Cheap and Cheerful: the Peugeot RCZ
The world of small front-wheel-drive coupes is dominated by one car and one car alone: the Audi TT. It’s been the best-selling car in its segment for ages and it’s proven itself to be a great tuning platform for car enthusiasts and petrolheads.
In 2009 Peugeot decided to enter the segment with its own take of what a sporty coupe should look like, and this is what they came up with: the RCZ. Underpinned by PSA’s PF2 platform, the RCZ shares a lot of components with the 308, as well as cars like Citroen’s DS4 and DS5.
Even though its sales figures never even troubled the TT, in many ways, the RCZ is the better car. Nowadays you can find a great RCZ example for well under £5k, and this one I managed to find on our site costs just £4,595. It’s only got 58,000 miles on the clock though, and it’s the 200 bhp variant, so you’re definitely getting your money’s worth.
The question now though, is whether you go for an RCZ over the already-established Audi TT, or are you better off sticking with the German-made vehicle? Luckily, I’ve been fortunate enough to have a go in both cars, so I can shed some light on this and hopefully answer that question.
Exterior
I know styling is subjective, but I think most people love the way the RCZ looks. I’ve seen so many Audi TTs that my brain doesn’t even register them anymore. Every time I see an RCZ though, I stop and do a double-take just to take in its lines and proportions. They’re rare cars relative to the TT, so I can confidently say it turns a lot more heads than the Audi does.
Even though it looks good in photos, you have to see it in person to truly appreciate just how sculpted the RCZ is. The wheel arches are much more pronounced than they are on the Audi, so it looks like a wider, more aggressive car, even though they’re roughly the same size.
The upside-down U-shaped roof pillars sit very inboard relative to the wheel arches, giving the glass areas a jet-fighter canopy-like structure. Seeing the car in pictures I initially thought the front headlights looked too large, but they’re perfectly-sized in person.
My favourite angle has to be the rear three-quarter view though. Not only does the W-shaped roof look extremely cool from the back, but you also get to truly appreciate just how far those rear arches come outwards. They really give the car this square stance and a real sense of occasion.
I love how they painted the roof pillars different to the rest of the body to give it some contrast, as it just adds another depth to the car’s design. To further accentuate its sporty nature, at the back, in addition to dual exhaust outlets, it’s even got a small lip spoiler which pops up at speed.
Interior
Inside, the RCZ falls back to the Audi but only by the tiniest of margins. The build quality is good but it isn’t up to Audi-standards, and while it’s got plenty of nice features, the Audi has it licked when it comes to most cockpit-related things.
That being said, the RCZ has lovely seats and a great driving position, as you can get really low in the car. The pedals aren’t ideal for heal-and-toe and the way the steering wheel is tilted upwards is slightly annoying, but they’re minor foibles really.
To drive and spend time in, the RCZ is a lovely car. Solely based on the interior alone, it’s 90% as good as the Audi if not more. Neither the Audi nor the Peugeot can accommodate an actual adult human being with legs in the back seats though, in case you were wondering.
Engine and Performance
The RCZ was offered with four different engine options: three petrols and a diesel. I’ve driven the diesel but was left a little cold. It got great fuel economy but it didn’t suit the car’s character. Something that looks this sporty surely deserves a petrol engine, right?
Available in three different power configurations, the 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder is a spritely little engine. The base 156 horsepower unit is a little sluggish compared to the 270 bhp flagship, but then again, it’ll cost you a lot less to buy.
The best version, in my opinion, is the golden-middle 200 bhp variant. Because the RCZ uses a six-speed manual to send power to its front wheels, any more than 200 horsepower and you’ll just end up spinning in second and third even on slightly damp roads.
The THP 200, which this car is, will sprint to 62 mph in 7.5 seconds and top out at 146, which is more than enough for the public highway. Where the RCZ really excels at is in the corners.
This being a Peugeot, I expected a ton of body roll and understeer but was pleasantly surprised to find very little of both. It felt a lot sportier than base-model Audi TTs, both in steering feel and driver involvement. It’s a car which rewards sporty driving and makes you work for its performance, which I didn’t expect at all. I’d say it feels substantially more fun than non-S and non-RS versions of the TT.
The only downside is that the ride can sometimes be unbearably harsh. To make it more rigid and stable they’ve obviously stiffened its suspension and damping, but on really bumpy roads it feels way too harshly sprung. It’ll give you a fair rattling inside the cabin on pothole-riddled roads.
Model: Peugeot RCZ
Year: 2011
Trim: THP GT (200)
Mileage: 58,000
Price: £4,595
Conclusion
If you’re someone younger looking for an affordable, sporty coupe, I can wholeheartedly recommend the RCZ. Everyone I know who owns one of these is under 40 years old, so they don’t mind its stiff suspension. Yes, the Audi TT is probably the more sensible choice given how tunable and reliable it is, but can you really justify owning a TT when you can have something that looks as good as the RCZ does? I know I couldn’t. Take a look at the used Peugeot RCZ cars for sale that’s available right now on DesperateSeller.co.uk right now.
