Aston Martin is far behind, BMW and Ford are also out of the game. But Bond fans have flocked to Peugeot in droves.
When I was handed the keys, the dealership representative immediately warned: "Don't you dare compare it with the Outlander XL. Peugeot has its own audience." And, oddly enough, he's right. Our market is used to anything — even SsangYong Actyon and Subaru Tribeca B9 find buyers here. So someone will take the Peugeot 4007 too.
True, those dreaming of everything French will have to accept: inside, it's a Mitsubishi completely devoid of originality. The interior hasn't been touched at all. Sitting behind the wheel, a fan of the "lions" will look at the Outlander's dashboard, and looking out the window at their car, they'll see the 4007.
They say the French are Europe's biggest nationalists. But with SUVs, they haven't quite succeeded. Surprisingly, a country with the Alps, plenty of off-road trails, and a large SUV market still hasn't acquired its own "jeep."
THAT'S HOW WOMEN DO IT
"Listen, is there a Tefal frying pan instead of a spare tire by any chance?" — one of my acquaintances asked. The second added fuel to the fire, mentioning fried frogs in the first aid kit. I just waved it off and, blasting the "Marseillaise" at full volume, headed off to the photo shoot. Although there's not a drop of elegance in the Peugeot crossover's exterior, for some reason I think it will be mostly women who buy it. I can't imagine a man who, wanting a Peugeot, suddenly chooses a Mitsubishi — that's purely female logic. And not of a young girl, but of a family lady who will appreciate the 4007's spaciousness. Seven seats! By the way, that's a purely French feature: you won't get such an option from the Japanese.
So, ambitious businesswoman with three kids, congratulations — you're the winner! Pick up your "Peugeot" from the dealer and get ready to pay 963,500 rubles for the base version.
SPECS: PEUGEOT 4007
WE'LL WAIT
If you believe the official documents, the Outlander and the 4007 differ, besides the seven-seat interior, in a retuned suspension with brakes and power steering. In reality, it's simpler: the main differences are ground clearance (174 mm vs. 215 mm for the Mitsu) and wheels. The French car sits on low-profile tires 245/45R18, which give it sharper steering and sharp reactions, but turn driving on broken asphalt into torture and undermine confidence on dirt roads. The Outlander, on the other hand, sports taller tires 225/55 R18, which aren't as afraid of potholes.
The 4007 driver almost always feels the car. The only "but" is the CVT, which is frankly lazy at low revs. When overtaking, you need to immediately floor the gas, and then the crossover wakes up. At six thousand rpm, its noise becomes blatant. Acceleration follows the sound — especially brisk after a hundred, almost jet-like. That's what you need for highway overtaking when the speedometer needle creeps toward 120–140 km/h. In this range, you don't notice the difference between the Peugeot's 2.4-liter engine and the Mitsubishi's three-liter unit. Although the Japanese, of course, don't give the French their "three-liter." But both brands share a common diesel, which hasn't reached us yet.
FOR THE INNER CIRCLE
Peugeot doesn't expect huge profits from this crossover in Russia. It was brought for a narrow circle — for brand fans. And we'll keep driving the XL, especially since it's a couple of thousand dollars cheaper.
But we don't lose hope that a real French "off-roader" in the spirit of the Renault Scenic RX4 will appear. Someday it must come out and surprise us with something other than its grille.
