Peugeot 207 hatchback (2006-2012)

First launched in 2006, the Peugeot 207 replaced the popular Peugeot 206 supermini, which itself took over from the iconic Peugeot 205 in 1998. The 207 felt like a sizeable step up, not only because it was larger, but thanks to a new emphasis on solid build quality, safety and performance.

Despite the car’s relatively small size, diesel models were popular and economical, with a reasonable turn of speed. Special models like the Economique (subsequently renamed Oxygo) were designed to be even more frugal, topping 70mpg. The small petrol engines haven’t dated as well, feeling unrefined and gutless compared with the modern 1.2-litre PureTech engines found in the current Peugeot 208.

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The 1.6-litre Oxygo diesel models are cheap to run - they offer 74.3mpg and emissions of 98g/km, so road tax is free. Meanwhile, the standard diesels impress and on longer journeys are capable of 60mpg or more.

Entry-level 1.4-litre petrol engines return around 45mpg according to Peugeot, which drops to just over 40mpg in the 1.6-litre automatic.

Peugeot offered plenty of engine choices with the 207: three 1.4-litre and two 1.6-litre petrol options and a 1.4-litre and two 1.6-litre HDi diesels, so there's something for everyone. The less powerful 1.4-litre variants are capable around town but less so at speed, while the 1.6-litre petrol engines have more punch and similar economy, making them the ones to go for.

Diesel engines suit the 207 best, as they feel more powerful and return better economy. The 207 is easy to drive and feels very safe on the road. The steering is light at low speeds, but it becomes heavier when you're going faster and it's very responsive. The only downside is the five-speed manual gearbox, which has a vague, loose action and can be difficult to put into gear. The gearbox in the current Peugeot 208 feels far more slick and precise.

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The 207’s suspension offers plenty of comfort, but the system lacks the sharpness of rivals like the Ford Fiesta. Smaller petrol engines create a bit of noise on the motorway, but that aside, the 207 is impressively hushed for such a small car – road and wind noise are almost non-existent.

The 270-litre boot is spacious but far from the biggest you'll see in a supermini. The Ford Fiesta, by comparison, offers 295 litres of space. Leg and headroom in the back is limited, and the rear seats are only really suitable for children. It's possible to remove the base of the rear seats and fold the back down to create a large, flat load space, but this can be a laborious process. The glovebox is a reasonable size and it has handy sub compartments, one of which acts as a cool box on models with air-conditioning.

The 207 scored five Euro NCAP stars for adult occupants, four for child occupants and three for pedestrians when it was tested in 2006. Tests are much more stringent now, but the 207 was a safe car for its time and should still perform well in a collision today.

Six airbags, anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control are all standard. Remote central locking, deadlocks and automatic locking when the car reaches 6mph are also part of the package on all versions. Reliability is a weakness, as the 207 finished 68th in this category in our 2010 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey. and Peugeot ranked 24th out of 27 manufacturers in the JD Power Satisfaction survey in 2010.

If you’re planning on having a used 207 maintained by a main dealership, it’s handy to know Peugeot ranked 17th out of 32 manufacturers in the 2016 Driver Power poll, so has shown improvements in satisfying customers.

New examples of the Peugeot 207 depreciated more quickly than many competitors, but that’s now a plus point for buyers looking to pick one up cheaply on the used car market.

Apart from its safety features, the entry-level Urban models got electric front windows, a CD stereo and power steering, so it wasn’t exactly brimming with kit. It's best to seek out an S model or higher, as this added air-conditioning, electric heated door mirrors, a trip computer, body coloured door handles and curtain airbags.