Peugeot 207 SW

A slightly awkward styling exercise it may be, but the Peugeot 207 SW is nonetheless a deeply practical and affordable proposition. Its only real failing may just be that not many people actually want it.

• Comfort

  The 207 chassis is an OK one, and the SW body shape doesn't do much to alter this. The car soaks up the bumps admirably, and the diesel engines in particular are strong yet refined.

  

• Performance

  You're not going to buy the SW for thrills and spills, but it's nice to know that it still gets the job done with comparative ease. The 1.6-litre HDi diesel engines, with 112bhp on tap, is the ideal all rounder here.

  

• Cool

  Fill it with dogs or garlic or something, and get it dusty, dented and somewhere south of Paris, and you might have a case. Otherwise the 207 SW is just thoroughly mumsy.

  

• Quality

  Although it's not saying much, the 207 is a marked improvement in quality over the car it replaced. Posher plastics, bolder design and a general feeling that things are better stuck together pervades throughout the cabin. If that lasts or not we wouldn't like to say.

  

• Handling

  Although not quite as agile and involving as its regulation hatchback brethren, the 207 SW still makes for a relatively entertaining driving experience. Above all it feels calm and composed, which is far more important.

  

• Practicality

  With seats folded there an impressive 1,248 litres, so not bad.

  

• Running costs

  These HDi engines are clean and economical, which is good news for you and bad news for the taxman. They are also easy to insure, meaning this should be a very cheap car to run, if not to buy.