Peugeot 1007 Review: Is This Quirky Sliding-Door City Car Still Worth Buying?
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| Peugeot 1007 Review |
AutoReviewUS - The Peugeot 1007 is one of those cars that seems strange at first glance but becomes increasingly interesting once you understand what Peugeot was trying to accomplish. Introduced in the mid-2000s, the 1007 combined the footprint of a small city car with a tall cabin, four-seat layout, and—most famously—two electrically powered sliding side doors.
Peugeot itself later described the 1007 as a combination of innovations: electrically sliding doors, a mini-MPV architecture, and customizable interiors. The company produced approximately 124,200 units, but the model was ultimately not as commercially successful as Peugeot had hoped. (Stellantis Media)
For American readers, the 1007 is particularly interesting because it represents an automotive idea that never really became mainstream in the United States: a tiny urban vehicle designed around easy access and tight parking rather than outright performance.
Quick verdict: The Peugeot 1007 is clever, practical and surprisingly safe for its era, but its heavy powered doors, modest engines and aging electronics mean that buying one today requires a careful inspection.
Peugeot 1007 at a Glance
| Category | Peugeot 1007 |
|---|---|
| Production era | 2004–2009 |
| Body style | Mini MPV / city car |
| Length | Approx. 3.73 m / 147 in |
| Seating | 4 |
| Doors | 3, including two powered sliding side doors |
| Engine range | Approx. 70–110 hp |
| Transmission | Manual / 2-Tronic automated manual |
| Key innovation | Powered sliding side doors |
| Euro NCAP adult protection | 5 stars |
| Production | About 124,200 |
| Best use | Urban driving |
| Biggest weakness | Weight and complexity of the sliding-door system |
Peugeot's historical documentation gives the 1007 a length of 3.73 meters and a power range of roughly 70–110 hp. (Stellantis Media)
1. What Makes the Peugeot 1007 Special?
The defining feature is obvious: the side doors slide electrically rather than swinging outward.
That sounds like a gimmick until you park in a narrow space.
A conventional small car needs room beside it to open its doors. The 1007 doesn't. Its sliding doors move alongside the body, making it considerably easier to enter and exit when parked close to another vehicle.
Peugeot developed the production car from the Sésame concept shown in 2002, turning the unusual idea into a production vehicle in 2005. (Stellantis Media)
For elderly passengers, parents loading children, or drivers regularly dealing with crowded urban parking spaces, the concept makes genuine sense.
But there's a catch.
Those powered doors add weight and mechanical complexity.
That's one of the central themes of almost every serious Peugeot 1007 review:
The car's biggest innovation is also one of its biggest liabilities.
2. What American Readers Would Probably Think
The Peugeot 1007 was not officially sold in the United States, so American consumers cannot simply walk into a Peugeot dealership and purchase one as they could a Toyota, Honda or Ford.
Nevertheless, its design is easy to evaluate from an American perspective.
Imagine combining:
the footprint of a subcompact,
the seating position of a small crossover,
the access of a minivan,
and electrically operated sliding doors.
That formula sounds surprisingly modern.
The problem is that American buyers traditionally expect small cars to be inexpensive, mechanically simple and easy to repair. The 1007 goes in the opposite direction.
It's a small car with unusually complicated hardware.
3. Real-World Owner Feedback: The Good
Owner reviews provide a more nuanced picture than the harshest professional reviews.
On Honest John's owner-review database, one 1007 owner gave the vehicle an overall 4/5, praising its tall crossover-like seating position, roomy cabin and sliding doors. The owner specifically noted that the 1.4-liter manual worked well for city driving, although performance at higher speeds was limited. (Honest John)
Another owner rated a 1007 5/5 overall, particularly praising its practicality, reliability and the attention generated by its unusual doors. (Honest John)
This is important because it demonstrates that the 1007 isn't necessarily a terrible car.
Rather, it's a car that makes sense for a very specific owner.
Owner feedback tends to highlight:
Pros
Excellent access
Tall driving position
Surprisingly spacious cabin
Easy urban parking
Distinctive styling
Four genuinely usable seats
Interesting interior customization
Strong crash performance for its period
Cons
Slow acceleration with smaller engines
Heavy vehicle for its dimensions
Powered-door complexity
Aging electrical systems
Firm ride
Limited practicality compared with larger hatchbacks
4. Driving Experience
This is where the Peugeot 1007 becomes controversial.
Professional reviews have frequently criticized the vehicle for being slow, particularly with the smaller engines.
Top Gear famously took a very negative view of the concept, arguing that the weight of the large powered doors compromised acceleration significantly. (Top Gear)
That's not surprising from an engineering standpoint.
A city car normally follows a relatively simple formula:
small body + small engine + low weight = acceptable performance
The 1007 changes that equation.
It has:
small body + small engine + tall body + powered doors + door mechanisms + additional structural components
The result is a vehicle that can feel heavier than its dimensions suggest.
5. Engine Analysis
The 1007 was available with several gasoline and diesel engines during its production run.
Honest John's real-world fuel-economy database lists the following examples:
| Engine | Official MPG* | Real MPG Average |
|---|---|---|
| 1.4 petrol | 43.5 mpg | 39.4 mpg |
| 1.4 16V | 44.1 mpg | 40.2 mpg |
| 1.4 2-Tronic | 45.6 mpg | 41.3 mpg |
| 1.4 HDi | 60.1 mpg | 60.6 mpg |
| 1.6 2-Tronic | 42.8 mpg | 37.4 mpg |
| 1.6 HDi 110 | 58.9 mpg | 52.4 mpg |
*Historical NEDC figures; not directly comparable with modern EPA testing. (Honest John)
1.4-liter petrol
This is arguably the engine most closely aligned with the car's urban mission.
It's adequate around town but can feel strained at highway speeds.
1.6-liter petrol
The additional displacement helps, but don't expect hot-hatch performance.
The 1007's fundamental problem isn't simply horsepower.
It's mass.
HDi diesel
For markets where the diesel was available, the HDi versions offered significantly better fuel economy.
Peugeot later introduced a 1.6-liter HDi producing 109 hp and 240 Nm of torque, with a temporary overboost function capable of increasing torque to 260 Nm. (Stellantis Media)
From an engineering perspective, the diesel's torque characteristics suit the 1007 particularly well.
6. The 2-Tronic Transmission
The automated manual transmission is another component prospective owners should investigate carefully.
Unlike a conventional automatic transmission, an automated manual essentially automates clutch operation and gear selection.
That means it can feel very different from a modern automatic.
For drivers accustomed to a modern torque-converter automatic, CVT or dual-clutch transmission, the 2-Tronic can feel:
slow to shift,
hesitant,
jerky during low-speed transitions,
less intuitive in traffic.
For a used 1007, transmission behavior should be evaluated during a long test drive rather than a five-minute dealership drive.
7. The Sliding Doors: Genius or Gimmick?
This is the question that defines the Peugeot 1007.
In theory: genius.
The doors are excellent for:
narrow parking spaces,
children,
elderly passengers,
tight garages,
urban environments,
easy rear-seat access.
Peugeot itself emphasized accessibility and urban parking as major advantages of the system. (Stellantis Media)
In practice: complicated.
A conventional door has relatively few major components:
hinges,
latch,
handle,
window mechanism.
The 1007's powered sliding system introduces additional electrical and mechanical components.
That means more potential failure points as the vehicle ages.
And remember: these cars are now roughly two decades old.
That's a very different ownership proposition from buying one when it was new.
8. Reliability: What Should Buyers Watch?
Reliability is perhaps the most important consideration for a modern buyer.
One Honest John owner reported having no problems with the sliding doors, while another owner discussion highlighted concerns around aging electrical systems and the difficulty of finding 1007 owners and specialist knowledge. (Honest John)
That doesn't mean every 1007 has electrical problems.
Instead, it means prospective owners should treat the door system as a major inspection item.
Before buying, test:
Both sliding doors.
Remote-operated door functions.
Interior door controls.
Manual emergency operation.
Door sensors.
Door locking.
Window operation.
Dashboard warning lights.
Battery condition.
Alternator charging.
Central locking.
Transmission operation.
A weak battery can also create misleading electrical symptoms in an old vehicle.
9. Safety: The 1007's Secret Strength
Here's where the Peugeot 1007 deserves considerably more respect.
The vehicle achieved a five-star Euro NCAP adult-occupant protection rating in 2005.
It scored 36 out of 37 points for adult occupant protection, with strong performance in both frontal and side impacts. (Euro NCAP)
Euro NCAP reported:
Adult occupant: 5 stars
Adult score: 36/37
Child occupant: 3 stars
Pedestrian: 2 stars
The tested vehicle had front airbags, side/thorax airbags, head-protection airbags, belt pretensioners and load limiters. (Euro NCAP)
That's impressive for a small car from the mid-2000s.
Important 2026 caveat
A five-star Euro NCAP result from 2005 does not mean the car is as safe as a five-star vehicle tested under today's protocols.
Euro NCAP testing has evolved considerably.
Therefore, the correct conclusion is:
The 1007 was exceptionally safe for its era, but its 2005 crash rating should not be interpreted as equivalent to a modern 2026 safety rating.
10. Interior and Practicality
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| Peugeot 1007 Interior |
The interior is another area where the 1007 was ahead of its time.
The tall body creates a surprisingly airy cabin.
The upright seating position also gives the driver a useful view over surrounding traffic.
The car has only four seats, which Peugeot deliberately designed as part of the vehicle's packaging philosophy.
For a small urban car, that's arguably preferable to squeezing five people into an uncomfortable rear bench.
Peugeot also offered Caméléo interior customization kits, allowing owners to change elements of the cabin's appearance. Peugeot later identified this personalization concept as one of the model's notable innovations. (Stellantis Media)
11. Ride and Handling
The 1007 isn't a sports car.
Its relatively tall body and compact footprint make its handling feel different from a conventional low-slung hatchback.
Honest John's assessment notes the relatively firm ride and somewhat top-heavy handling characteristics. (Honest John)
That's consistent with the vehicle's engineering priorities.
Peugeot wasn't trying to create a lightweight driver's car.
The priority was:
accessibility + urban maneuverability + cabin space.
That distinction matters when judging the 1007.
12. Why Did Peugeot 1007 Fail Commercially?
This is perhaps the most interesting business lesson behind the car.
Peugeot expected the 1007 to establish a new niche.
Instead, customers largely didn't embrace it.
Top Gear notes that Peugeot expected around 17,000 annual UK sales but sold fewer than 8,000 there in total before the model was discontinued after only a few years. (Top Gear)
Peugeot later acknowledged that the 1007 was not as successful as hoped, despite its innovative design. (Stellantis Media)
Why?
Several factors likely contributed:
1. Price
Innovative hardware isn't free.
2. Weight
The powered doors added mass.
3. Performance
Small engines struggled against that weight.
4. Complexity
Consumers buying inexpensive city cars often prioritize simplicity.
5. Competition
Buyers could choose conventional hatchbacks that were cheaper, lighter and easier to understand.
6. The market didn't necessarily need the solution
This is perhaps the biggest lesson.
The 1007 solved a real problem—but only for people who frequently needed exceptionally easy access in tight parking spaces.
13. Peugeot 1007 vs Modern American Small Cars
From an American perspective, it's useful to compare the philosophy rather than exact specifications.
| Characteristic | Peugeot 1007 | Typical modern subcompact |
|---|---|---|
| Primary objective | Accessibility | Efficiency/value |
| Sliding doors | Yes | Rare |
| Seating | 4 | Usually 5 |
| Driving position | Tall | Low-to-medium |
| Mechanical simplicity | Moderate/low | Generally higher |
| Urban maneuverability | Excellent | Excellent |
| Highway performance | Modest | Usually better |
| Modern driver assistance | Very limited | Much better |
| Crash technology | Good for its era | Generally superior today |
| Character | Extremely distinctive | Usually conventional |
The 1007's biggest advantage isn't speed or efficiency.
It's conceptual originality.
14. Should You Buy a Peugeot 1007 in 2026?
For most American buyers, the answer is probably no, especially if the goal is cheap and uncomplicated transportation.
But there are exceptions.
Buy one if you value:
unusual cars,
automotive history,
quirky engineering,
easy entry and exit,
urban driving,
compact dimensions,
four-seat practicality,
collector appeal.
Avoid one if you need:
easy parts availability,
inexpensive repairs,
strong highway performance,
modern safety technology,
advanced driver assistance,
conventional automatic transmission,
straightforward ownership.
15. The Biggest Financial Risk Isn't Fuel
This is an important used-car analysis point.
The 1007's fuel consumption isn't necessarily its biggest financial concern.
The bigger issue is age-related repair risk.
A 20-year-old car can require:
suspension components,
brakes,
tires,
cooling-system repairs,
electrical repairs,
battery/charging-system work,
door mechanisms,
sensors,
transmission-related maintenance.
Consequently, the cheapest 1007 on the market may not be the cheapest one to own.
A better purchasing formula
Purchase price + immediate repairs + parts availability + specialist labor = true acquisition cost
This is particularly important for an unusual vehicle with limited production volume.
16. What American Buyers Should Know About Parts
Because the 1007 wasn't a mainstream U.S.-market Peugeot, parts availability can be a major consideration for an American enthusiast.
Before importing or purchasing one, investigate:
engine parts,
transmission components,
electronic modules,
sliding-door components,
body panels,
window mechanisms,
suspension parts,
trim pieces.
Common mechanical components may be easier to source than unique 1007-specific parts.
The door system and interior-specific components deserve special attention.
17. Our Automotive Verdict
The Peugeot 1007 is a fascinating example of an automaker solving an everyday problem with an unusually ambitious engineering solution.
Its strengths are legitimate:
excellent access, clever packaging, a tall cabin, distinctive styling and impressive occupant protection for its time.
Its weaknesses are equally legitimate:
weight, modest performance, complexity and age.
The most interesting conclusion is that the 1007 wasn't necessarily a bad idea.
It may simply have been too specialized for the market of its time.
Peugeot's own historical material essentially reaches the same conclusion: the vehicle was innovative, but its commercial performance fell short of expectations. (Stellantis Media)
Peugeot 1007 Review: Final Score
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Exterior design | ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ |
| Interior practicality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| City driving | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Highway performance | ⭐⭐½ |
| Fuel economy | ⭐⭐⭐½ |
| Safety for its era | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Reliability potential today | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Parts/support in the USA | ⭐⭐ |
| Innovation | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Collectibility/uniqueness | ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ |
| Overall for enthusiasts | 7.5/10 |
| Overall as everyday U.S. transportation | 5.5/10 |
Bottom Line
The Peugeot 1007 is a brilliant oddball rather than a brilliant all-rounder.
Its electrically powered sliding doors were genuinely useful, its cabin packaging was clever, and its five-star adult-occupant Euro NCAP performance was remarkable for a small car of its generation. (Euro NCAP)
But today's buyer needs to look beyond the novelty. A 1007 is now an aging, relatively rare European car whose unique door system and electronics can make ownership substantially more complicated than owning a conventional small hatchback.
For an enthusiast, however, that's exactly what makes it interesting.
If you want an ordinary cheap used car, look elsewhere. If you want one of the strangest and most inventive small cars of the 2000s, the Peugeot 1007 deserves a second look.
Primary & credible references
Euro NCAP — Peugeot 1007 crash-test results — primary crash-testing evidence.
Stellantis/Peugeot Media — 1007 history and production information — manufacturer historical source.
Stellantis/Peugeot Media — 1007 technical and HDi information — manufacturer technical information.
Honest John — Peugeot 1007 owner reviews — real-world owner experiences.
Honest John — Peugeot 1007 Real MPG — user-submitted fuel-economy data.
Top Gear — Peugeot 1007 retrospective — period-oriented automotive criticism.
About the Author
David Mulyana is the founder and editor of AutoReviewUS, an independent automotive publication dedicated to delivering reliable reviews, industry news, buying guides, and expert insights. His work focuses on cars, motorcycles, electric vehicles (EVs), automotive technology, maintenance, and market trends in the United States and around the world.
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