Peugeot don't like to make things easy for your humble motoring scribe. As family hatchbacks morph into stunted mini-MPVs, it was only a matter of time before somebody developed an estate version that utterly bamboozled those waiting to slot it into a ready pigeonhole. The Peugeot 307 SW, its manufacturers claim, is neither a mini-MPV nor a compact estate car. We might like to think of it as a Station Wagon, but Peugeot claim this description is uncomfortably redolent of traditional estate cars. So, an SW it is then.

It's not like Peugeot estates that we fondly remember. A colleague once lived an entire University term from the back of a Peugeot 505 estate that he'd parked on campus, and on reflection, his accommodation seemed a good deal more spacious than that served up in the Student Village. Only the small matter of four wheel clamps prevented BUFF, the Big Ugly Fragrant er, Fella from following our resourceful chum back to Pant, a village in Shropshire where this sort of thing was apparently standard behaviour. It's hard to envisage the Peugeot 307 SW thus utilised.

Not that it lacks space. The 100mm grafted into the 307 hatch's wheelbase have given the car a more elegant look, the elongated rear balancing the 307's lofty roofline quite superbly. When configured in standard five-seat mode, the 307 SW is basically just the standard 307 Estate with a few clever lifestyle gizmos. What makes things interesting is when it's specified in seven-seat guise. Then it plays the mini-MPV role - or at least, that's the idea. Yes, space for all seven passengers is admirable but, like all such cars, you will have nowhere to put said passenger's luggage when you've filled it up. Having said that, if you need a mini-MPV and don't like the genre's traditionally fuddy-duddy image, this car could make a lot of sense.

"For legroom that would shame a Bentley, simply remove the middle row of seats."

The 307 SW tries hard in the versatility stakes. Each of the rear seats are interchangeable which means that there are a suitably vast number of seating permutations. For legroom that would shame a Bentley, simply remove the middle row of seats or, if you've bought the five-door version, shift the three rear seats back a row. Alternatively you can take all the seats out to liberate 2,082 litres of space.

As well as the 307's trademark huge windscreen, the SW also adds a panoramic glass roof that arcs back over the driver and first row of seats, rendering travel in the third row a putative punishment for any youngster who has coloured in the back of Daddy's neck once too often. With two trim levels available, S and SE, the 307 SW incorporates a number of MPV-style features and these include cavernous front door bins to carry a 1.5-litre bottle and sliding underseat storage trays. Fold down tables figure on the front seat backs and there are auxiliary 12v power sockets so that the young 'uns can be rendered silent by means of the Nintendo Cosh. With such an enormous glazed area, it's easy to imagine what it feels like to be a microwaved turkey drummer but fortunately the standard air conditioning system is well up to par. The 307 SW even features an air-conditioned glove box to prevent Mars Bars turning into reminders of your first trip to India and cargo nets in the hatch to stop luggage from looking like it's been on a spin cycle after spirited driving.

Ditch the kids, significant other, pets and any potential flying objects that could cause injury and the 307 SW is surprisingly good fun to pedal about. The extra bulk does little to alter the 307's fundamentally excellent balance, if anything lending a slightly suppler feel to proceedings. Prices start at £14,915 and four engines are on offer; a single petrol unit and three diesel powerplants. The 110bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine doesn't seem to gel with the 307 SW package particularly well, which leaves the diesel units landing our vote. All three are outstanding. The 90bhp 1.6-litre will appeal to the more level-headed SW buyer, although it's difficult not to plump for the extra urge of the 110bhp 1.6-litre 16-valve version, a car which can still return a creditable 57mpg. Alternatively, there's always the range-topping 2.0-litre 16-valve HDi unit with its 136bhp output.

One factor that may swing buyers back towards the 1.6-litre petrol version is the option of an automatic Tiptronic style gearshift, although in practice this merely blunts acceleration yet further. As would befit a family-oriented car, the 307 SW offers impeccably safety provision, being one of the few cars at this price point to feature six airbags as standard. In addition to the familiar twin front and side bags, curtain airbags protect both front and rear passengers from flying glass and side impact in the event of an accident. Active head restraints, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, automatic hazard light deployment under heavy braking, a seat belt fastening indicator and fuel supply cut-offs combine to make the 307 an impressively safe environment for the family.

In striving to be wilfully different, Peugeot has created an interesting if potentially compromised family runabout. Though it may not be the mini-MPV market's ultimate seven-seater, as a standard issue compact estate, the 307SW is about as good as it gets.

TOP 5 307 DEALS

The results below show the top 307 deals on buyacar

	Peugeot 307 1.6 Sport 2dr Cabriolet Convertible
	ETR	Mthly £277	Saving £3,789	Price £15,751
	Peugeot 307 2.0 HDi Sport 2dr Cabriolet Convertible
	ETR	Mthly £316	Saving £4,434	Price £17,856
	Peugeot 307 2.0 Sport 2dr Cabriolet Convertible
	ETR	Mthly £298	Saving £4,151	Price £16,989
	Peugeot 307 1.6 HDi 110 S 5dr Estate
	ETR	Mthly £232	Saving £3,917	Price £13,073
	Peugeot 307 2.0 HDi SE 5dr SW Estate
	ETR	Mthly £267	Saving £4,476	Price £14,564

typical 10.65% APR

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