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I’ve never been big on cars and I’ve always proudly proclaimed that if I ever won Lotto I probably wouldn’t even bother buying anything new and fancy.
Well, that has certainly changed… all it took was a few weeks driving the Peugeot 307cc and I was converted to the idea of owning a new car.
The Car: The Peugeot 307cc sure rates high on the sexy meter. Its sleek, sophisticated shape looks good when the top is up, but when you fold that puppy down it’s pure sex on a stick. With a 2 litre engine, this car was plenty grunty enough for me (I do drive a little 1500cc lawnmower, though!). With the top down you can expect to turn plenty of heads, I even had one woman in the next door lane having such a big gawk she missed her green light.
The Bells & Whistles: Well, obviously the biggest feature of this car is the fold down roof. I’ve always wanted to drive a convertible and it’s every bit as thrilling as I hoped it would be. Almost as cool as having the roof folded down, is the watching the process happen. The boot opens up in reverse, the top folds back into it and the whole manoeuvre looks totally futuristic (and only takes 23 seconds!). I also love that the windscreen wipers turn on automatically when it starts to rain and that the front windscreen demister gets the glass crystal clear in seconds, no matter how condensated it is. Parking: The test of any car is how easy it is to manoeuvre into difficult parking spaces (especially in Auckland!). I only recently gained the ability to parallel park, but I had no problems getting this baby into a tight space on the main street of Devonport (I was so proud of myself I even took a photo!). Word of warning: If you’re parking with the top down, you may have to deal with hecklers from nearby cafes commenting loudly on your parking skills… how rude!
Driving: This car delivers one smooth ride. The seats are ultra-comfy so even if you’re stuck in bumper to bumper traffic your body is so cushioned it’s hard to care. The pedals respond to the slightest tap, the steering is responsive without feeling too light and the shape of the car doesn’t mean you have that low to the ground feel I associate with convertibles, in fact the seating feels slightly more elevated than your standard car. It’s a comfortable ride in rush hour motorway traffic and a totally fun drive when you get out on the open road. The tiptronic feature means you can also enjoy the benefits of a manual (for those not in the know, like I was, tiptronic is a feature that lets you switch the car into manual drive).
Space: Given this car is a sporty looking convertible I wasn’t expecting more than token room in the backseat and limited boot space, but I was definitely proved wrong on that front. I managed to get two friends comfortably in the back (they are among my shorter friends, but still!) and there was enough room in the boot for two couples’ worth of picnic gear (and we like to eat… a lot). I gave the car the grocery shopping test as well and my sizeable week’s worth of food took up less than half the boot space.
The Downsides: I’m struggling to find any, but my biggest issue with this car was the cup holders. Located by the handbrake, the space allocated is not enough for your standard takeout coffee cup, in fact the only thing it’s good for is a can of Red Bull. It might sound like a small thing, but cup holders are about number three on my list of car essentials (only behind a CD player and air conditioning… it really is the little things for me!) and my boyfriend didn’t much enjoy being my coffee holding bitch on the way to work every day! The Price: Prices for this car start at $53,990 (plus on road costs) and it comes with a free three year service plan.
The Verdict… When I got back into my trusty old hatchback after my Peugeot experience I felt like I was driving a dungy old scooter. If I had the cash right now, I’d definitely be buying a 307cc, it’s the perfect car for a girl like me!
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proclaimed that if I ever won Lotto I probably wouldn’t even bother buying anything new and fancy.
The Car: The Peugeot 307cc sure rates high on the sexy meter. Its sleek, sophisticated shape looks good when the top is up, but when you fold that puppy down it’s pure sex on a stick. With a 2 litre engine, this car was plenty grunty enough for me (I do drive a little 1500cc lawnmower, though!). With the top down you can expect to turn plenty of heads, I even had one woman in the next door lane having such a big gawk she missed her green light.
Space: Given this car is a sporty looking convertible I wasn’t expecting more than token room in the backseat and limited boot space, but I was definitely proved wrong on that front. I managed to get two friends comfortably in the back (they are among my shorter friends, but still!) and there was enough room in the boot for two couples’ worth of picnic gear (and we like to eat… a lot). I gave the car the grocery shopping test as well and my sizeable week’s worth of food took up less than half the boot space.