Skip advert
Advertisement

Peugeot RCZ 200 THP review

Is Peugeot's flagship coupe all it's cracked up to be? Ollie Marriage reports on the 197bhp RCZ.

Evo rating
RRP
from £25,050
  • Better than you expect it to be
  • No 205 GTi-style antics

What is it?

It’s the flagship 197bhp Peugeot RCZ, now on sale in the UK costing a not inconsiderable £25,050. It’s a very handsome thing on the road, even if the front end does have rather a lot in common with the standard 308 CC

Technical highlights?

The engine is the obvious one here, so for a change I’d like to talk about the gearbox. Instead of the ponderous, sloppy shift and long, long gearing of the RCZ 156 we drove recently, the 200 has a newly developed six-speed manual gearbox, and it’s really rather good. Nice crisp, short throw lever and well judged gearing.

Advertisement - Article continues below

What’s it like to drive?

The damping is particularly impressive – it’s a much tauter car than you might expect, yet still manages to round off bumps rather nicely. The chassis is stiff, the wide track helps minimise bodyroll and around corners its incisive enough to be entertaining. If the roads are wet then understeer will build and it’s here you’ll discover that the RCZ’s tail doesn’t really want to get involved in the cornering process. Even with the traction control turned off (incidentally, it can be fully disabled) the RCZ is a more inert than we’d hoped.

But it is very quick and composed across the ground and although the steering isn’t as sharp as the suspension, neither is it hopelessly disconnected. In fact the whole car feels pretty together.

How does it compare?

The Audi TT is the obvious rival here, and the RCZ runs into a few difficulties. It’s not that it’s slower or worse to drive than the £26,475 Audi, because the French coupe is competitive in both areas. But the interior ergonomics let it down. The seats are flat, unsupportive and too high, the switchgear on the centre console can’t be reached unless you lean forward and the build quality isn’t quite there.

I’d also like to throw another rival into the mix – the Renaultsport Megane 250. No, not quite as dramatic to look at, but cheaper (£24,160), faster, and better to drive.

Anything else I need to know?

It’s not a hatchback, so practicality is limited. On the plus side the boot is big – far more generously proportioned than the rear seats, in fact.

Specifications

EngineIn-line 4cyl, 1598cc, turbo
Max power197bhp/5500rpm
Max torque206lb ft/1770rpm
0-607.6secs (claimed)
Top speed146mph
On saleNow, £25,050
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ford Focus ST (Mk3) – the car world's greatest misses
Ford Focus ST Mk3
Features

Ford Focus ST (Mk3) – the car world's greatest misses

We’d hoped the 2015 Focus ST would share a good dose of its little brother’s magic. Sadly, it didn’t
28 Apr 2025
The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever
Ferrari 296 Speciale – front
News

The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever

The 296 Speciale is the latest in Ferrari's line of mid-engined road racers, packing 868bhp and LaFerrari-beating pace on track
29 Apr 2025
Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 2025 review – the ultimate analogue hypercar
GMA T.50 front
Reviews

Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 2025 review – the ultimate analogue hypercar

The GMA T.50 is the car we thought would never come: Gordon Murray's sequel to the ultimate hypercar, the McLaren F1
26 Apr 2025