Peugeot 407 -v- Opel Insignia

[CaMIRO]

I was looking at both these cars over the weekend.
Diesel engines (407, either 2.0 140 HDi or 2.2 170 HDi; Insignia, 2.0 130 HDi).

Sure, the knee-jerk reaction is to go for the Insignia. The Peugeot, after all, is an aging design; and the Opel was Europe's Car of the Year, 2009. Don't look for head-to-head tests; the Insignia gets far more attention in the media. It is, after all, the new kid on the block; meanwhile, the 407 is a known quantity from a conservative company (gaping-mouth designs apart).

This is a choice between two rather dynamic cars, within 30 millimeters of each other in all dimensions, but with different backgrounds.

Pricing is similar (forego a few options on the 2.2 170 HDi, and equip the Insignia to match the 2.0 140 HDi, and you're, roughly, there - although European markets tend to differ wildly with regard to options packages).

Which would you choose, and why?



Launched in 2004, the 407 remains a good car and a great drive, but it is the elder statesman of the segment. It was (mildly) facelifted for 2009 and, when CAR magazine reviewed the changes, the writer asked, rhetorically, "remind me, why should I like the 407?"

The answer:

"It's really good to drive. This car doesn't get enough credit for how it goes; not many in this class get all-round double-wishbone suspension, dripping in aluminum, nor a trick front axle to (successfully) kill understeer and improve steering precision.

"... very agile, eye-watering front end grip, lots of poise, and super-low levels of bump steer that make it feel really, really sporty when driven with vim.

"If you like interesting cars to drive, the 407 still does the business. Best bet is the 2.0 HDI 140, with just enough go to exploit the excellent chassis. We rate the 407 highly as a driving device.

"If ever there was a car offering more than meets the eye, it's the Peugeot 407."

Peugeot 407



The 407 sedan launched in 2004, as a replacement for the 406. It was dramatically different in appearance to its quietly elegant predecessor, with elongated headlights and a feline appearance that initiated the latest "house style" of Peugeot cars. Though very much a product of Peugeot's longstanding tradition, the 407, with its sharp profile, sought to introduce more expressive and daring, in-house design; somewhat contrary to the timeless, Pininfarina Peugeots of old (think 406, 505, 504, and 404).

Certainly, the 407?s lines - its "face," in particular - have been controversial. "If you just produce a box on wheels, you?re dead," explained Christian G?raud, Peugeot UK managing director, at the car's launch. People, he said, want a "fashion car;" a car which looks special and says something about its driver's taste.



Peugeot calls it "pure and sharp... a design which uses shade and light to create a sculpture in motion." The low, slatted front grille and streamlined headlamps recall more supercar than sedan, and are designed to render more sleek what is a rather bulky nose with a long overhang. Along the clean, taut flanks is a distinct ridge, running the length of the car, lending visual strength.

Inside, rotary buttons and circular keys are ringed with chrome; this, and a generous use of soft-feel and padded surfaces inside, help the 407 to feel quite the quality object.



Peugeot's plush seats, with their long cushions and wide range of settings, are second to none for comfort.

Additionally, the 407 offers better visibility than the Insignia, with a forward-mounted, panoramic windshield that gives the interior a real feeling of light and space.

The 407 is a little stiffer than was the 406, seeking a higher level of roadholding while retaining Peugeot's reputation for comfort. I confess a predisposition toward Peugeot vehicles, for this company has a reputation for cars with the best ride and handling mix of all. The dynamic motif of the brand is a fluid suppleness over bumps, allied to a crisp, responsive feel when steering through bends; a dynamic Holy Grail which Peugeot has attained more often than most. Peugeot steering feels well oiled; it has less of a rubbery patch around the center, so the driver connects more quickly with the corner.

The 407 is one of very few family cars with all-round double-wishbone suspension - and the first Pug with double-wishbone front suspension since the 404. At the rear, its set-up is similar to, but more compact than, that of the 406. At the front, courtesy Peugeot suspension chief Jean-Michel Bouillet, it uses a new variation on double wishbones, unusual in that the hub carrier does not pivot directly on the wishbone ends when steering, but on a tall, "Cobapress" (cast-transformed-pressed) aluminum arm which bridges the large space between the wishbones. That way, the steering axis is not dictated by the wishbone position, and can be tailored for minimum torque steer and optimum geometry.

Put simply, this design separates vertical suspension travel and deflection, and reduces torque steer. It seeks to meld the 406's fluidity with crisper steering -

- and it works, says Britain's 4Car, writing, "the front wheels hang on and on, always ready to turn harder if the nose begins to run wide. The bite into a bend is remarkable, the unflappability immense... this car fills in dips, slices crests, clams and flattens the motions as a Peugeot should. The 407 rides over badly patched and pockmarked roads with a fine degree of quiet absorption, although there can be a bit too much 'float' over fast motorway crests and dips. Point it around a series of fast, challenging B-road corners, and the Peugeot's resistance to understeer is remarkable - it doesn?t seem to matter how fast you go in, the 407 just points its snout around the corner.

"What is missing, though, is that readiness to alter the line according to power-on or power-off, a past Peugeot trait endearing to keen drivers. That is part of what made Peugeots feel alive and in tune with their pilots. There?s some of that here, but kind of digitized and reined in to expunge the appealing impurity. Lift off the throttle suddenly in mid corner, and the stability control marches in with a heavy hand to brake the appropriate wheel to bring the car back into line. It?s not subtle, but it is very effective.

"The overall dynamic feel of the Peugeot is of a hugely composed and competent car at just about any speed you care to drive. But the chassis, while safe and reassuring, isn?t ultimately as engaging as the best sporting saloons (or the Mondeo)."

More recently, revisiting the 407 for 2009, 4Car wrote, "we drove the new Euro 5 compliant 138bhp 2.0-litre diesel and we were stunned by its ability, especially at high speed where it proved well able to filter out bumps. Only at lower speeds did some of the nastier road imperfections become noticeable. It's a great effort considering the 407 is as agile as ever, with fine composure, high grip levels and enough information about the road conditions coming through the cabin to make the driver feel really involved."

Opel Insignia



The Opel Insignia was new for 2008, replacing the Vectra, a car that sold mostly to taxi drivers and company fleets. Insignia is a more upscale, agile car than its predecessor, the better to target former Omega owners.

Hatchback and notchback styles are available, wrapped in a coup? shape that Autocar?s Steve Cropey dubs, "Germanic precision meets sculptural artistry."

No one thought the Vectra exciting; but the Insignia is another matter, with curvaceous lines lit up by chrome brightwork. It's a handsome profile, blacked-out B pillar and vigorously tapering glasshouse awarding it strong, coup? styling credentials, and there's more than a little Mercedes about the new grille (undoubtedly, a deliberate conceit).

Insignia 2.0 CDTi 130 produces 128 brake horsepower. Though there's a surprising degree of diesel clatter, the engine revs fairly smoothly, and highway refinement is excellent. Around town, things firm up somewhat, but body control remains good. Driving the Insignia, 4Car notes that it is "smooth riding, pleasant steering, and above all supremely stable... (albeit that) the balance between ride and handling has been struck on a surprisingly firm side."

"The Insignia's overall agility defies its considerable bulk and weight. Handling is neat and responsive, steering is light but accurate. It?s not as sporty as the Ford Mondeo, but it is well balanced and effortless to drive."



4Car was "less than convinced" by this 130 bhp diesel version, noting that "it has its work cut out, having to haul the considerable bulk of the Insignia, resulting in predictably limited performance... but this does not excuse its quite vocal nature nor the fact that, even by the rather modest standards of diesel motors, that voice is not exactly a joy to listen to."

CAR agrees, writing, "this 2-liter turbodiesel barely cuts the mustard. A decent 221 lb-ft of torque should to the job, but this is clearly a somewhat heavy machine, and the claim of maximum torque between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm never quite materializes, leaving you hunting power further up the rev range, where the engine gets over vocal and just a little crude.

"Via a merely adequate quality of gearchange, a vast gap in ratios between 4th and 5th gear is clearly designed to optimize long-haul fuel consumption, but proves less satisfactory through the twisty bits, where an endless indecision between 3rd and 4th elicits a choice of too much noise or too little power.

"Ride comfort seems initially reasonably assured, but there?s more than a suggestion that the Insignia isn't quite as planted as the Mondeo, hopping around gently on motorway surfaces when all should be smooth. Body control through the bends is pretty good, but more grip than handling is the order of the day; a perception unfortunately abetted by a lack of any real feel through a helm which lacks nothing for accuracy and everything for involvement."

Indeed, blessed with good grip and enthusiastic turn-in, the Insignia nonetheless falls down in the steering department; its rack is accurate, but ultimately vague in its responses.

Top Gear notes that the Insignia does not deal with small bumps as well as the Peugeot.



The Insignia's seats are firmer than the Peugeot's, but also slightly more supportive. Both these cars are a little tight in the rear, although the Insignia appears to be worse. According to CAR, "there?s just about adequate knee room for a sub-six footer to sit behind himself, but headroom is unsatisfactorily limited. Fairly robust profiling of the two outer seats also calls into question the efficacy of the center squab; hardy children only need apply."

[93JC]

At the front, courtesy Peugeot suspension chief Jean-Michel Bouillet, it uses a new variation on double wishbones, unusual in that the hub carrier does not pivot directly on the wishbone ends when steering, but on a tall, "Cobapress" (cast-transformed-pressed) aluminum arm which bridges the large space between the wishbones. That way, the steering axis is not dictated by the wishbone position, and can be tailored for minimum torque steer and optimum geometry.

Funky.

[MX793]

That's a Vauxhall... 

[CALL_911]

The Insignia looks better, inside and out.

[93JC]

I think the 407's rear end is much better looking than the Insignia's.

I wouldn't even say the 407's interior looks 'worse', just that it looks older. Because it is.

Lookwise the only problem the 407 has is the front end, and it really wouldn't take much to fix that.

[Pommes-T]

The 407 is pretty much the worst midsizer that is offered in Europe (say most comparisons). The Insignia is pretty good, but not overwhelmingly great. The 407 is one of the most appealing Peugeots anyways to me (I don't like that big smile in their fronts). Recently I've seen 407s beeing sold with very high rebates. Those rebates were so high that this car becomes a good deal again IMO.

[2o6]

The 407 has too much front overhang.



Isn't the rear seat also laughably small?

[sportyaccordy]

407 is incredibly ugly

WOW

[Madman]

The 407 is an aging design nearing the end of it's life.  Next to the Insignia, it looks dated both inside and out.  Between these two, the Insignia wins hands down.  I'd also consider the Renault Laguna, Volkswagen Passat or maybe wait for the new Ford Mondeo to arrive.


Cheers,
Madman of the People

[CALL_911]

The 407 is an aging design nearing the end of it's life.  Next to the Insignia, it looks dated both inside and out.  Between these two, the Insignia wins hands down.  I'd also consider the Renault Laguna, Volkswagen Passat or maybe wait for the new Ford Mondeo to arrive.


Cheers,
Madman of the People

There's going to be a new Mondeo? Didn't the "new" Mondeo just come out?

[Madman]

There's going to be a new Mondeo? Didn't the "new" Mondeo just come out?

Oh yeah, it did!  I don't know what the hell I was thinking. 

I knew I shouldn't have smoked all that crack this morning! 


Cheers,
Madman of the People

[Colin]

I've not driven an Insignia, so it may just make the grade here, whereas the 407 really does not.

I tested a 407 SW recently, and my thoughts can be found here: http://www.themotor.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72:2008-peugeot-407-sw-20hdi-136-f&catid=1:road-tests&Itemid=11

As Pommes says, the 407 is now one of the oldest designs in the class (rumours persist that the follow on car, perhaps to be called the 508, will appear in about 12 months), so the current one needs to be very cheap. Those who want the best car in the class to drive should head to the showroom of the Blue Oval and get a Mondeo. Those who want value should either head for a Seat Exeo or a Skoda Octavia. I might also be tempted to look at the Mazda 6 (the Euro model is different from the US car) 

[mzziaz]

It's quite intereseting that euro cars in the segment that has style over utility generally seem to do pretty poorly in the market.

Both the 407 and the Laguna II were, imo, such cars. Both had styling meant to put them a bit above the rest of the competition, both suffered from limited rear room and both did, iirc, worse in the markets than their previous models.

I find the Insignia to be similar. Sleek lines but limited room in the rear seat. (Also, the Interior is great, but engines are a bit lackluster from the reviews I've seen).

I have a feeling the Insignia will not be the success Opel needs it to be, even if it won the COTY.

Ford, otoh, has focused on size (and driving dynamics) on their latest Mondeo, while the interior is nothing special. At least in Norway, that seems to be a better recipe for success.

[Pommes-T]

It's quite intereseting that euro cars in the segment that has style over utility generally seem to do pretty poorly in the market.

Both the 407 and the Laguna II were, imo, such cars. Both had styling meant to put them a bit above the rest of the competition, both suffered from limited rear room and both did, iirc, worse in the markets than their previous models.

I find the Insignia to be similar. Sleek lines but limited room in the rear seat. (Also, the Interior is great, but engines are a bit lackluster from the reviews I've seen).

I have a feeling the Insignia will not be the success Opel needs it to be, even if it won the COTY.

Ford, otoh, has focused on size (and driving dynamics) on their latest Mondeo, while the interior is nothing special. At least in Norway, that seems to be a better recipe for success.

I don't know when the Insignia will start to look dated and loose its appeal, but until now, at least in germany, Opel was surprised by its huge success. It sells really well so far.

Btw. if I were shopping in this class, I'd probably get a Superb. My 2nd choice would be the Passat and right after that the Mondeo. And talking about value: Honda gives a rebate of more than 12k ? on the Accord 2.4. That makes it the best deal in this class right now IMO. For 20k? you get it fully loaded. And that rebate is from Honda, not from the dealers.

[mzziaz]

We'll see how it goes when the novelty factor wears off.

With a 12k? rebate (!), the Accord would be on top of my list.

If not, I'd get the C5 (or a Mondeo if I got too worried about residual value).

[mzziaz]

....the Accord tourer 2.4 is listed at 35.490,00 ? on honda.de

[AltinD]

Isn't the rear seat also laughably small?

I sat in one on Saturday and YES, IT IS!

[Pommes-T]

We'll see how it goes when the novelty factor wears off.

With a 12k? rebate (!), the Accord would be on top of my list.

If not, I'd get the C5 (or a Mondeo if I got too worried about residual value).

I also couldn't find it on Honda's homepage, but they advertise it even in big car magazines. Here's a link to an advertisement from a local Honda dealer. Try to google "Honda Accord Executive Edition". Maybe this is also sold in norway.

http://www.honda-harke.de/angebote/angebot_pdf/ed.pdf

[mzziaz]

I also couldn't find it on Honda's homepage, but they advertise it even in big car magazines. Here's a link to an advertisement from a local Honda dealer. Try to google "Honda Accord Executive Edition". Maybe this is also sold in norway.

http://www.honda-harke.de/angebote/angebot_pdf/ed.pdf

Nope, no such crazy discounts in Norway right now. If it where the diesel, I'd import one form Germany though!

[cawimmer430]

Citroen C5 for me. 





But between the 407 and Insignia I'll the Opel any day. The 407 looked interesting when it first came out but the design aged and got boring quickly. The Insignia isn't loud in terms of design but its conservative yet elegant looks could definitely help keeping it looking fresh for many years to come.

[CaMIRO]

The 407's successor will be called the 508 (not 408) - or so the magazines claim. The 408 badge will be used for a Chinese- and South American-market, sedan version of the 308 C-segment (Golf class) hatchback.

The 508 is apparently expected toward the end of next year (damn, getting late in the game). The car will grow from 4.68 to 4.8 meters in length, with hybrid versions available in 2012 (not clear whether they're diesel hybrids, which Peugeot seems to favor).

Spyshots:

[Pommes-T]

Nope, no such crazy discounts in Norway right now. If it where the diesel, I'd import one form Germany though!

So you are car-shopping, he?

Since you are francophil and want a Diesel, I might suggest you this offer:

http://www.auto-wilde.de/index.php?id=8&L=0&action=details&dbid=-811816989

This is a totally serious and professional dealer who sells imported cars from various EU countries in germany. See for yourself. I sometimes check out this site just to imagine what I could buy in a few years....  

BTW. This car was registred once by a dealer to push sales and has 10km on the clock. It costs 28790 ?. That's 29190? cheaper than the sticker price!

[the Teuton]

Wow, that's ugly.

[Pommes-T]

Wow, that's ugly.

Your mama is ugly!

[the Teuton]

Your mama is ugly!

They put the "pug" in Peugeot!

[Pommes-T]

They put the "pug" in Peugeot!

Ah, I thought you meant the Citroen. Your mama is hot! 

[mzziaz]

Ah, I thought you meant the Citroen. Your mama is hot! 

Nice site. Is it a car auction site? If my stocks keep going, I might get a C6 soon 

[SVT666]

The Opel is slightly better looking with a vastly superior interior.  That's my choice.

[Pommes-T]

Nice site. Is it a car auction site? If my stocks keep going, I might get a C6 soon 

No, they sell them that cheap. It's really incredible. Sometimes, like in this case, you get more than 50% rebate. They sell (re)-imported cars and sell outs. They even pay you a hotel near the dealer, if you come to pick up a car.

I like the C6 a lot. I usually prefer more sportive cars, but this has something special. My dad's first car after he graduated was a CX. If the C6 is going to be a very cheap used car I might be "stuntin' like my daddy" soon.... 

[nickdrinkwater]

The 407 is not even competitive anymore.  It's a shame because it has some qualities - just too many faults.  You'd be bad to buy one new but as it's been pointed out, they make a faily decent used or nearly-new buy.