FIRSTDRIVE:PEUGEOT RCZ: RIGHT, LET'S get the Audi TT thing out of the way first, because it is the elephant in the room and we would rather deal with it now. Yes, the Peugeot RCZ looks quite a lot like the Audi TT. Not so much that Peugeot is likely to end up in a court for copyright infringement, but the similarities are clear to anyone other than the legally blind, writes PADDY COMYN
But for Peugeot, suddenly to be mentioned in the same breath as Audi is in itself something of an achievement. The RCZ is a very pretty car in the metal from every angle, from the low-slung bonnet to the “double-bubble” roof, echoing the design of the LeMans car.
We’ve had good new metal from the French brand of late. Both the 3008 and 5008 are considered best in their respective classes and they have shown intent on raising their game even further with some of their concepts, such as the recently revealed Aston Martin lookalike, the SR1. Peugeot has had mixed success with the coupé format in the past, although it has had considerably more success with performance hot hatch models. So it has sporty pedigree, if not quite sports car’s.
And, as previous owners of sports cars from mainstream brands will attest, such ego-building exercises by car executives often hold out great promise on the drawing board, but deliver far less on the road. Then there is the fact that sports cars are meant to have pinpoint accurate handling. While Peugeot’s current crop, like the 308, are comfortable and frugal, nobody would ever accuse them of being exhilirating to drive.
So, we really didn’t anticipate our rendezvous with the RCZ with too much excitement. A cheap TT knock-off with lazy steering and a bouncy ride was what we feared. We were prepared to be disappointed.
The line-up for the RCZ is pretty simple in Ireland and it echoes the way our market has gone. There is a 2.0-litre HDi diesel engine that is likely to get all the attention since we are now so hung up on diesel these days.
Peugeot says it will account for 80 per cent of the sales because it has band B emissions and with 163bhp it isn’t short on power either. That is the model that will arrive first too, in August. There will also be a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine powered by that much-maligned fuel, petrol. This unit puts out 200bhp but despite being petrol and despite being potent, the emissions won’t break the eco bank. At 159g/km it is still only band D so it will cost you €291 more to tax each year. Peugeot isn’t releasing prices just yet, but €35,000 is its target with little or no major difference between the price of the petrol or diesel when it comes to the sticker on the window.
So, with this in mind, we wrestled for the keys of the diesel, clear in our minds that the petrol would be largely irrelevant and probably not worth worrying about. Hold on though. We’ve set out in the diesel and my colleague, a spirited driver is shouting something about steering and handling and judging by the rate we are covering ground I can tell he is rather pleased.
And after we swap I see he is right. The steering feels pin sharp, responsive and the driving position is superb. This wasn’t in the script. You can push this car on and it doesn’t flinch. There is no all-wheel drive here, yet the grip is outstanding. But, the gearing in the diesel doesn’t allow you to push it that hard. Third gear runs out of puff and if you drop to second you hit the rev limiter. You can drive firm, but not hard. And this will suit most buyers and perhaps those who want to cruise along. Or, you could buy the petrol.
Swapping into the petrol model felt like the car had been an asthmatic recently blasted with an inhaler. It growled properly on start-up and it goes. With a 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds it’s not much faster on paper than the 8.2 seconds it takes the diesel to cover the same ground, but it revs higher, hangs on to a gear longer and feels so much more like a sports car.
As a diesel, the RCZ is a very pretty and competent coupé, but as a petrol it is a very pretty and competent hot hatch in a coupé shell. Buyers can make up their mind accordingly on what they want from their car. In either engine guise it copes superbly with bumps, thanks to a very forgiving set-up, and even on the 19” wheels fitted to our test cars. The interior is nice, with some elements familiar from the 3008. Yet again, Peugeot has really impressed us with what they can do when they put their mind to it.
Ultimately, the highest praise we can offer is that it not only competes with the Audi for looks but it drives better than a TT, with better steering feel.
There is another VW Group competitor that will really be its main rival, however. Of the 125 Volkswagen Sciroccos sold this year, 65 per cent of them are petrol powered. That is probably because the entry-level Scirocco costs €25,000, ten thousand less than the RCZ is likely to be, but with 122bhp, the 1.4 TSi Bluemotion won’t exactly blow your socks off. But, if you can pay more for the Scirocco, then VW will offer you a diesel with 170bhp and a petrol with 210bhp, more than a match for Peugeot’s RCZ offerings. Is the Peugeot a better looking car? That is subjective. Is the Peugeot a better car to drive? We think so.
So can you sensibly spend €35,000 on a Peugeot? The track record of mainstream-branded sports models is not good when it comes to depreciation and history would suggest this car will depreciate fast. However, in its defence, a 2007 Peugeot 407 coupé commands the same list price as a 2007 BMW 3-Series coupé with a similar engine. And the BMW would have cost more in the first place.
This car was a great surprise. It is a genuinely excellent driver’s car, feels well built and is great to look at. If you want to be seen in it, if you do motorway all the time and if you really need to save €291 per year and a few quid in fuel then buy the diesel. If you want the better car, get the petrol one and to be honest, we can’t see why you wouldn’t. Some cars need to be bought at their full potential and this should be one of them.
Factfile
- Peugeot RCZ 1.6-litre THP 200 bhp
Engine: 1598cc four-cylinder turbo petrol putting out 200bhp at 5,500 – 6,80 rpm
Maximum Torque:275Nm at 1,700 – 4,500 rpm
Performance:0-100km/h 7.5 secs
Top Speed: 237km/h
Fuel Economy: 6.9 l/100km
Emissions:159g/km
Motor Tax:Band D
Annual Road Tax:€447
Price:around €36,000
Available: September
- Peugeot RCZ 2.0-litre HDi 163 bhp
Engine:1997cc four-cylinder turbo diesel putting out 163bhp at 3,750 rpm
Maximum Torque:340Nm at 2,000 3,000rpm Performance: 0-100km/h 7.5 secs
Top Speed:237km/h
Fuel Economy:5.3 l/100km
Emissions:139g/km
Motor Tax:Band B
Annual Road Tax:€156
Price:around €35,000
Available:August