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Peugeot RCZ Coupe

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Peugeot RCZ Coupe Review

Price range:

$54,990 - $54,990

Car Verdict rating:

Good:

Wow-factor concept car looks; premium interior; high levels of standard features; fun to drive dynamics; frugal engines; peppy high out-put turbo petrol is our favourite.

Not so Good:

Fat A-pillars; tiny rear seats; auto transmission is only available with the weakest of the 3 engines; no spare wheel – just tyre goo.

car review

Peugeot RCZ Coupe Competitors

Renault Megane 45 from: $41,990 car review	Honda CR-Z 40 from: $34,990 car review	BMW 1-Series 40 from: $43,400 car review
Volkswagen Scirocco 40 from: $47,490 car review	Mazda RX-8 40 from: $49,940 car review	Audi TT 40 from: $64,500 car review

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Peugeot RCZ Coupe Review

Design and Engineering	Good	The Peugeot RCZ arrived Down Under in September 2010, remaining faithful to the show stopping concept car unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. With its bespoke styling and a low and wide stance this premium looking coupe gets lots of heads turning for a second look. Design highlights include the aluminium finished roof arches and the shiny double bubble roof that extends into a uniquely curvy rear window. The standard 18 inch alloys do a good job of filling out the wheelarches however the optional 19 inch wheels are such a pretty design that it would be hard not to cough up the extra coin (especially when they are only $600 extra). A neat safety feature on all RCZ’s is the two explosive devices located under the bonnet, which would instantly push up the bonnet by 5cm to minimise pedestrian / cyclist injuries in the event of an accident.
Design and Engineering	Not so good	Not all of our testers we’re so smitten by the Peugeot RCZ’s looks, questioning some of its angles (but with a wild design like this, you’re never going to please everyone). Underneath the show car like styling sits a platform shared with the rather less sporty Peugeot 308 hatch and 308 CC. However the coupe’s body sits 20mm lower than the 308, its rear wheel tracks are a significant 60mm wider and the centre of gravity is 40mm lower.
Interior and Styling	Good	A very stylish interior with top notch quality finishings. We like the dash finished material that looks like leather and features classy cross-stitched highlights (it’s actually Nabuck and will last far longer under the Australian sun than leather which is offered as a cost option) and the brushed aluminium highlights around the driver’s instruments and on the gearshift and pedals. The centre console has premium piano black surrounds, a retro analogue clock features at the top of the dash and the driver’s instruments have a carbon-look backing with white needles. The steering wheel adjusts for both rake (up and down) and reach (in and out) and the big leather trimmed, electric adjustable, front seats with integrated headrests are comfortable and supportive (thanks to decent side bolstering). The unique double bubble roof adds a little extra roominess to the interior.
Interior and Styling	Not so good	Overly fat A-pillars obstructs the view at a t-intersection and whilst the Peugeot RCZ is wide (1845mm) it hasn’t translated into an overly spacious interior as up front shoulder room is only average. A bigger issue however is the minimal amount of space between the driver’s pedals – big feet drivers beware! Entry into the rear two seat bench isn’t easy and is probably a hint for adults that they shouldn't expect much room (especially as Peugeot refers to them as “occasional” seats). At least the seat-back folds flat and increases the 385L boot to a much more usable 760L cargo area.
Performance	Good	Locally the RCZ is available with a choice of 3 turbocharged engines – 2 four-cylinder 1.6L petrol offerings and a 2.0L diesel. If you team the petrol engine with the six speed manual gearbox the power on offer is a very healthy 147kW and 275Nm (however if you opt for the six speed automatic box the petrol RCZ makes do with only 115kW and 240Nm). The diesel is only available with the six speed manual transmission and produces 120kW and a torque 340Nm. Our choice of the three engines is the higher output 1.6L petrol. Considering the small engine displacement this is a surprisingly quick sports car. No, it will never pin you back hard in the seat, however with an official combined fuel economy figure of only 6.9L per 100kms it’s more than fast enough. It is also a refined engine (no easy task when extracting this much oomph from such a small motor) thanks to some high tech features such as a twin-scroll turbo for almost instant spooling, variable valve lift and inlet timing as well as direct injection under the bonnet. Unlike some sports cars, thanks to the healthy amount of power on offer and a kerb weight of just under 1,300kg, this grade RCZ always has the go to match the show. The six-speed manual gearbox feels robust and the gear throws are short and positive. A neat touch is the resonator in the exhaust system that brings a tasty note to the RCZ (147kW grade only) whenever the turbo is on song. The turbo diesel grade is impressively smooth and refined when cruising at highway speeds. Fuel economy is a very, very low 5.3L per 100kms (official combined figure). The diesel is happy to pull strongly from a higher than usual gear – even from less than 1000 revs. Not surprisingly, we also recommend this grade.
Performance	Not so good	The weakest engine of the three is the low output turbo petrol, unfortunately the only RCZ available with a self shifting gearbox. Peugeot Australia would have liked to offer the 147kW grade with the six-speed automatic transmission, however it isn’t offered in this configuration.
Ride and Handling	Good	The high output petrol grade (147kW) has an upgraded chassis, steering and brakes over the other two variants. The chassis feels impressively stiff and no doubt contributes to the high levels of handling on offer. First impressions are good, the Peugeot RCZ feeling refined and easy to drive. Turn the wick up and the signs stay positive. It remains amazingly stable, yet entertaining, with poise that would embarrass a number of higher priced sports cars. For the level of handling on offer, the ride is impressive and even on the big 19 inch optional alloys it stays remarkably composed over most road surfaces. The steering is direct and offers decent levels of feel. The diesel grade rides even better than the high output petrol grade thanks to slightly softer suspension settings.
Ride and Handling	Not so good	The steering feels a touch heavier than ideal and over pot holes and sharp bumps the damping struggles a little. Compared to the high output turbo petrol grade, the diesel doesn’t handle to quite the same high level. We put it partly down to the roughly 70kg of extra engine weight over the front wheels.
Buying and Owning	Good	Peugeot Australia have adopted a one price fits all policy for the three powertrains on offer, which makes sense to us. Compared to its most direct competitor (the Audi TT) the RCZ is priced significantly less and option pricing is a whole lot less than what luxury German brands typically charge. Standard equipment levels are high across all three grades, good to see USB, Bluetooth and MP3 connectivity as standard too.
Buying and Owning	Not so good	No spare wheel is offered, not even a temporary space saver. Rather, owners must make do with a can of tyre goo.