The perfect family vehicle has yet to be invented but the current state of the art has a few basic requirements. First up is a diesel engine that serves up a healthy slug of torque combined with manageable fuel economy. The next prerequisite is space and lots of it. Enough space for a family of five or six and their gear is a good starter. Finally, the vehicle should not skimp on safety equipment. A Euro NCAP five star rating is mandatory. Combine these requirements and you'll end up with only a handful of credible contenders. Some will be very expensive indeed. Then there's the Peugeot 807 2.0 HDi.

Granted, a two-litre engine doesn't sound like it's going to have the lugging power to haul your family and their bags and if this were a petrol MPV, I'd agree. The diesel engine fitted to this Peugeot was revised a while back to offer a little more in the way of power - up 10bhp to 120bhp - and the torque figure was also increased to 225lb/ft. This is the important bit as far as this engine is concerned. More torque equals more muscle at your disposal and that's what you need when you're faced with a big hill, an 807 that's loaded to the gunwales and a deadline to meet.

Naturally, if you drive with a leaden right boot and a fully-loaded vehicle, it's doubtful you'll get within swatting distance of Peugeot's claimed 40.9mpg combined fuel economy figure but this 807 is by no means a guzzler. On a motorway run Peugeot quote a figure of 48.7mpg. Equally impressive for a vehicle of this size are the 807 2.0 HDi's green credentials. The 182g/km of carbon dioxide this model emits is the same as a 1.6-litre Ford Ka, a vehicle which, incidentally, can't match the 807's fuel figures. Where's the catch?

"The 807 2.0 HDi has more muscle than you'd ever credit."

It certainly doesn't come with the upfront price. For a full-sized and rather well-equipped MPV, the 807 2.0-litre HDi isn't unduly dear. The range starts at £21,095 on the road for the S model, moving up through £22,895 for the SE with the range-topping Executive pitched at £24,595. Even the entry-level model gets a CD stereo, digital air conditioning, a dash-mounted multifunction display screen and remote central locking, but the real party piece comes when you step up to the plusher derivatives. These feature electrically-operated sliding side doors which can be triggered via the key fob. If only they were a little quicker or the key fob had more range, the effect would be better but it's still pretty slick stuff. They also remove the embarrassment of children opening rear doors into parked cars in public car parks.

When the 807 was first introduced, it was a radically different car to its predecessor - the frumpy 806 - as were the two other cars developed alongside it, Citroen's C8 and the Fiat Ulysse. Since then however, the French company has gone the route of stealthy change, culminating in the most recent package of updates which came without significant change to pricing.

The 807 is stuffed with safety equipment which has resulted in a creditable five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating. As well as the customary twin front airbags, the 807 gets side bags and curtain airbags for all three rows of seats, making it the first car in the world to feature this facility as standard. Anti lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist are fitted on every model. Recognising that driver distraction by children is a contributory factor in a growing proportion of accidents, Peugeot have fitted an ingenious retractable "child check" mirror. This allows the driver to keep a safe eye on the kids in the back or, alternatively, see what colour the little horrors would like the upholstery to be this week.

Practicality is also a major plus. All three rows of seats are mounted on runners, which means that adjusting for optimal legroom is simplicity itself. There are the usual zillion and one different combinations as to how you can arrange the seats and the front seats are even capable of swivelling to create what Peugeot call "a sitting room environment." Somewhat comically, they then append this with "when parked." The 807 excels at shoulder room but others offer more total legroom. As with any MPV, the rear seats are removable, but they are very heavy and even a minor error in aligning the feet with the runners to re-engage them will cause the seats to jam, requiring a hefty shoulder to free them again. As avant garde as it is, the 807 doesn't offer up a solution to the eternal MPV gripe that with all the seats in place, there isn't space for luggage. Perhaps Peugeot should offer subsidised roof boxes with every purchase.

Four-zone air-conditioning helps combat the effect of no less than three sunroofs. Multiplex wiring allows for such electronic niceties as light sensitive headlamps, automatic windscreen wipers and speed indexing of the stereo volume, as well as rear parking sensors, guide-me-home headlights and remote control operation of the sunroofs, windows, door mirrors and the sliding doors.

Peugeot needs to be on its mettle in this corner of the market as things are rapidly changing. Ford's Galaxy and S-MAX models have rewritten the rules as far as driver appeal is concerned and Renault's Espace continues to be the benchmark by which all the rest are judged. Between the dynamic Ford and the expensive Renault there is breathing room for a car like the 807 2.0-litre HDi and it scores so highly because it offers so many of the qualities that 'real world' buyers desire rather than the factors automotive lifestyle consultants think they want. The ability to clean up spilled drinks easily may not be as sexy as the ability to carry a BASE jumping rig and three windsurfers but that's what sells vehicles like this. If you've got a pragmatic streak and can prioritise the important factors, the Peugeot scores very highly. It's not perfect but it's closer than most of its rivals and that may well be enough.

TOP 5 807 DEALS

The results below show the top 807 deals on buyacar

	Peugeot 807 2.0 HDi 120 SE 7 Seat 5dr People Carrier
	ETR	Mthly £402	Saving £4,127	Price £19,211
	Peugeot 807 2.0 HDi 120 S 7 Seat 5dr People Carrier
	ETR	Mthly £371	Saving £3,731	Price £17,796
	Peugeot 807 2.0 HDi 120 Executive 7 Seat 5dr People Carrier
	ETR	Mthly £432	Saving £4,460	Price £20,395
	Peugeot 807 2.0 HDi 136 SE 7 Seat 5dr People Carrier
	ETR	Mthly £418	Saving £4,311	Price £19,909
	Peugeot 807 2.0 HDi 136 Executive 7 Seat 5dr People Carrier
	ETR	Mthly £453	Saving £4,711	Price £21,331

typical 11.80% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000