Let's not kid ourselves that Peugeot's 307CC is any kind of sporty car. Sure, the 180bhp 2.0-litre model purloined its engine from the 206 GTi 180 hot hatchback but where the 206 is relatively slimline, the CC has a distinct weight problem resulting from its folding hard-top roof and the associated mechanisms that make it fold. This Range-topping model offers a reasonable turn of pace but nothing to really reward its driver. No 307CC can turn in what you could genuinely call a sporty driving experience either. It's a car for cruising, soaking up some sun and basking in the attention of passers by. Speed is never really of the essence in a car like this and on these grounds, the entry-level 110bhp 1.6-litre version, which might look underpowered to the casual observer, makes a surprising amount of sense.

Lets assume you did shell out the £21,500 needed to put your name on the registration document of a 307CC 180. You'd be able to accelerate from 0-60mph in 10s dead, a time that's respectable but hardly falls into the blistering category. This entry-level 1.6-litre option performs the same feat in 13.5s, which is substantially slower, but it costs £17,350, which is substantially less. The dilemma that 307CC buyers find themselves facing is complicated further by the existence of a mid-Range 140bhp 2.0-litre engine option. This costs around £1,350 more than the 1.6-litre car but, with a 0-60mph time of 10.3s, is almost as quick as the 180bhp model. Then there's the HDI 136 diesel option which gives a 10.3s sprint and remarkable 47mpg economy but costs £21,500.

The 307CC 180 does benefit from its greater power output in terms of better in-gear flexibility making it a more relaxed cruiser and reducing the need for constant cog swapping around town. The HDi goes even further in this direction with its abundant torque making for a really muscular feel at low revs and there's the added bonus of that excellent fuel economy. The 140bhp 2.0-litre model too is a more pleasant car to use, both in urban settings and on longer trips but if buyers are willing to put up with the sedate progress, the 1.6-litre car can save them quite a lot of money.

The 1.6-litre engine has a 110bhp maximum output which is enough to spirit a conventional Peugeot 307 along at a healthy lick but with the CC's 130kg of additional weight entering the equation, it's not surprising that everything becomes a bit more pedestrian. Maximum power arrives at a lofty 5,800rpm with peak torque of 147Nm available at 4,000rpm. This means that you do find yourself having to rev the engine quite hard to extract the best of its performance.

There's no real need to get over-zealous with the throttle, however, because the 307CC is at its best at low speeds with its roof folded and the sun shining. Under this kind of usage, the engine's refinement is good and you'll benefit from reasonable fuel economy of just over 37mpg on the combined cycle or as much as 45mpg under extra urban conditions. The handling is direct and responsive enough, although there's inevitably more flex in the chassis that you'd experience in a 307 with a proper roof. You'll also encounter the odd rattle and creak from the fascia.

"The 307CC is at its best at low speeds with its roof folded and the sun shining."

The one thing that does most to hold the 307CC back in terms of performance and handling is also its greatest strength - that roof. Hold the switch mounted next to the handbrake in the down position and the hydraulics flow effortlessly, and surprisingly quietly, into action. A flap opens in the tail and the roof smoothly contorts itself inside. It's all done in the small matter of 25 seconds and you're left sitting behind the wheel of a sleek, cohesively styled open topped car. You can make the transition to open air motoring at speeds up to 6mph, thus maximising the number of passers by you can astonish on each occasion. The sensible thing would be to park up before folding your roof down but since when has owning a convertible been anything to do with being sensible?

'Roof down' is definitely the 307CC's best look. With the hood up, the aesthetics of the car are interrupted by the sudden flat shelf of the boot jutting rearwards - a feature that most folding hard top cars seem to share. Once everything's stowed out of the way though, the wedge-shaped profile is very easy on the eye. Even the entry-level 1.6-litre model gets 16" alloy wheels along with bumpers, door mouldings and mirrors that match the body colour. There's also a chrome exhaust and a subtle boot lip spoiler. Today's 307 CC shares the distinctive front end that we first saw pop-up on the 407 and the 1007. The gaping air-intake in the front bumper, huge headlamps and shortened bonnet with pronounced side ridges all mark the car out.

The interior is another big 307CC strong point. There's a quality about the construction, fit and finish that it's hard not to like. The 1.6-litre model comes as standard with a leather trimmed steering wheel and gearknob ensemble, various touches of aluminium around the cabin including drilled aluminium pedals that can get a bit slippery when wet and a decent amount of storage. Standard equipment on also includes a CD stereo as well as the air-conditioning, temperature controlled glovebox, electric windows, central locking and trip computer.

Once the 307CC 1.6 gets up to speed, there's a whole raft of electronic gizmos to help you keep it on track and ultimately, stop it. ABS with EBA is fitted as standard, then there's ASR anti-slip regulation to cut back on wheelspin and ESP stability control to help you out through the corners. Should the worst come to the worst, the rear bulkhead contains a telescopic roll-over bar that's deployed by an electronic rollover protection system when it detects trouble. There are head and chest airbags in the front, 3-point seatbelts all-round (even for the highly snug rear seats) and reinforced body structure for better general rigidity.

In the end, it comes down to whether of not you're willing to pay for extra performance in a car that doesn't have the dynamics to make the most of it. The extra power in the 2.0-litre petrol and diesel versions does make them more pleasant to use but doesn't transform them into sharp handling sportscars. Many 307CC buyers are just in it for the styling and the roof: for them the 1.6-litre model seems the obvious choice.