The Peugeot RCZ GT THP 200 costs £25,945 on the road. But it looks a million dollars. The final production version of the car has ended up retaining most of the features that made the 2007 concept car so stunning, and the result is by far the most visual impact per pound you can get on the market today. It’s a head-turner in the genuine sense of the word, frequently attracting as much attention as cars ten times its price.
This alone would probably have been enough to make the RCZ a sales success. After all, the ‘executive coupé’ market is all about image. But with the competition including Audi’s TT and the VW Scirocco, Peugeot clearly reckoned they couldn’t afford to skimp when it came to the driving experience. And although the RCZ shares its basic platform with the worthy but dull 308 family hatch, they have largely succeeded.
The crisp turn-in and nicely weighted steering are instantly apparent – there’s no doubting the RCZ’s status as a genuine driver’s car. A degree of comfort has been sacrificed to achieve this, however – the combination of the RCZ’s stiff suspension and our test car’s optional 18-inch alloys made for a harsh ride on all but the most pristine road surfaces. This leads to a jittery, unsettled feel that can sap confidence on a challenging back road. On the plus side, the tight and accurate gearshift is a joy to use, in stark contrast to the mushy, imprecise Peugeot transmissons of old.
It’s unlikely that the entry-level 156bhp 1.6-litre engine would allow the car’s handling prowess to be fully exploited, but our test car benefitted from the 200bhp version of that same engine – as found in some of the best hot hatches du jour, such as the Citroën DS3 Racing and MINI Cooper S. This unit slots in above the aforementioned entry-level petrol motor and alongside a 163bhp HDI diesel. The dreaded turbo lag does raise its head every now and again, but even in the sweet spot, the RCZ is still a little behind the quickest of today’s hot hatches when it comes to raw pace.
On a more practical note, it’s worth mentioning that the 200bhp engine is quite fond of petrol – the official combined figure is just over 40mpg, but full use of the available power and acceleration will quickly drag that down closer to 30. As is increasingly the case these days, it seems the 163bhp oil-burner could be the better choice – beating the petrol in both the frugality and everyday drivability stakes.
Inside, high-quality dash trim, a classy dash-mounted clock and supportive leather seats all contribute to a fine premium feel, but some of the plastics lower down in the cabin revert to ‘cheap and nasty’ type. It’s not that surprising to find the rear seats are next to useless – you’re left wondering if a better use couldn’t have been found for the space. The boot is generously sized for a sports car, though, and features a useful cargo net to keep small items from flying about the place.
Overall, then, the RCZ is an appealing but not perfect prospect. But Peugeot still deserve a lot of credit for making it a proper sports car, and not just a 308 in a fancy dress, which they could so easily have done. The RCZ is genuinely desirable, genuinely fun and a genuinely good buy. It does allow style to trump practicality to a greater extent than its German rivals do, but then it would hardly be a French car otherwise, would it?
