Used Peugeot 207 review and buying guide (2006 to 2015): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Peugeot 207 should you buy?

A manual 207 with the 1.4 petrol is the lesser risk rather than a clean one: both known faults fall on the 1.6 THP and the AL4 automatic, and the 1.4 is lively to drive. It's still got owner reports against it, though: ignition coils failing in cold weather on 2007 1.4 16v cars, and on the older belt-driven 1.4 a failing thermostat housing can lose coolant, overheat the engine and take the head gasket with it.

Don't buy a GT or GTI with the 1.6 THP unless there's paperwork for its timing chain. A known fault covers the whole run: the chain stretches and its hydraulic tensioner fails between 40,000 and 80,000 miles, bringing a loud rattle from cold and letting the timing jump. Steer clear of the four-speed AL4 automatic too, which is known to lose line pressure and bang into gear at 60,000 to 100,000 miles.

The hatchback reports cover 2006 to 2012 and the SW estate 2007 to 2013, and the SW's own entry points back to the hatchback's faults. None of the owner reports covers a 207 newer than 2013, though the THP chain fault covers every year of the run, so judge a late one on its engine and gearbox. Several owners have had water or coolant get into the fusebox or wiring loom, including 2009 and 2012 cars, so check the electrics as closely as the engine.

Which 207 engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The 1.4 petrol is the lesser risk: neither known fault touches it, and what's been reported against it is one-off cars with faults you can check for on the day. On the older belt-cam 1.4, one report links failing thermostat housings to overheating and head gasket failure, and a 2009 1.4 Sport had a head gasket oil leak fixed under warranty. One 1.4 VTi SW owner needed the variable valve timing sorted twice, at 49,000 and 56,000 miles.

Treat the 1.6 THP turbo petrol with real care. Its timing chain is a High known fault: the chain stretches and the tensioner gives up at 40,000 to 80,000 miles, with a metallic rattle as it starts from cold, cam timing warnings and limp mode, and one GT owner has needed a new chain. Only buy one with a receipt showing the chain and tensioner have been replaced.

No known fault names the 1.6 HDi diesel, but that doesn't make it clean: several owners have had the plastic bag of additive for its particulate filter split, and it sits in the rear wheel arch where stones can hit it. One owner's HDi also kept cutting out. Its cambelt's due at 87,000 miles or 10 years, with the water pump changed at the same time, so ask for that receipt on any car near the mark.

Pick a manual. The AL4 four-speed automatic is a known fault on cars up to 2013: old or never-changed fluid wears its pressure solenoids, and at 60,000 to 100,000 miles it shifts harshly, thumps into gear or drops into limp mode stuck in third with the Sport and Snow lights flashing. One SW owner's box kept doing it even after a specialist found nothing wrong.

What should you check when viewing a used 207?

Look at the drains in the vent wells at the base of the windscreen and make sure they're clear of leaves, because blocked ones flooded the bulkhead on a 2012 car and swamped its electronics. On a 2009 car at 25,000 miles coolant reached the fusebox and rotted the pins, so open the fusebox, look for corrosion or scorching, and test every light, window and warning lamp.

On the drive, feel for the steering pulling to one side or losing its power assistance. Owners have reported steering faults on 2009, 2010 and 2011 cars, and one 16v 90 Sport had two new steering racks fitted. Start the engine from cold yourself: a THP shouldn't rattle, and one owner of a 56-plate 1.4 16v had the engine hesitate and the revs sag for a couple of seconds before it picked up.

On a 1.6 HDi, check the additive bag in the rear wheel arch for splits or staining, and pull the dipstick to make sure its plastic tip is whole, since it can snap off into the sump. Ask for the cambelt and water pump receipt on the diesel, proof of chain and tensioner work on a THP, and records of fluid changes on an AL4 automatic.

Check the screenwash has antifreeze in it, because plain water that froze cracked the reservoir on one car and soaked the wiring loom. A gong-like warning sound means the battery isn't holding enough charge and wants replacing. On a 5-door, open and shut the rear doors: they feel thin and clang, which is how they're built rather than a fault.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

Is a used Peugeot 207 (2006 to 2015) worth buying?

Yes, as a manual 1.4 petrol once its cooling system checks out, or a 1.6 HDi diesel with cambelt paperwork and an intact additive bag. Skip a THP without chain receipts and any AL4 automatic. It earned five stars for occupant protection from Euro NCAP, and the SW estate shares the hatchback's faults, so the same checks apply to it.

The two faults that decide a purchase show up at set mileages: the THP's timing chain at 40,000 to 80,000 miles and the AL4 gearbox at 60,000 to 100,000 miles. Water getting into the electrics has hit cars from 2009 to 2012, with failed fuseboxes and wiring looms. One owner of a 2008 SW had the electric windows fail three times, plus the brake light switch, ESP and parking sensors, and a broken exhaust bracket at 22,000 miles meant a whole new exhaust.

Other single reports are worth knowing about. One 1.6 16V SE's rear damper failed at 1,100 miles, and the same car's brakes ground in the morning from rust on the discs. One 16v 90 Sport needed two oxygen sensors and an alternator between 2006 and 2008. One 1.6 Sport owner had trouble with the external gear selector mechanism, which seems to have hit only a small batch, so make sure every gear goes in cleanly.

On the GTI with the THP 175, expect torque steer that the GT THP 150 doesn't have. On every 207, the wipers leave a strip of screen unswept next to the driver's pillar, so see whether that bothers you before you buy.

What does a used Peugeot 207 cost to run?