just right, and materials are generally of high quality.


Chrome detailing sets the black leather off


So with the roof up, the 308CC will get you where you need to be with ease and in comfort. If the sun is out, though, it’s a whole lot better than average. Folding the roof into the boot is as simple as pressing a button and when it’s nicely hidden, everything looks a bit prettier, especially from the rear.

When underway, that slow 0-60 time is unoffensive, because there’s enough torque to overtake anyone annoying you, and you probably won’t need to change down a gear either. The comfortable interior, lazy handling and absorbent suspension make this car an ideal machine for cruising down A-roads to the beach. If the wind is getting annoying, then put the windows up and everything calms down.

You can even take the children, too, because the rear seats are actually useable, though adults will find themselves a little squished if the people up front are tall. Also, don’t bet on having the roof down if you’ve got a lot of luggage, it takes most of the space.

In conclusion, the 308CC is a competent but unexciting cruiser. It’s ideal for big lazy road trips, with blue skies and sunglasses. So hope for sunshine, and it will all make sense...


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First Impressions: Peugeot 308CC

By John Slavin
Freelance Contributing Writer
22 July 2010
With red-orange reflecting off the clouds as the sun ducks behind the horizon, an open road and good music, it all suddenly makes sense... I’ve been driving a cabriolet.

Peugeot have been making hard-top convertibles for a while now, and they sell well, particularly the 207CC, much like its predecessor the 206CC. The jewel in Peugeot’s Coupe Cabriolet crown though, is the 308CC.


The quality of fit and finish is absolutely impeccable


Get in, sit down in the well trimmed, well proportioned seats, and everything feels upmarket. The quality of fit and finish is absolutely impeccable; everything is placed well, and looks high quality. The dash is trimmed in a soft, tactile material that begs to be stroked, and chrome surrounds the vents, doors and dials. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable place to be.

The model I have on test for the week is an HDi FAP diesel with 140hp. It’s quiet, refined, and has plenty of torque. It needs it; the 308CC weighs a lot thanks to its roof mechanism. Looks are always something of a sore point with folding hard tops, and the 308cc is no exception, from some angles it does look a little bit strange, particularly the front three quarters. It’s rear, though, is a thing of beauty. The light clusters look great, whether glowing or otherwise, and the black diffuser contrasts well against the white paint.

Road manners are good. Lumps, bumps and potholes are soaked up with aplomb, and the 140hp engine has enough power for overtakes. There’s not a huge amount of feel from the steering, and it’s not the most nimble of machines, but for lazy cruising it works well. Particularly with the roof down, the music loud, and the sky emblazoned red with setting sunlight.

Full review next week...


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