Engine / Performance:

The 1.6 diesel we went for this time is another Peugeot unit, and is even smoother than the last 1.4.

The car feels quicker than the 0-62mph time may suggest, and the anxiety over pace has all but diminished.   The initial ‘dead spot’ from stationary remains,  but that torque figure/light weight means that pick–up goes from acceptable to being quite fun.

On the motorway, it’s the same story; the distance required for overtaking has dramatically reduced.

Any roll-on performance in between however is the most noticeable aspect! This car has enough shove to make you smile. The turbo still kicks in early, and when it does you get a very satisfying shove back into the seat.

I wouldn’t get carried away with “its got more torque than the ST” statements though – I think that might be pushing it.

Being a diesel it’ll still run out of puff quite quickly and start making quite a racket above 3000rpm, so that shove still won’t last long – but at least there’s now an actual pay off by this point;   the engine avoids feeling lethargic the more loaded it gets too.

52 mpg was easily achievable; the upgrade in performance was reflected in the increase in mpg difference (50 – 55mpg), but that’s expected.

Driving / NVH:

The ride is marginally better on the smaller tyres, but not on a level enough to be an influencing factor. This applies to road noise too.

Predictably, traction was overcome in the wet a couple of times due to both the smaller wheels and increased torque. Whether the TC/ESP decided to kick in or not was another thing!

Apart from 1st Gear being a bit difficult to select on cold starts, the only other aspect we picked up this time round was from its handling characteristics at the rear – succumbing to mid corner bumps at larger roundabouts.   It was never unnerving, just an observation that hadn’t happened previously.

Spec: Zetec Climate 2007MY
Engine: 1.6 TDCI, 90bhp (@ 4000), 150lb ft (@ 1750)
Transmission: 5 Speed Manual
Mpg: Official: 62.8mpg Achieved: 52mpg
Performance: 0-62mph: 11.2 Secs, 112mph
Colour: Tango Red
Running Period: Autumn - Winter 2007, 6000 Miles 
Options: : Bluetooth/Voice Control, ESP, Reflex Pack (Side/Curtain Airbags & Centre Head Restraint), Perimeter Alarm, Privacy Glass, Rear Parking Sensors, Technology Pack (Auto-Lights/Wipers, Stereo Remote Controls, Folding Door Mirrors & Second Remote Key)

*Pictures captioned above – Sourced for reference only from AutoTrader*