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Rating

Verdict As much fun as a bus

The first and most striking thing about the Peugeot 1007 is its doors, which do not open in a conventional fashion. Instead, when you press a button they slide backwards on runners.

If I lived in Paris I’d have one like a shot, because there, where you’re allowed to park anywhere so long as it’s stylishly done, these doors would open up a whole new range of possibilities.

But I don’t live in Paris. I live in Britain, where we have out-of-town superstores with car parking spaces and city centres that are patrolled by Nigerians to make sure that no one parks, ever. And those doors make the little Peugeot very expensive – at £12,000 it’s £1,000 more than its closest rival from Renault – and very heavy.

Not only does this result in the woeful acceleration – I think it’s the slowest car from 0-60 on the market today – but it’s less economical than it should be, too.

On top of this, it’s about as much fun to drive as a smallish bus, leaning badly in the corners and never ceasing to amaze you with its complete lack of grunt.

The 1007, then, is blessed with only one notable feature which, at best, is useless and at worst isn’t notable at all.

Price when tested (May 2005) £12,100 Model discontinued

Engine 1360cc, four cylinders

Power 75bhp @ 5400rpm

Torque 88 lb ft @ 3300rpm

Transmission Five-speed manual

Fuel/CO2 45.6mpg (combined) / 147g/km

0-62mph 16.6sec

Top speed 102mph