Peugeot 207 CC GT THP 156 Review & Road Test (2010) Part 2

Part 2 of our review of the Peugeot 207 CC

The top’s down on the first drive, and close to home are some of my favourite twisty roads; roads I know well and for which I have a myriad of different benchmarks for test cars’ performance lodged in what passes for a brain. Sadly, my expectations and preconceptions were pretty much evidenced in the first corner, as the 207 CC turned in quite well but accompanied by some less than pleasant flexing which I expected to get worse as I pushed on. But it didn’t.

In fact Peugeot has done a good job of keeping the 207 CC from doing the shake, rattle and roll with its top down. True, a blind man could feel the flexing as you push through a bend, but it’s not especially debilitating to the handling which, although not exactly overtly sporty, is actually more than competent.

And it’s the price you pay for some economical, top-down fun. But it’s not a big price. In fact, after an hour or two of blatting around with the top down – and finding myself at least an hour away from where I’d started – I realised that I wasn’t really noticing the flexing any more. And then I realised I’d become a victim of the drop-top-trance.

Really, drop tops are a waste of time as a serious drive. We all kid ourselves we’d like one, but they’re no real fun – however good they are – when you’re driving with your hair on fire. Every drop top I get in to I drive it as I would a coupe, but within a very short time I start to ease off. I cruise. Briskly, yes, but cruising not blatting. I’ve slipped in to the drop-top-trance.

And that’s what always happens with a drop top. So why we go out every time to see how much the latest drop top toy flexes, I really don’t know. But we do. In fact, all that really matters is does it go well enough. Well enough to carry off the style statement you’ve just bought. Well enough for you not to look too silly at the traffic light grand prix.

And there is no doubt that the Peugeot 207 CC delivers on its promise. Its looks promise a cute, stylish and enjoyable little car. The one area it does fail in is rear seat accommodation. That now old-fashioned two-piece roof needs a lot of space to stow, so the back seats are little more than an upholstered shelf.

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By Cars UK