Review of the new Peugeot 207 GTi THP 175

Ask most people what they consider the definitive hot hatch and there will often be a split between the Volkswagen Golf GTi and the Peugeot 205 GTi. Both camps have a loyal following and both can point to more recent spells in the histories of their respective companies when the hot hatch offerings have been less than stellar. Just as Volkswagen has returned to a rich vein of form with its latest Golf GTI, so Peugeot is looking to follow suit. Their the 207 GTi THP 175 expects to write the next - and somewhat happier - chapter in their history of small performance cars.

The THP (Turbo High Pressure) engine is part of the reason why this car looks set to succeed. Developed in conjunction with BMW, it's a smart piece of engineering and gives the GTi the grin factor that's been missing for too long from hot Peugeot tots.

The 1.6-litre turbocharged 'Prince' powerplant has a good deal going for it. Anybody who drove the old 206 GTi 180 will be amazed at this engine's tractability and smoothness right across the rev range. There's none of that bog and surge characteristic that afflicts many turbocharged engines and although it's down a few bhp on the 206 at 175bhp, it's nevertheless a far quicker car in real world conditions.

It'll get to 60mph in 6.9 seconds, which is over half a second faster than the old 206 GTi 180, and will run onto a top speed of 137mph where conditions allow. Peak torque of 244Nm is available from only 1,600rpm all the way up to 4,500rpm but a transient 'overboost' function allows for 264Nm for short periods, again a massive improvement on the 206 GTi 180's 206Nm showing.

"The ride and handling issues have been nicely sorted and the evolutionary styling is very easy on the eye"

As indeed is ride and handling. Where the 206 was crashy and nervous at the limit, the 207 feels a whole lot more supple and confidence-inspiring. ESP stability control is fitted as standard and can be switched off if you really want to cut loose but we'd recommend a race circuit or an airfield. A clever steering system automatically countersteers when the ESP electronics detect one side of the car on a slippery surface, reducing braking distances and maintaining directional control. The five-speed gearbox bucks the trend for six ratios but suits the power delivery of the THP engine very well.

If you're expecting a car with the visual flair to match its rather extrovert performance, the 207 GTi THP 175 might come as a slight disappointment. I must admit I like its rather low-key look. There are 17-inch alloys wheels, a small spoiler at the top of the rear window, twin chrome exhausts and some satin black finishing but it won't turn too many heads. That's not to say the styling isn't handsome or deft, it's just not in any way braggardly.

The 207 represents a big improvement over the 206 in terms of perceived quality. The materials in the cabin look and feel sturdy with no obvious flaws in terms of the way it all fits together. The lower specification models lack some of the fancy detailing you get as you ascend the range but the interior of a 207 is generally a pleasant place to be. Rear legroom is not as good as in some rivals, although there's a trade-off in the shape of a 310-litre boot capacity and the design of the standard ventilation control panel looks a touch dated. This GTi model feels a little more upmarket with its alcantara-trimmed bucket seats for four but if you were expecting something radically different to the 206, you're not really getting it. It feels better screwed together and visibility out of the car is a good deal better but the wheel, the ventilation controls and a lot of the minor switchgear look very familiar.

Priced at £15,495 on the road, the 207 GTI THP 175 will instantly be compared to Clio Renaultsport 197 which tacks another £600 onto that price and offers a rather more intense driver focus. Many will prefer the slightly more languid engine response of the Peugeot and it certainly feels a more mature car and more pleasant to drive at anything other than ten-tenths. It's strongly equipped too. The nicely-trimmed sports seats are the first thing you'll spot when dropping into the cabin but there's also rear parking sensors, elliptical headlights, a cruise control with speed limiter (handy for negotiating SPECS camera zones) and dual zone climate controlled air-conditioning.

There's also tyre pressure sensors, folding electric door mirrors and an electrochromatic interior mirror that dims when high-beam lights are shone at it. Six airbags are fitted as standard and there are two ISOFIX child seat mountings in the back. Awarded a maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP test for adult occupant protection, the 207 GTi is as safe a hot hatch as you're likely to be able to buy.

All too often, the appeal of driving a hot hatch is rather tarnished by some surprisingly hefty costs. I remember driving a Ford Focus ST enthusiastically across the South Downs and then being rather horrified to realise I was getting 12mpg from it. The Peugeot 207 GTi THP 175 is different, offering a published combined fuel economy figure of 41mpg. Granted, these manufacturer figures are nigh-on impossible to replicate in the real world but even normal driving should see better than 30mpg on a day in, day out basis.

Emissions are also surprisingly good for a car with this level of performance. The 171g/km figure is better than something like a 1.6-litre Hyundai Matrix and way better than the 209g/km that the hot Clio chugs out. That'll be enough to swing the balance for many company car user choosers.

Devoted fans of the 205 GTi would have wanted Peugeot to have built a scalpel sharp hatch that delighted the enthusiast and rapped the knuckles of disrespectful drivers. The 207 GTi THP 175 is not that car. What buyers do get is a wonderfully user-friendly model that removes most of the objective impediments to hot hatch ownership but which can switch from benign to bullish with very little fuss. It's competent, but is it exciting? That may well be the issue for those looking for a real adrenaline rush.

Otherwise there's very little to complain about. The ride and handling issues have been nicely sorted and the evolutionary styling is very easy on the eye. Safe, acceptably well screwed together and with plenty of space, the GTi THP offers a tantalising glimpse of what Peugeot could do if it really took the gloves off. If you want a quick and entertaining car that doesn't impose itself on you in the way more focused hot hatches tend to, this 207 remains an option.

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