Peugeot RCZ 1.6 THP 156 CV, road test (part I)

One of the most beautiful and sporty cats from the lion brand has passed through our hands: the Peugeot RCZ, the first to debut a new naming scheme without the traditional numbers, for a very distinctive model with which Peugeot enters the sports coupé segment with a design that leaves no one indifferent, because the RCZ exudes personality.

The target is clear: the Audi TT, and the German car may face tough competition in the market, since the Peugeot RCZ comes well armed and also has the advantage of being a new model, while the Audi TT already has several years behind it. But will the RCZ be able to measure up to the TT? We wanted to find out, and to do so we got behind the wheel of the RCZ fitted with the 156 CV 1.6 THP petrol engine, a good choice if we don’t like diesels and want an engine that responds.

Engine and performance

The Peugeot RCZ is available with three engines: a 163 CV diesel and two THP petrol units with 156 and 200 CV. Without a doubt the most rational, especially in terms of performance and consumption, is the HDI, and the most radical is the 200 CV, which leaves us with the 156 CV THP as an option for those who don’t want a diesel engine and are looking for something more balanced in the petrol range.

Turbo High Pressure (THP) is the acronym of the engine developed by PSA in collaboration with BMW, an engine that stands out for its small displacement (1,598 cc) and high output of between 156 and 200 CV. To achieve this performance the engineers have turned to a twin-scroll turbocharger, so it is as if we had two small turbos complementing each other and giving us this power from such a small displacement.

In practice this translates into a very high-performing engine that moves the Peugeot RCZ with ease, from just over 1,500 rpm the engine begins to respond progressively, pushing the RCZ along. It is an engine that is very usable from low revs across a wide band up to beyond 6,000 rpm (where it delivers its maximum power). An example of this is its maximum torque of 240 Nm, available between 1,400 and 4,500 rpm, which makes the RCZ a very agile car that responds in almost any rev range.

This engine can be paired with a six-speed manual gearbox or an automatic; in our case we tested it with the six-speed manual gearbox, which has well-chosen ratios, and thanks to the sixth gear we can achieve quite low consumption on the motorway. The gearbox also stands out for its precision and feel.

Handling

The truth is that we liked the engine, but where the RCZ stands out most is in its handling. As soon as we left Peugeot España we were only able to test the RCZ on the motorway, but the lion was already showing its qualities with a rather stiff suspension setup, and during the motorway journey back to Galicia we saw that the RCZ was also a comfortable car for travelling, without its suspension taking an excessive toll because of its firmness.

But the RCZ had to be tested in conditions where we could judge it as well as possible, so shortly before nightfall, with the car at the ideal temperature after driving on the motorway, we took it along a stretch where the Rallye Rias Baixas usually passes. These are predominantly rural roads with fast corners and quite a few changes of direction where we could see how our cat would behave.

Once behind the wheel it doesn’t disappoint: it tackles each corner without hesitation and stands out for its stability, helped in part by precise steering that is firm and helped keep the RCZ under control. Its agility when changing line and responding to our commands without any problems is also remarkable, its THP engine moves the 1,275 kg it weighs with ease, and with it it’s impossible not to have fun on twisty sections and somewhat more winding roads.

The brake setup, with discs all round (302×26 mm at the front and 290×12 mm at the rear), is up to the job of the package as a whole, although in some situations a bit more bite wouldn’t go amiss; even so they more than fulfil their purpose.

Consumption

I’m sure that many of you, on reading that we tested the petrol version, will be thinking it isn’t the best in terms of consumption, but this is where these new small-displacement turbo petrol engines are delivering. And the case of this 156 CV 1.6 THP is no exception, since we can enjoy a petrol engine without fearing exorbitant consumption.

On the motorway we achieved an average of 6.8 l/100 km at the legal speed, while on A-roads we can get around 7.5 l/100 km, it always depends on how careful we are with the gears and the accelerator, but it isn’t difficult to get around these figures on A-roads. Finally, in town, where it moves with great agility, we obtained an average consumption of close to 10 l/100 km.

The figures are not bad at all for a 156 CV petrol engine. In the second part of the road test, as usual, we will tell you about the design of this RCZ and its interior, practically a two-seater but with a surprising boot.

Photos | David Taboada and Test Team
(Thanks Pedro for your help with the action shots)