What's most important to you in a car? For most motorists it's either practicality or price, or both, and Toyota Corolla sales prove it. But for some, style is first and foremost and how many baby prams a car can tote for the money is of little significance.
I don't have babies, and I've never toted a pram. And even if I did a vehicle's appearance would probably make up at least 51 percent of my dealership decision making procedure. So, my impression of Peugeot's overtly stylistic RCZ coupé is biased and I'm not afraid to admit it.
Problem is, once a manufacturer lets a designer loose at the drawing board the end result is instantly polarising. For some the RCZ is very feminine - fine if you're a lady; and for others it looks like a miniature supercar.
I'm in the middle here. Recent Peugeots, which for the most part look identical from front number plate to the windshield wipers, indeed attract the fairer sex, but I still enjoyed the attention the RCZ garnered on the road. Unconventional lines like these for sure turn heads and to the less motoring inclined this car was worth millions.
But there's a fourth criteria included in that magical formula that decides if a new car is worthy or not - and that's performance. If we were to judge by looks alone the RCZ would be a scorcher. It's low and wide, just like any animal that's designed by nature to scurry around quickly, and you'd be forgiven for thinking it's mid-engined like most expensive Italian exotics thanks to its cab-forward design aesthetic.
It's a fact that Peugeot's a big fan of platform sharing, and this one is common to loads of other models in its current range including some, such as the 3008 wagon, that aren't really intended to perform.
But thankfully for the RCZ, Peugeot's engineers haven't just plonked a sporty body onto a ordinary chassis with hopes that no one will notice. The suspension arms have been widened, heftier sway bars have been added, the shock absorbers have larger diameter pistons and in the case of the most powerful 147kW model (on test here) the wheel hubs are carried over from the larger 407 series (not available in SA) so they'll cope with extra pressure.
And it all works beautifully. The steering ratio, which is of the variable variety, feels nice in the hands and whether you're traversing the N14 at high speed or flick-flacking over a mountain pass gives brilliant feedback and is weighted to perfection. Direction changes, excuse the cliché, happen with kart-like directness and even extreme yanks on the wheel see a flat, unflustered dart to left or right.
I was happy with the balance of comfort versus handling as far as suspension and steering goes, but I do wish that the seats had softer side bolsters where your thighs go because longish drives had my upper legs tingling and my rump is of average size. Larger derriered folk need not apply.
Another shared component in the RCZ is its engine, but in this case it's borrowed from Mini. And thank goodness for it, because this 1.6 turbo out of the Mini Cooper S is a magnificent little machine. Performance stats from our Vbox state a real world best 0-100km/h time of 7.9 seconds and a best quarter mile of 15.7, and while these numbers aren't exactly earth shattering in comparison to similarly powered hot hatches, it's still remarkably fun to achieve these times.
Turbo lag is of no concern here, so the pull happens from the moment you release the clutch to the moment the rev-limiter starts bucking. It's all so smooth and zippy, and with long gear ratios the acceleration is uninterrupted for long spurts with no need to stir the gears - so to speak. There is a hint of torque steer though, but it's so minimal that in this case it just adds to the excitement.
The interior is near identical to other small Pugs like the 308 hatch, but with such a low roof line it's almost as though it was primarily intended for the RCZ. The two front seats are divided by a deep and sloping centre console so that each occupant has their own cozy little nook and with side window height at shoulder level you feel as though you're right in the belly of the car. Nice.
I also suspect that the seats are specific to the RCZ and are mounted lower than they would in a 308. The back seats are small and a complete waste of time.
That "double-bubble" curvy rear window glass is a little irritating to look through via the interior mirror thanks to the psychedelic distortion it gives, but so long as you don't drive too far in reverse it's not really a problem. Also, the handbrake lever interferes with the centre armrest when both are fully extended.
Verdict
The 308 GTI, on which the RCZ coupé is heavily based upon, left me a little cold. But I truly enjoyed my time in the RCZ. Just goes to show what a bit of visual viagra can do to a car's general appeal.
It costs R376 335 in 147kW/275Nm guise (R362 104 for the less powerful 115kW/240Nm version) and it will in all honesty fit a couple of folded baby prams in its deceptively large boot. But who cares? The RCZ is not cheap or practical, but it is stylish and it drives beautifully. -Star Motoring