Peugeot 307 – Last Chance to Buy a Pre-NAP CBU

Peugeot 307 – Last Chance to Buy a Pre-NAP CBU

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The new Peugeot 307 is a very nice car to drive, and had a great weekend with one, courtesy of Cycle & Carriage Automobiles Sdn Bhd, the importers and distributors for the Peugeot brand of cars in Malaysia. After a 450 kilometre trip to Melaka and back, we covered a total of more than 480 kilometres on one tank of fuel, which speaks well for the fuel economy of the 307.

What I like particularly about the 307 is its continental styling, especially the new nose job with the aggressive-looking intake grille that appears to be a carry-over from the also very nice-looking 407. Built as a 5 door hatch, the 307 is out to capture the hearts of the young, and insofar as looks go, it has got my attention.

The driving feel is good too; the 307 gives one a feeling of great stability and security. With 16-inch wheels, uncommon for a car of this capacity and size, the handling is very good, and one gets that ‘planted’ feeling when going round corners. A high caster angle gives the 307 excellent straight-line stability too. Looking deeper into the suspension, we begin to understand why it handles so well, because we note that the front are independent Macpherson struts, while the rear is a torsion beam arrangement, and there are coil springs all round. It is very similar to the system in the legendary Citroen ZX, (of course, we remember that Citroen and Peugeot are one and the same), and we are glad that they have not let a good system go to waste.

The French have always built cars that ride extremely well, and this tradition is continued in the Peugeot 307. The seats are extremely comfortable, being of generous proportions, and providing good support. The upholstery is velour, and the car we tested had it in black, making it look kind of sporty. The rear seats though, appear to have been made for European sizes, as the seatbacks are a little high up, so if you are an average Oriental in the 5 feet 2 to 5 feet 4 height category, you may find the rear headrests a little on the high side; no matter, removing them, as our tester did helps.

The 307 comes loaded with what we consider a great package, for the price that Cycle & Carriage is asking. Six airbags, ABS, EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) and EBFD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution) are standard features. Also included are a climate control air-conditioning system, and a 6-speaker Audio CD player. The side mirrors are electrically heated to prevent misting up, and of course they are also electrically activated. Add to this automatic wipers, automatic headlights, and an electrochrome rearview mirror, and you can easily see that as far as value for money goes, the 307 is something to consider.

An electrically powered steering helps to save fuel in the 307, as well as giving it more power on tap. The system looks identical to that in the Citroen C4, including the similar location of it in the right hand wheel well; that leads me to think that there is some platform sharing here, although there is no official communication on this matter.

The downside of the Peugeot 307 is the engine; it is a great engine, and looks very much like the same one that powers the Citroen C4. With 110 horses on tap, it does have an uphill job trying to push the 307 along. Don’t get me wrong though; the 307 will get you from one place to another quite well; the only thing is don’t be in too much of a hurry. You can build up the speed steadily, and it will cruise at 150 km/hr quite comfortably. Getting there, though, takes a bit of time, because the 4-speed automatic, even if it is made by Porsche, and has a Tiptronic (manual option), just does not have enough oomph to give it ‘get-up-and-go’. Our zero to one hundred kilometres per hour runs were achieved in 14.6 seconds, and with the manual shift, it actually went up to 15.1 seconds. A five-speed box would have been better, and a 2.0 litre engine would do wonders. With things as they were, we managed a top speed of around 185 km/hr, or it could have been 186, a s claimed, but only on a downhill section. At other times, 170 km/hr would be typical.

Overall, I think the Peugeot 307 would still find a place in the hearts of those people to whom engine power is not everything, to whom ride comfort, handling, and safety are top in mind. Current price quoted is RM139, 570.80, which is the on-the-road price with insurance, but these are pre-NAP prices, and will hold only as long as stocks last. After that we have been told there will definitely be a price increase, but no ballpark figure has been given. So if you are stirred up enough to go check it out, do so, and if you like it, do make your booking early, before the existing stock runs out, after which the price may be a dampener.

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