Peugeot 307 Estate 2002 - 2008

Big Peugeot estate cars have been around for many years.  They were among the first to offer anything like what we now recognise as a people carrier.  Their big 504 had three rows of seats and could seat seven comfortably.  The 307 estate offers modern families the room to transport an occasional seven (OK only with the SW model), in a regular sized car.  The 307 offers a decent sized boot and loads of versatility in the big estate car.

The Lion has become more refined in the years since their big estate cars ruled the local streets and the square, almost prefab lines have been replaced with lush curves and an almost porpoise styling.  They have managed to transport the solidity of their older models into the new designs but keep the styling fresh and the cars looking playful.  On the inside of the car there is good levels of room for your heads, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.  The seats are nicely shaped but could be more padded for really decent comfort levels. 

On the road there are three engines to choose from.  A petrol unit and two diesels.  All three are 1.6 litre and with the diesels there are two different levels of tune, 90 and 110 bhp.  The petrol engine is a reasonable performer but can feel a bit breathless on the motorway or if loaded down.  The diesels offer much better levels of grunt and power through the rev range.  They make a lot more sense of the large body that they have to drive around.  None of the engines can really be viewed as much of a performer really, with 0 – 60 times between 11 and 12.4 seconds.  The top speeds range from 108 and 113 mph, but these figures are largely irrelevant as you’re not going to buy a 307 estate car for it’s hot performance.  For the most part they just offer an unflustered performance that matches the easy handling.

The ride of is one aspect that Peugeot have really got nailed down.  There is little in the way of body roll and the steering is precise and focussed.  It could do with a little more feedback but for such a big car the steering is light ad easy.  Parking can be tricky as visibility isn’t the greatest, but the 307 is at least a safe car to drive.  The boot space is big, and if you've poted for the SW model there are the two extra seats in the back, which obviously use most of the boot space when they are employed.

The 307 estate car comes with something of that ‘does what it says on the tin’ approach, and you feel like you’re getting a bit extra for free.  It’s a big, useful car that offers driving pleasure beyond your expectation, not going to deliver too many thrills though.

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