Quite why it's taken the French this long to twig that building a compact 4x4 might just be a lucrative exercise is open to question. While Renault has been dallying with vehicles like the Safrane, Citroen bringing us oddities like the C6 and Peugeot the rather baffling 1007 citycar, a massive opportunity cost has been accrued by not having a credible 4x4. That's all changing now as a wave of French 4x4s appear on our shores, spearheaded by the Peugeot 4007, a car with a front end they'll see coming from the white cliffs of Dover without having to put 20p in the telescope.

Peugeot started the big grille thing with the 407 and has since started to smear it across most of their product range. There's certainly no mistaking it on this car and aesthetic opinion may be divided this time round. Still, there's no mistaking the fact that the 4007 has presence. It's not a car you'll overlook in a sea of lookalike 4x4s in the Waitrose car park.

Prices start at £22,890 for the SE model or you could opt to pay £25,590 for the GT flagship: both come powered by the same 2.2-litre HDi diesel engine. This unit will generate 156bhp and 280lb/ft on torque and is even capable of running on a 30 per cent mixture of diesel biofuel without resort to modification. The engine has been modified from that found in the 407 saloon range to offer additional lugging power but much of the basic architecture is the same - which is no bad thing.

The combustion chamber has been redesigned with a reduced compression ratio and a larger diameter, as Peugeot realised that fuel in contact with the walls of the cylinder was difficult to burn efficiently. Increase the volume and the efficiency increases, helped by a redesigned piston crown. A third generation Bosch common rail system uses piezo electronic injectors to raise injection pressure to 1,800bar. Compare that to 1,350 bar for the first generation common rail units and you'll see the precision at work here. This fuel is squirted through apertures that measure just 135 microns. Dad with his wire brush won't even be able to see them. The average human hair is 90 microns in diameter.

"The 4007 is an interesting diversion from the usual contenders"

Mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, the engine is shared with its sister car, the Citroen C-Crosser, and although most would nominate the Citroen as the better looking car, there's residual badge equity in the Peugeot brand that will draw customers in. Viewed from the rear three-quarter, it's entirely excusable to get a sense of deja vu - at least in the unlikely event that you're a Mitsubishi 4x4 enthusiast. The reason for this is that both this 4007 and the C-Crosser are based on the latest Mitsubishi Outlander, PSA Peugeot Citroen sharing development costs with the Japanese firm to bring these models to market.

It makes a lot of sense in an industry where developing a vehicle like this can be beyond the financial means of even reasonably large car firms. What's even more intriguing is that Mitsubishi turned to Daimler Chrysler to help with the initial chassis development for their Outlander, the fruits of which are now turning up in this French concoction. No company is an island, it would seem.

Put the three cars side by side and it's clear to see the similarities but it's also surprising how much scope for individualisation has been built into the basic template. The detailed design work has been undertaken at Peugeot's Velizy studios and the stylists have certainly managed to graft plenty of Peugeot corporate identity onto the chassis hard points. There's enough chrome on the front end to make a Maybach feel under-endowed, the front air intake and bumper detailing being something that you probably wouldn't want to main beam while approaching on a country lane. The roof is interestingly finished too with ribbed detailing, while the back end features a brushed aluminium trim that runs between the translucent rear light clusters. The rear pillars are neatly canted back and the wheelarches are sharply defined in an industrial almost Audi-style manner.

Optimised for on-road use, the all-wheel drive system is enough to maximise traction on slippery roads and muddy tracks, although those looking to tackle more arduous terrain would be best served looking for a vehicle with a proper low-range transfer case and a little more in the way of overall ground clearance. The 4007's 'on-demand' 4WD system enables the driver to select three modes of drive, while on the move. First is 'Permanent 2WD', intended for normal tarmac use, with all power directed to the front wheels. In 'Automatic 4WD', engine torque is delivered automatically to wheels that require the most traction at any time. Should you find yourself in a sticky situation however, you might need to select 'Permanent 4WD'. This set-up splits torque 50:50 between front and rear wheels. The idea of all this technology is to give the 4007 what Peugeot call 'the best of both worlds', enabling it to tackle reasonably rough terrain, yet still provide acceptable on-road dynamic behaviour and competitive fuel economy.

Peugeot claims to have capacity to build 30,000 4007s per year and it's not hard to see that number finding homes. The 4007 enters the market at a key period. General Motors is starting to flex its muscles with the Vauxhall Antara and Chevrolet Captiva twins, the Dodge Nitro looks the part, plus there's the revamped Honda CR-V to factor in and the fleshing out of the Land Rover Freelander 2 range. In short, this French contender is faced with a quite devastating barrage of talent. I'd still back it to succeed.

Equipment levels? Well, as well as the electronic 'on-demand' four-wheel drive system and the usual ABS and ESP set-ups, you can expect to find roof bars, automatic air conditioning with climate control, pollen and dust filters, six airbags (front, side, and curtain), an ultrasonic alarm and remote control central locking with deadlocks, alloy wheels, a trip computer, front fog lights and a radio/ CD player with MP3 compatibility.

In so many ways, having absolutely no pedigree in this market could count for quite a bit. Buy a Jeep or a Land Rover and you're a proper 4x4 customer. Buy a Peugeot and you've shifted the philosophical goalposts a small and crucial amount. It comes with no historical baggage and with its diesel particulate filter system and thrifty engine, it's got a leg up in the environmental stakes, an increasingly crucial part of this sector. As a 4x4 that's really hard to victimise, the 4007 has a lot to be said for it. Let's just say it's fashionably late to the party.

TOP 2 4007 DEALS

The results below show the top 4007 deals on buyacar

	Peugeot 4007 2.2 HDi SE 5dr Off Road
	ETR	Mthly £425	Saving £820	Price £22,170
	Peugeot 4007 2.2 HDi GT 5dr Off Road
	ETR	Mthly £477	Saving £984	Price £24,706

typical 11.52% APR

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