Under the skin
There’s more to this Peugeot than meets the eye. Psst! I will let you in on a secret. Peugeot’s first ever off-road offering hides a Mitsubishi beneath its skin. The 4007 is the product of a deal between Peugeot and the Japanese car maker, one that has also spawned Citroen’s C-Crosser. If you look closely, you can spot the lines of Mitsubishi’s compact Outlander wagon in the profile. But after driving the 4007 extensively we can report the two are very different vehicles in character and will appeal to different buyers.
The 4007 is Peugeot’s belated response to the exponential growth that has occurred in recent years in the market for all-terrain vehicles and SUVs. Without getting into the fine detail, apart from the obvious cosmetic changes, the engine is from Peugeot and so are the transmission and suspension set-up. The rest, even the instrumentation, is pure Mitsubishi. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. With no all-wheel drive platform of its own, the company decided to speed things along with one from Mitsubishi.
French compatriot Renault has done exactly the same thing with its Koleos off-roader, which hides a Nissan X-Trail. Mitsubishi has plenty of expertise in this area and the Outlander was not a bad place to start, as it is one of the more competent compact SUVs. As well as being its first off-roader, the 4007 is also Peugeot’s first model to introduce the new double-clutch DCS robotised manual transmission. It’s a Getrag box and essentially the same as that offered by Ford and Volvo under different names. The entry level ST model, however, is fitted with a Japanese Aisin six-speed manual.
Peugeot is famous for its diesels and the 4007 does not disappoint, with a 2.2-litre HDi unit that delivers 115kW of power and a healthy 380Nm of torque. The same engine has been seen previously in the 407 Coupe. The fuel economy is rated at 7.3 litres/100km and it generates 191 grams of CO2 per kilometre (we were getting 8.6). Our test vehicle was the top of the range, seven-seat SV model priced from just over $50,000. For about the same money you can get a VRX Outlander with all the bells and whistles, but it won’t come with a diesel.
While the 4007 is described as an off-roader, it’s what we call a soft roader because it doesn’t have low range. This means its off-road ability is limited. Like the shell and interior, the part-time all-wheel drive system is a lift from Mitsubishi, with a sensor that directs drive to the rear wheels as required. Alternatively, it can be locked into two- or four-wheel drive, the latter dividing drive equally between the front and rear wheels.
Suspension is one of Peugeot’s other fortes and we were impressed with the way this vehicle rides and handles. On the road the 4007 is smooth, comfortable and responsive, but at times the noise from the diesel can intrude. The six-speed DCS box is a good match for the diesel, but there can be some initial hesitation when taking off, so be cautious making quick right hand turns.
Off road it’s surprisingly agile, with plenty of grip, but with only 176mm of ground clearance you need to choose your path carefully. As the top-of-the-range model the SV is well equipped, with a full complement of safety gear and some nice touches such as heated front seats and second row seats that fold at the touch of a button. But we couldn’t find an iPod input and Bluetooth remains optional.
PEUGEOT 4007 SV HDi
Fuel consumption 7.3 litres per 100km
Dealers A Cullen and Son, Nambour, 5441 9000
Story: Chris Riley, weekender Issue 632, June 24th 2010.
There’s more to this Peugeot than meets the eye. Psst! I will let you in on a secret. Peugeot’s first ever off-road offering hides a Mitsubishi beneath its skin. The 4007 is the product of a deal between Peugeot and the Japanese car maker, one that has also spawned Citroen’s C-Crosser. If you look closely, you can spot the lines of Mitsubishi’s compact Outlander wagon in the profile. But after driving the 4007 extensively we can report the two are very different vehicles in character and will appeal to different buyers.
The 4007 is Peugeot’s belated response to the exponential growth that has occurred in recent years in the market for all-terrain vehicles and SUVs. Without getting into the fine detail, apart from the obvious cosmetic changes, the engine is from Peugeot and so are the transmission and suspension set-up. The rest, even the instrumentation, is pure Mitsubishi. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. With no all-wheel drive platform of its own, the company decided to speed things along with one from Mitsubishi.
French compatriot Renault has done exactly the same thing with its Koleos off-roader, which hides a Nissan X-Trail. Mitsubishi has plenty of expertise in this area and the Outlander was not a bad place to start, as it is one of the more competent compact SUVs. As well as being its first off-roader, the 4007 is also Peugeot’s first model to introduce the new double-clutch DCS robotised manual transmission. It’s a Getrag box and essentially the same as that offered by Ford and Volvo under different names. The entry level ST model, however, is fitted with a Japanese Aisin six-speed manual.
Peugeot is famous for its diesels and the 4007 does not disappoint, with a 2.2-litre HDi unit that delivers 115kW of power and a healthy 380Nm of torque. The same engine has been seen previously in the 407 Coupe. The fuel economy is rated at 7.3 litres/100km and it generates 191 grams of CO2 per kilometre (we were getting 8.6). Our test vehicle was the top of the range, seven-seat SV model priced from just over $50,000. For about the same money you can get a VRX Outlander with all the bells and whistles, but it won’t come with a diesel.
While the 4007 is described as an off-roader, it’s what we call a soft roader because it doesn’t have low range. This means its off-road ability is limited. Like the shell and interior, the part-time all-wheel drive system is a lift from Mitsubishi, with a sensor that directs drive to the rear wheels as required. Alternatively, it can be locked into two- or four-wheel drive, the latter dividing drive equally between the front and rear wheels.
Suspension is one of Peugeot’s other fortes and we were impressed with the way this vehicle rides and handles. On the road the 4007 is smooth, comfortable and responsive, but at times the noise from the diesel can intrude. The six-speed DCS box is a good match for the diesel, but there can be some initial hesitation when taking off, so be cautious making quick right hand turns.
Off road it’s surprisingly agile, with plenty of grip, but with only 176mm of ground clearance you need to choose your path carefully. As the top-of-the-range model the SV is well equipped, with a full complement of safety gear and some nice touches such as heated front seats and second row seats that fold at the touch of a button. But we couldn’t find an iPod input and Bluetooth remains optional.
PEUGEOT 4007 SV HDi
Fuel consumption 7.3 litres per 100km
Dealers A Cullen and Son, Nambour, 5441 9000
Story: Chris Riley, weekender Issue 632, June 24th 2010.
