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The Peugeot 4007 was the car maker’s first attempt at producing a crossover SUV and was the product of a joint venture with Citroën and Mitsubishi

The Peugeot 4007 is the car maker’s first attempt at producing a crossover SUV, and the final model to come from PSA's joint venture with Mitsubishi. It is virtually identical to the Mitsubishi Outlander and Citroën C-Crosser, so it will come as no surprise to know this quasi-off-road litter is rather similar to the others.

Only one engine option is available – the same 2.2 HDi unit that also features in the C-Crosser. The four-cylinder diesel engine produces 156bhp at 4000rpm and 285lb ft of torque at 2000rpm, and is mated to a six-speed manual or automatic box. Claimed combined economy is 40.4mpg for the manual and 38.7mpg for the auto, with CO2 emissions rated at 185 and 189g/km respectively. All versions come with four-wheel drive.

Against the cheaper - and more attractive - Outlander, the 4007 is more of a novelty purchase

Trim levels are as simple to grasp as the engine and gearbox options. The base SE model makes most sense if you can live without leather and 18-inch alloys, yet it still offers luxuries such as cruise and climate control. Higher-spec GT trim comes with the leather and those larger-diameter wheels, plus rear parking sensors and Bluetooth connectivity as standard. Whichever trim level you choose, your 4007 will come with seating for seven. 

Get past the slightly startled-looking wide-mouth grille and garish chrome trimming and roof bars and the 4007 really isn’t that bad. Better, in fact than the more expensive Outlander. Peugeot’s 2.2-litre HDi unit is both more refined and more powerful than Mitsubishi’s VW-sourced 2.0-litre diesel, and is also a reasonable justification for the 4007's higher price.

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A wide band of torque gives the 4007 good low-end acceleration and mid-range overtaking ability, provided you’re willing to work the six-speed manual gearbox.

Ride quality, at least on the SE model’s 17-inch rims, is equally suitable for all manner of urban and suburban terrain, benefiting from enough body control to minimise the wallow that characterises some off-roaders, while still eliminating the majority of disturbances in the road’s surface. Even the steering is responsive and well weighted, and while ultimately it lacks the sparkle that would define the car as an engaging driver’s tool (albeit one in an off-road dress) it makes the 4007 an unexpectedly absorbing drive.

The interior will satisfy anyone looking for a reasonably upmarket environment with a good price. The surfaces are tactile, and the cabin is spacious and feels solidly put together, with the exception of the clever but flimsy and uncomfortable pair of seats that fold up out of the flat load bay. 

The second row of seats can also be folded flat simply by pressing a button in the boot area – plus the split rear boot lid allows for easy access to what amounts to a vast load bay. With all seven seats in use boot space is just 184 litres, but this expands to a cavernous 1686 litres should you need it.

This, together with a reasonable standard specification, gives the 4007 a solid feel and useful versatility that should satisfy most people buying in this market.

Providing, that is, that they have a fascination for chrome grilles and bad residuals. The 4007's likeable dynamics and interior packaging certainly have appeal, but unfortunately for Peugeot, the cheaper Outlander offers much of the same versatility and appeal for considerably less outlay. At that point, the high-priced 4007 will be rendered closer to a novelty purchase than a reasonable ownership prospect.