Frugal is just so fashionable right now with a raft of new eco models and engines rolling out of various famous-name-factories all vying to attract the fuel-conscious motorist.

Of course, there are the obvious hybrid choices and they get more and more petrol pump-dodging with every new evolution. But they aren’t cheap, and, for the foreseeable future, a frugal-focused diesel is likely to be the most cost effective way for the mass market motorist to put less fuel in the tank.

And this low CO2 Peugeot 207 Oxygo+ comes in at a not too hugely priced £14,695 and is said to travel 65.6 miles on a gallon of fuel on the combined cycle. And, crucially, it sits under the 100g/km CO2 threshold for zero road tax and total congestion charge avoidance. The cheapest low CO2 207 Oxygo is £12,645.

Peugeot 207 Oxygo+ 1.6 HDi 92 road test review

First impressions:
There’s more of an eco-focus to the 207 Oxygo (named as Peugeot’s lowest CO2 emitters in the range) with all kinds of tuning on the outside and under skin to help get the 3- or 5-door hatch to live up to its 98g/km CO2 promise and 65.6mpg combined economy target.

There's smoothing to the body aerodynamics, more aerodynamic wheels trims next low-rolling resistance Michelin tyres and a 92bhp, 4-cylinder turbodiesel motor that’s frugal-tuned to move the whole package along, still we hope, at a respectable pace.

This TotallyMotor test car is presented in Bianca White, and for a sub-£15k car the exterior gets some pleasant colour-coded dress up details, chrome highlighting and even a cheeky little roof-tip spoiler.

Into the interior:
There’s no leather seating at this price-point, but the black and grey cloth features a modern and understated pattern that’s likely to stand the test of style-time well, and I would rate the general fit and finish around the cabin as sturdy-feeling and well-made. The zero-clutter steering wheel does get a leather-wrap, though.

Plenty of adjustment to the driver’s seat finds me a decent driving position with a good, clear view all around. Not the perfect seat shape for me and a little flat on the base, but being a good dash over 6-feet tall can mean some cramping in some cars. But, the 207 at least felt spacious inside for its smaller stature outside.

In keeping with this car eco-focus, we’ve got a digital up-shift reminder in the central dashboard which flashes arrow-up when it’s time to take the next cog. And it does work as a prompt, although if the graphic itself was bigger it’d make its visible reminding more effective.

All in all, a functional rather than flamboyant interior that does its job without fuss or attention, quite in line with this 207’s thrifty intentions.

The drive:
Of course, we’re not expecting a fast car here; it’s all about sipping the diesel, not slurping it. With 92bhp from its 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel motor and 215Nm of torque from 1750rpm, the 207 Oxygo has a respectable amount of grunt to play with, and once you get the turbo spinning you can make reasonable headway.

The gearing is longer in this car – to allow low-rpm cruising – and at low-rpm situations I did feel the engine labouring against the taller gearing from time to time, but this is soon settled when the gear ratio spacing becomes more familiar. However, if you do need to ‘go for it’ it’s best to wind in a good dash of power first, and work more precisely with each of the five forward gears. Push the Oxygo and it’ll hit 62mph in 13.1secs and on to a top speed of 115mph.

Saying that, this 207 Oxygo+ is very easy and relaxing to drive, with a quiet cabin, plush ride and nicely progressive, powerful brakes. I’d describe the drive as more cruising than sporting and I didn’t often feel the urge to hunt out the back lanes in this fuel-conscious 207. That’s not necessarily a bad thing given this car’s eco-design and the fact that I saw an average of 61.3mpg after 200 miles of everyday driving.

And to be further fair to the Oxygo, this 200 miles was mostly commuting and nipping around town, with not much in the way of easy motorway cruising. So, I’d expect to get very close to Peugeot’s quoted combined economy figure of 65.6mpg, and that’s a good feeling indeed.

Ten second sum up:
The Peugeot 207 Oxygo+ is perhaps not the most dashing of the 207 variants, put its practical styling matches nicely its best fuel economy intentions. It’s well-made, has the level of interior specification to cover most people’s average needs, and gets very close to its fuel efficiency targets when driven in accordance to its design objectives. Basically, it delivers well on what it says on the tin.

Prices and availability:
The Peugeot 207 Oxygo low CO2 range starts at £12,645 for the 3-door Oxygo 1.6 HDi 92, and rises to £14,695 for the 5-door Oxygo+ 1.6 HDi 92; the vehicle tested here. Available now.

www.peugeot.co.uk

By Daniel Anslow

Follow us @TotallyMotor