PEUGEOT 207 HATCHBACK SPECIAL EDITIONS 1.4 VTI SPORTIUM [95] 5DR

The revised 207 Sportium may not be the most exciting special edition ever to wear the Peugeot badge, but now offered with a wider range of engines and more kit it's better value than ever. Andy Enright reports.

PEUGEOT 207 HATCHBACK SPECIAL EDITIONS 1.4 VTI SPORTIUM [95] 5DR

If bargains were always easy to spot, you'd rarely feel that rosy glow of satisfaction at having scalped a real deal. Peugeot's 207 Sportium doesn't at first appear to grab your attention but if you like the idea of getting extras for nothing, it makes all kinds of sense.

PEUGEOT 207 HATCHBACK SPECIAL EDITIONS 1.4 VTI SPORTIUM [95] 5DR

The Peugeot 207 is a car that needs little in the way of introduction. Successor to that housewives' favourite, the 206, the bigger and bolder 207 is a superior vehicle in every quantifiable regard, offering massively superior build quality and a smoother ride. Peugeot's reward for building a better product? They're deposed from the No 1 slot for UK retail sales. Rather than wallow in a slough of despond at this situation, Peugeot is fighting back, hoping British buyers will cotton onto the 207's appeal.

Many special edition models have come and gone in an attempt to incentivise 207 sales and this model and this revised Sportium continues the theme. Like most special edition models it sticks to a tried and trusted formula, namely that of adding a bunch of equipment for only a very modest price markup.

PEUGEOT 207 HATCHBACK SPECIAL EDITIONS 1.4 VTI SPORTIUM [95] 5DR

Peugeot's second Sportium iteration expands the engine choice from two to four: two petrol units and two HDi diesels. Joining the existing 95bhp 1.4-litre VTi engine in the petrol line up is an 8-valve 1.4 with 75bhp while the 92bhp 1.6-litre HDi's new companion is a 1.4-litre HDi with 70bhp. All the engines are Euro 5 compatible but both HDi units boast CO2 emissions of 110 g/km, which means zero VED.

No sportier than before, then, just the option of going a little easier on the wallet and the environment. If you still crave maximum zing, though, the choice of either a VTi 95bhp petrol engine or Peugeot's HDi 92bhp diesel engine won't disappoint too severely. Performance is pretty leisurely, nonetheless; the petrol unit getting the 207 to 60mph in 12.1s with the diesel taking 12.7s.

All the engines put their power to the front wheels via a slightly flabby five-speed manual gearbox. But refinement and ride comfort are both 207 strong suits and once you've got used to the high seating position, you'll learn to trust the car's front end when pushing hard through corners. Visibility out of the car isn't helped by thick windscreen and C-pillars but the steering is accurate and the brakes reassuringly firm and positive. With the modest power output on offer, you'll derive real satisfaction from preserving momentum on twisty roads by leaning on the 207's excellent grip levels.

PEUGEOT 207 HATCHBACK SPECIAL EDITIONS 1.4 VTI SPORTIUM [95] 5DR

The 207 represented a big improvement over the old 206 supermini in terms of perceived quality and the latest models such as this Sportium further distance themselves from the days of hard grey plastics and brittle-feeling minor controls. The materials in the cabin look and feel sturdy with no obvious flaws the way they all fit together. Rear legroom is not as good as in some rivals, although some compensation is offered by the 310-litre boot capacity. The dashboard is festooned with quite a lot of small buttons - a look Peugeot's newer designs seem to be moving away from - which makes the centre console appear quite fussy.

Although the exterior styling isn't as cheeky as that of the old 206, the 207 is a more mature and expensive looking vehicle. For the uninitiated, the 207's main distinguishing features are those elongated headlamps that stretch back from the nose into the front wings and the huge grinning grille below, its teeth braced by a dark central bumper. Marking out this Sportium edition from the other 207s are a set of alloy wheels, measuring 16-inch on the petrol car or 17-inch for the diesel. It's amazing the difference an inch can make, as the petrol-engined car's fatter tyres give it a far less 'planted' stance compared to the diesel. The glasshouse at the rear of the Sportium edition is also tinted with privacy glass.

PEUGEOT 207 HATCHBACK SPECIAL EDITIONS 1.4 VTI SPORTIUM [95] 5DR

As well as being offered the choice of diesel or petrol powerplants, customers will also need to decide whether they want the three-door or the five-door version. Naturally this decision will hinge largely upon how often the rear seats are going to be used, but the three-door car looks so much sleeker than the five-door that I don't know whether my sense of responsibility would win out over vanity. The Sportium badge brings with it power steering, six airbags, remote control central locking with deadlocks, electric front windows - 'one touch' for the driver, reach and rake adjustable steering, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution and electronic brake assist and a trip computer. I'll take a breather before carrying on. Electrically operated and heated door mirrors, manual air-conditioning, front fog lights, a chrome effect finish to the front grille, a Sportium interior pack, a rear parking aid, colour-coded body side mouldings (including rear bumper) and, as part of the revised Sportium goodie package, a Clarion Multi-media unit with 6.2-inch touch screen which is capable of DVD and video playback when the vehicle is stationary and packs in European 3D Sat Nav and integral Parrot Bluetooth

The 207 has always been a keenly priced hatch and the Sportium brings that tall stack of kit to market at prices which start from just £12,095 for the lower-powered three door petrol car. Top of the Sportium line up is the £14,395 five-door diesel although it's worth trying to twist the arm of your Peugeot dealer for a discount.

PEUGEOT 207 HATCHBACK SPECIAL EDITIONS 1.4 VTI SPORTIUM [95] 5DR

There aren't too many cars that can do the business as single vehicle family transport and still undercut the Peugeot 207's cost of ownership figures. It's a joyously inexpensive car to run and the Sportium, with its selection of two of the most frugal engines in the Peugeot range, is no exception. The combined fuel consumption of the 207 Sportium HDi 70 at 67.3 mpg, combined with zero road fund licence costs will be a welcome tonic for cash-strapped families. But it's worth doing the sums to see whether the 92bhp petrol-engined model works out the more cost-effective buy. It'll still manage 48.7mpg and emit just 135g/km of carbon dioxide. If you're a low mileage driver looking to keep the car for two or three years, it may well be the smarter choice.

As with all standard 207 models, insurance is extremely modest and spares are priced at the decent end of reasonable, and 20,000 mile service intervals aren't common in this corner of the market. Whereas the old 206 suffered from oversupply and a patchy reliability record which, in turn, dented its used values, the 207 is faring far better in this respect and the Sportium's added kit should be a sweetener come trade-in time.

PEUGEOT 207 HATCHBACK SPECIAL EDITIONS 1.4 VTI SPORTIUM [95] 5DR

It's impossible to dress the Peugeot 207 Sportium as anything that it's not. It's nothing revolutionary but the promise of added equipment which includes a multimedia touchscreen, satellite navigation and alloy wheels on top of what is a very competent and affordable supermini is nevertheless an appealing one. The four engines offered with the Sportium badge are of more interest to those looking to keep a cap on day-to-day running costs than living-up to any sporty pretensions but, aside from the misleading name, this 207 is an honest contender.

Yes, there are newer and more attention-seeking rivals out there but the 207 remains a class act and one that enjoys far better build quality and driving characteristics than its mystifyingly popular predecessor, the 206. Special edition models are often the last resort of a manufacturer trying to shift a tired model. The 207 is anything but and if you recognise a bargain, the Sportium could well pique your interest.