Peugeot 607 2.7 V6 HDi 204 CV, road test (Part III)

We are continuing with the Peugeot 607 road test, a saloon fitted with the 2.7 V6 HDi engine with 204 CV. We already talked about the engine and the handling of this executive saloon in the first part of the road test. In the second part we saw how a government minister travels, since the 607 has a spacious interior and is frequently used as an official car by various authorities.

But perhaps the most interesting thing about the Peugeot 607 is the price, and the comprehensive equipment it comes with as standard. As I mentioned at the start of the road test, this model is about to disappear to make way for the Peugeot 508 (which we will see in Paris), besides being an already veteran model. And that translates into the fact that it has an attractive starting price, which makes it a saloon worth considering if we are looking for space and good finish quality.

In this third part we will look at the price, equipment and the photo gallery of the model, where we thank the Parador de Tui (Galicia) for its cooperation in allowing us to use its premises for the photographs.

Equipment

As usual we start with the equipment, which in the case of the 607 is very comprehensive. For 34,144 euros we can get a 607 with the 2.0 HDi engine with 136 CV and with all the equipment as standard; we would only have two extras, the electric sunroof and the 17″ alloy wheels. So let’s go through the standard equipment, starting with safety, since the 607 comes well equipped in this respect, with ESP, dual airbags, curtain airbags, and front and rear side airbags (8 airbags in total).

We are therefore talking about a safe car, with a good arsenal of safety equipment, and in the famous Euro NCAP tests it obtained four stars (2002), because it lacked a knee airbag, which would surely have improved the results.

If we move on to the rest of the equipment, as standard we get leather upholstery, xenon headlights, heated front and rear seats (a real comfort feature for the rear-seat occupants), and even the rear curtain is electric to protect those travelling in the rear seats from the sun.

Another standard feature, and a very welcome one, is the parking sensors, both front and rear, which work very well, displaying the data on the navigation system screen and making parking manoeuvres or squeezing through narrow spots much easier. We also have the help of the door mirrors: if we select one and engage reverse, they tilt down to give better visibility when parking.

The navigation system is the one known as RT5, which includes Bluetooth for the phone (and the possibility of inserting our SIM card), a USB socket, an MP3 reader, a hard drive and 8 speakers that deliver excellent sound inside the cabin, so you can travel in complete comfort. The biggest drawback of the system is how it operates: too many buttons, and to see the average or instantaneous consumption we have to have the TRIP key on screen, which prevents us from seeing the navigation system, for example.

Another area for improvement is that the 607 has a good dual-zone climate control but no air vents for the rear seats, something very necessary and helpful for cooling a vehicle of that size. In general the equipment is easy to use, apart from a few details of the navigation system.

Prices (according to the Peugeot website)

The Peugeot 607 fitted with the 2.0 HDi engine with 136 CV starts at 34,144 euros (with a promotion of almost 9,000 euros off the price) with comprehensive equipment and only the sunroof (888 euros) and the 17″ alloy wheels as options (the wheels at no cost).

The 607 fitted with the 2.7 V6 HDi engine with 204 CV costs 42,287 euros (with a discount of more than 10,000 euros) and with the standard equipment we have already seen.

Overall assessment

With its previous starting price it was a cheaper alternative to a premium brand as an executive car, but even so the price was somewhat high. With the current price, for 42,287 euros getting a saloon of almost 5 metres, with great interior space, comprehensive equipment and above all a good V6 diesel engine (which, despite being a veteran, still gives a good account of itself) is a good alternative for those who want a spacious saloon and cannot or do not want to go for a premium brand, which would push the bill up considerably if we were looking for one with the same equipment and size among the premium makes.

As a veteran vehicle, it has its gaps in equipment, the engine is not as efficient as it should be and even its design may not appeal to everyone, as its classic lines have to be to your taste, but there is no doubt about the presence of the 607 as an executive saloon, or about its good interior finish.

We have few alternatives in the market, the direct rival being the Skoda Superb, but apart from the Czech car we have to go to a premium brand to find an engine like this or as much interior space. As well as a company or official vehicle, I have seen it used as a taxi, and I think it is still an interesting vehicle for this service because of its size and cost.

When a model’s commercial life comes to an end, it is always good to keep an eye on it because, as happens with the Peugeot 607, we can get a good car at a lower price.

We also leave you the video of the Peugeot 607 road test:

Thanks to the Parador de Tui (Galicia) for the photos taken on its premises.

Photos | David Taboada