The Peugeot 207 is ready to fight the Vauxhall Corsa. Now, I must be extremely careful here. When I first met my girlfriend she had a knackered Corsa mk1. I wrote a motoring blog suggesting that her particular example cornered like a jelly fish, had the refinement of a leaking tent, and the charm of an over-zealous executioner. She was 'not pleased'. Fortunately, the latest Corsa is vastly superior to my partner's now retired monstrosity.
For starters it handles better, feels refined, and has central locking. However, the current model is not perfect. The £9,995 entry-level version, the 1.0-litre ecoFLEX Expression, takes a staggering 18.2 seconds to hit 62mph. One might think this pitiful performance means exceptional fuel efficiency, but no – it only averages 56.5mpg. Perhaps the £11,970 1.2-litre S is a better buy. This is faster, has more toys, and similar fuel economy.
The Peugeot 207 is more stylish than the Vauxhall Corsa – and it never caused a major 'blog related' domestic. The entry-level 1.4-litre Access is faster than its rival too - but noticeably thirstier. This means 0-62mph in 15.7 seconds and it averages 44.8mpg. Again the price is £9,995. For £12,145 the 1.4 VTi Active model offers more power, speed, and miles-per-gallon. The 207 handles fine too, but the Corsa feels sharper and nicer to drive.
There is very little to choose between the Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 207, but the former feels slightly more complete – particularly in high-spec guise. To be honest though, I would rather spend my hard earned cash on a Volkswagen Polo, Nissan Micra, or Ford Fiesta. Right, off now to write a blog about my girlfriend's ancient mobile. Wish me luck.