Peugeot 607

Road test

It doesn't matter what I write here because if I said this was the best car ever made you wouldn't buy it. French executive cars just don't sell in this country, whatever their specification, engine, transmission, badge or price.

Of course the 607 isn't the best car ever made, but you can tell that the folks who designed it have tried incredibly hard to make it appealing. Early cars were renowned for having a suspension set up that was crap to say the least, but the example I drove was fine, although not class-leading.

Probably the thing that separates the 607 from its competitors is its lack of familiarity. Few people ignore it and many people comment on how sleek it looks - beautiful even in the eyes of a couple of passers by. I think that's overstating it somewhat but there's no denying it's distinctive.

Inside it's also fairly innovative, with a clearly laid out dash that's very easy to use although the instruments aren't very easy to read once you're working by artificial light. The needles disappear into the background, which is surely a rather basic oversight on any car.

But the big screen that displays info for the stereo, sat nav and trip computer is very easy to use, with the climate control especially user-friendly. The sat-nav works pretty well but it's infuriatingly slow when it has to recalculate on the move - in a busy city centre you end up gambling on which turning to take because you missed one and it's trying to work out how to get you back on track.

There are quite a few neat touches like the automatic lights and wipers and the door-mounted mirrors which automatically fold inwards when you lock the car. So it's a shame that there's hardly any adjustment in them when you're trying to use them to look behind you.

But getting comfy is easy, with a reach/rake adjustable steering wheel and seats that adjust in every plane. The chunky steering wheel is nice and the brakes are excellent, but a lack of cubbyholes around the cabin is a bit of a pain.

Performance from the 2.2-litre turbodiesel is fine - you're not going to win many traffic light grands prix but there's enough oomph for everyday use. Of course if you want performance you can always buy the V6 petrol version, but then you won't be able to squeeze 40mpg out of it...

So do you buy a 607 or not? If you opt for the diesel it's definitely worth a look. But the problem for most potential buyers is what it'll be worth when you come to sell it. Residuals have never been the strong point of French execs, and there's nothing at the moment to suggest that it'll be any different for the 607.

Richard Dredge