by David Finlay (17 May 2010)
With the RCZ, Peugeot has taken the basics of an existing hatchback and rather unexpectedly turned it into a racey sports model. That may strike a nostalgic chord, and if so it's because Audi did very much the same just over a decade ago with the TT (the hatchback in question being the Volkswagen Golf). And Peugeot is happy to let the comparisons go further than that, pointing out that the RCZ is aimed at a similar market but is very considerably cheaper, the most expensive version being cheaper, at £25,050, than the humblest TT Coupé.
It's unlikely that many people will actually finding themselves wondering which car to buy. The Audi badge is more sought-after than the Peugeot one, and the TT's build quality is of such a high standard that no less a company than Aston Martin not only considers it a target to aim at but is happy to admit the fact in public. On the other hand, the RCZ, while not quite so impressive in this respect, nevertheless appears to be beautifully put together.
That is one surprise, and it is by no means the only one. To me, another is the amount of interior space the RCZ offers. In photographs it appears to be very small, and you might imagine that it was based on the 207, but in fact it shares its platform with the 308 hatch and the 3008 SUV, so it actually takes up quite a lot of ground.
There is plenty of room up front, there's enough space in the rear to carry a couple of reasonably well-developed children, and anyone opening the tailgate expecting to find a boot which could barely carry a laptop computer is in for a shock. The capacity back there is in fact a thoroughly respectable 384 litres (about a third more than the TT offers), or 760 if you fold down the rear seats.
The next surprise on the list is that visibility is generally very good, and not entirely spoiled by the large front and rear pillars which, thanks to the aluminium trims which cover them, appear to be part of the large arches on each side of the car.
(A brief digression on the subject of those trims: they were originally subcontracted to a German company which, to Peugeot's consternation and dismay, folded before the RCZ went into production. The job has since been taken over by Gloucester-based Sapa Components, for whom a round of applause is in order.)
Where were we? Oh yes, visibility. One thing you're unlikely to be able to see from inside the car is the rear spoiler, which hides itself from view at low speeds and rises automatically to a 19-degree angle at speeds above 53mph. Above 96mph it lifts itself up to 34 degrees for further aerodynamic effect, though it can also be made to do this by manual use of a button on the centre console (which is worth mentioning if a policeman asks you what the hell you were doing driving at over 96mph).
From launch, the RCZ is available in the UK with a choice of 156bhp 1.6 petrol and 163bhp 2.0 diesel engines, both turbocharged (a 200bhp petrol will be along later, as will an automatic transmission option for the 156bhp car).
There's a great deal to be said for the diesel, partly because of its superior combined economy and CO2 emissions - 52.3mpg and 139g/km respectively - but more because its hugely greater ability at low speeds makes it so much more relaxing to drive. But I think the petrol unit suits the car very well too, and the fact that it's £1800 cheaper is also a strong point in its favour.
Neither of these engines sounds at all sporty - on the contrary, they are both very quiet - and the rest of the car doesn't feel that way either. But that doesn't mean it isn't fun to drive. The major controls are well-weighted and require similar amounts of effort, and although the RCZ doesn't react sharply to them, it does react accurately.
I've been critical of performance-oriented Peugeots in the past, but there's hardly a word to say against this one. It holds the road very well, the balance of grip between the front and rear is excellent, and the ride quality is excellent, certainly on the 18" wheels fitted to the more basic Sport model and even on the 19s which are fitted as standard to the more expensive GT.
The major problem with these wheels is that they can't be made to fit in the boot, so Peugeot supplies a tyre repair kit rather than a proper spare wheel. A pity, because tyre repair kits are, as we know, rubbish. What are you going to do if you're miles from home and the tyre is damaged beyond salvation?
Speaking of wheels, but of the steering variety this time, a small-diameter job is available as an option, and I'd recommend going for that one. I say that without actually having experienced it, but one of the first things that strikes you when you climb aboard the RCZ is that the standard wheel is too big.
A few niggles apart, the RCZ is a delight, all the more so because it's not a car you could have imagined Peugeot putting into production as recently as, say, five years ago. I don't think it's as close a rival to the TT as Peugeot seems to believe, but it does show that Audi is not the only manufacturer which can do this sort of thing very well.