Yuppie guppie

It’s very easy to get out of one of the bigger and flashier test cars that us hacks have become accustomed to and feel a little, well, short changed.

That’s why, in the interests of actually doing my job properly, I make a serious mental effort to understand exactly what a car’s intended purpose is and how it compares with its natural rivals. That can be problematic sometimes, when I know that the competitors offer higher standards in certain areas, but we’ll get to that later.

For now I’ll simply kick things off by trying to slot this fish into its correct pond – and in that case I think it’s safe to call it a Guppie. The Peugeot 107, which shares most of its bits and pieces with the Citroen C1 and the still-under-consideration Toyota Aygo, is a small and cost-effective city car made primarily for getting to work and back as efficiently as possible.

Though it’s well made, and extravagantly equipped, the cost-cutting procedures on this car are quite clear. From the exposed painted metal door innards to the small, faintly-bolstered front seats, hard interior plastics to rear windows that only open partially on a latch – its low-budget virtues become clear. It doesn’t even have a glove box, although there are plenty of spacious, but exposed, stashing racks and bins on the dashboard.

Our tester was the range-topping X-Line with all the bells and whistles. You can tick off air conditioning, power steering, remote central locking, front electric windows, a sound system – even the safety aspect is well sorted with ABS brakes and 4 airbags serving the front occupants from the front and side. It is extremely well equipped for a car costing R103 900.

Problem is, this car swims in waters occupied by the likes of Hyundai’s Getz 1.4 and Daihatsu Sirion 1.3, of which both are decently equipped, if you ignore the Korean’s lack of safety items. Not only are the aforementioned Orientals somewhat bigger and more substantial in appearance, but they’re also better to drive in most respects. While the 107 makes do with a 3-cylinder 1-litre engine, the others have powerful 1.3 and 1.4 16-valve motivation and it certainly shows when delving into the performance data.

The Pug’s engine is not a bad one in its own right – sourced from Toyota and shared with the Yaris T1, it’s a modern and unit and thanks to its odd cylinder layout, has a nice rorty sound to it. But at highveld altitudes it really needs to be worked hard if you’re to make any brisk progress.

As a driver’s car, we also felt the little Peugeot fell short when it came to ride and handling. The ride, while acceptable for a cheap car, is on the firm side and that doesn’t exactly equate to pin-sharp road holding either. Though it seemed more than safe enough for emergency maneuvers on our track lap at Kyalami, there was substantial body roll and the steering felt on the vague side, although it is light enough for easy maneuverability at parking speeds.

This Peugeot’s trump card is its brand appeal, which combined with its borderline-eccentric, funky styling, should make it a hit with those that wear skirts. But if you’re looking for the most complete package in this class, there are more substantial cars at this price level.