Peugeot RCZ 1.6 Turbo Review: Body Beautiful

What we like:

The beautiful body work and that double bubble roof. The RCZ is a good $40

000 lesser than its arch rival.

What we dislike:

The placing of the seatbelts and the lack of power.

The 1.6L turbo engine spits out 156 horses. Acceleration isn’t brutal at 9.0 seconds from 0-100 as you’d expect from a Peugeot but you do feel sufficient power once you put your foot down. We weren’t bothered by wind noise during drives but to say its muted would be an overstatement.

The RCZ has a firm ride on the roads. With the stiffened suspension, speed strips felt more like small humps. We do get the fact that it’s all down to the sports-like experience but on a positive note, the comfortable seats made the ride less jittery.

Due to its low stance and chassis setup, the RCZ corners very well and body roll was kept to a bare minimum. Steering wheel seemed to be heavier than normal Peugeots, but it definitely helps with the cornering, albeit under performing in terms of accuracy.

Cruising on the highway was a constant breeze and the 6-speed tiptronic automatic transmission gave us nothing to ponder over. There is more than enough power to carry out overtaking manoeuvres but you would have to be aware of the extended rear wheel arches, they are bigger than you think they are.

What is a sports coupe without a sports mode? The RCZ becomes a slightly louder beauty when engaged in sports mode but that’s all there is to it, not that we are complaining. The RCZ packs a decent amount of fun to drive. It handles very well and seems refined on highways.

The RCZ is a statement by Peugeot. A statement that even a mainstream car maker could make heads turn with a mind-blowing design. This sports coupe has styling that wouldn’t age even after two decades, and that’s where Peugeot scored the most points. Never mind the lack of power or the slightly bumpy ride, you would buy this car solely based on its killer looks.

This Peugeot gives the Audi TT a run for its money. Although the latter has long been an established coupe, if you’re looking for an affordable alternative that is second to none in terms of design, then the RCZ is a no-brainer. The RCZ would be a standout in any carpark, and for the price it commands, we can’t complain.

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