Peugeot 4007 (2007) CAR review

Another 4x4? Just what the world needs...

Are the Europeans displaying poor timing by jumping on the 4x4 bandwagon just as the environmental question is ratcheting up to new heights? Perhaps, but there’s no denying the popularity of the segment and Ford, Vauxhall and the French can’t afford to ignore this potentially lucrative market. Hence the glut of 4x4s making the leap from motor show stands to a showroom near you. The French duo of Peugeot and Citroen has teamed up with Mitsubishi for a shortcut to their first SUVs, the all-but-identical 4007 and C-Crosser. They’re unashamedly based on the Japanese-built Outlander, but have individual family looks inside and out. Welcome then, to Peugeot’s first proper SUV. The double-zero denotes this is a niche product within the line-up (like the sliding door 1007) and it’s designed to cater for a whole category of buyer who previously deserted the French brands for other people’s 4x4s. Allez les véhicules à quatre roues motrices!

It looks very like the Mitsubishi Outlander...

It’s true; although the front has a distinctive style of its own, the giveaway is at the rear, with the sharply angled rear windows and same-again hatchback. But the overall package is pretty distinctive and our black test car looked remarkably slick, once you get used to that huge, gaping shark-mouth grille. One very useful design feature is the split tailgate - Range Rover style - that allows you to lift the smaller top section if you’re just dropping lightweight bags in the boot; if you want full unimpeded access, or fancy staging an improntu picnic, the bottom section folds down in an instant, making it easy to slide in big items.