Enduring features

Five years on, it continues to rival other newer European models on the showroom floors.

The Peugeot 407 might have been around for five years, but it still offers looks that are as eye-catching as they were when the model first arrived in New Zealand.

Some cars out there are better looking these days, including its first cousin, the Citroen C5, but the 407 still looks smart, which is why a midlife facelift this year hasn't involved many exterior changes.

The nose is a bit different, which has made the vehicle a little longer than before, and there are other minor changes, but that lovely swoopy styling with the long nose and feline-shaped headlights remains.

The interior is also pretty much the same, apart from some changes to trim levels, dials and the seating.

The most notable difference between the old and the new involves the wagon version, called SW, that now has an almost-full-length sunroof with an electric blind, which covers no less than 1.6 square metres of roof.

That's great, but once again, this change hasn't been so dramatic as to stop the Peugeot 407 from being instantly recognisable as the model that has been around for quite a few years. That speaks volumes about the design quality achieved by Peugeot in the first place.

The single outstanding model in the 407 SW range is the 2.7-litre turbocharged diesel. While the 2.0-litre turbodiesel is pretty good too, this larger-engined wagon offers a magnificent combination of power and especially torque. It's all mated to a six-speed automatic with Tiptronic manual over-ride, and "sport" and "snow" functions that change the gearshift protocols.

This engine offers 150 kilowatts of power and, more importantly, it also has 440 newton metres of torque at a low 1900rpm. This allows the vehicle to scoot to 100kmh in less than nine seconds, and on to a top speed of 226kmh.

A traditional excellent point with the 407 has been its suspension system, which is one of the most advanced in its class, comprising double wishbones in the front and a five-point multilink setup at the rear with angled shock absorbers.

Although the ride feels relatively soft, it doesn't take long to realise that the handling is beautifully secure. For this facelift, some minor changes have been made to the rear suspension in the interests of better handling prowess, and the 18-inch wheels fitted to the 2.7-litre model (the 2.0-litre version has 17-inch wheels) help a lot.

There is one criticism. The front seats aren't quite supportive enough for its performance and handling prowess. They're nice, and they're heated, but they don't have quite enough lateral support.

But that's a fairly minor criticism. Overall, the Peugeot 407 SW continues to appeal as a highly capable wagon, with a high level of appointment and luxury. Five years on, it continues to rival other newer European models on the showroom floors.

- © Fairfax NZ News