Used Peugeot 407 review: 2005-2011

Peugeot is one of those brands that go under the radar for most Australians, it's one to which they rarely give any thought of owning, but for comfort and refined road manners the French brand is hard to beat.

New

The 407 was Peugeot's medium-sized offering and came in coupe, sedan and wagon body styles, with a choice of peppy petrol engines and economical diesels.

Its lines were elegant, languidly flowing from tip to tail in a wonderful balance of form and function.

The coupe was able to accommodate four in comfort, but the more family friendly sedan and wagon had the capacity to transport five.

The cabin was spacious, nicely laid-out with comfortable seats and was sublimely quiet

There were three equipment levels, the SR budget model, the ST and the SV.

All had an impressive range of comfort and convenience features, particularly the higher spec models.

The cabin was spacious, nicely laid-out with comfortable seats and was sublimely quiet. The main criticism was a blind spot created by the heavy A-pillars that at times impeded the driver's view.

The 407's 2.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine was a free-revving unit that had sufficient performance for most situations, although at times it had to work hard to get there.

For those wanting more than the 2.2-litre engine could muster there was the 3.0-litre V6, which answered the call of most seeking performance.

But it's the diesels that were the most popular with 407 buyers, particularly the 2.0-litre turbodiesel, which boasted strong mid-range torque for smooth, flexible driveability, impressive performance, and admirable economy.

The 407's suspension was supremely comfortable

With more than 400Nm of torque, the twin-turbo V6 diesel was a powerhouse with an attractive blend of performance and driveability.

While there was a six-speed manual gearbox available in the front-wheel 407, the vast majority were sold with automatic transmissions. Early models had a four-speed, but it was later updated to a six-speed across the range.

On the road the 407's suspension was supremely comfortable, but at the cost of some handling precision. Anyone wanting the sportiness of a German prestige model should probably look elsewhere for their jollys.

Now

Being French the Peugeot needs some getting used to for anyone moving into the brand for the first time. Some people find it quirky, and oddly disconnected, while others find the quirkiness interesting and fun, and the driving experience comfortable and refined.

Anyone stepping out of a German car would probably be very disappointed with the somewhat vague ride and handling.

Being European the 407 comes with issues that affect most European brands, expensive parts and service spring immediately to mind.

The 407 doesn't have any major flaws to note

Anyone thinking of buying a 407 should get on good terms with a mechanic experienced in working on Peugeots. They are usually able to service your car for significantly less than a dealer would, and they should be able to source parts at more affordable prices.

For peace of mind it's also worth having a mechanic with specialist Peugeot knowledge check your chosen car for you before purchase.

The 407 doesn't have any major flaws to note, but is subject to the occasional and frustrating failures of electrical components, particularly ignition coils.

The 407 is relatively complex and needs the attention of someone who is familiar with the brand

It's also important to check for a service record, the 407 is relatively complex and needs the attention of someone who is familiar with the brand.

The engines have timing belts, which need changing at specified intervals. On the 2.2-litre petrol engine it needs changing every 80,000km or four years, on the other engines the change interval is 180,000km or nine years.

Peugeot recalled the 407 in 2011 for a fault related to the engine vacuum pump that could affect the braking performance.

There was also a recall in 2010 to check the clearance between the wiring harness and the cooling fan that could result in damage to the harness.