Faults:

Coil pack failed.

Secondary air pump failed (exhaust).

Camshaft oil leak, resulted in early cambelt replacement.

Oil leak between head and block.

Absolute pressure sensor failed. The car was off the road for 6 weeks.

Water pump failed.

Sunroof leaks when it rains, and rattles on bumpy roads.

Front suspension arm replaced.

Sump oil gasket leak.

Dealer fitted an incorrect air filter; the filter was too small, allowing dirt into the engine.

Catalytic converter blocked, exhaust replaced.

2 engine mountings collapsed, causing the V belt to slip off.

Power steering pump failed.

General Comments:

The car does put a smile on my face when travelling long distances. Overtaking capability is great.

But it does give me nightmares, and I have to try think positively about it, and pray that nothing more goes wrong.

I will sell it as soon as it is economical for me to do so, because I have not had the car two years yet, and it is financed.

Dealer principle has poor service, and I'm sure phenomenal profits are made on spares.

Faults:

It used to display a "anti-pollution fault" notification on the LCD.

It is very noisy inside, especially on uneven roads in some places here in south Africa. I just cannot point out the cause of the noise with precision, but I always get someone to travel with me, that way it is less noisy, I guess because of the weight being exerted on the passenger seat by my passenger.

I had a problem with the battery last week. When I tried to start it, it took some time to start, and when it did finally start, it displayed "ESP/ASR not functioning" or "Passenger Airbag fault".

General Comments:

The car has appealing designs outside, especially those air intakes on the bonnet. They look real cool.

The metallic alloy fuel cap is a classic touch indeed, it adds a sporty look to the car.

However, I feel the mirrors should have been chrome-coloured. That way the flagship would be differentiated from its normal siblings.

The acoustic emitting from the oval performance exhaust is appetising, especially with the rear and front windows opened. It gives such a sound that you just want to floor the pedal and ignore the fuel consumption.

Talking of fuel consumption, the 2 litre machine really consumes fuel. I'd advise drivers not to overly indulge in robot-to-robot racing. I know it is always tempting driving this kind of vehicle. You can easily exceed the 8.3 litres per 100 KM figures claimed by the manufacturer.

It is a Gran Turismo Injection (GTi for those wondering), so I know hot hatch fanatics want to hear about the performance. Nothing fancy at 100KW, 190 NM of torque and a top speed of 210 KM/H. However considering the weight quoted at 1050KG, the car suddenly has a good power to weight ratio. That translates into 8.4 seconds from stand still to 100 KM/H, and depending on who is the driver, I think better figures than this can be achieved.

The long throw gear lever is a disappointment for me. I think a short throw and more direct gear lever would go a long way in enhancing the 0-100 KM/H aspect of the car. That the car hosts a 5 speed gear box is also not good news to the enthusiasts out there.

Stretching this "big little french machine"'s legs also has an impact on your tyres. It just loves screeching tyres. In after work moderate moving traffic, I usually drive with gear 3. If I want to show off, overtaking is not a problem, I just revert to gear 2 and flatten the pedal. The sudden powerful exhaust sound, screeching tyres and power delivery amazes all around. Within a second I'll be in front of the car I wanted to overtake.

Besides the impressive overtaking, you just have to admire the road grip and maneuverability of the car. The steering is pin point and puts the car where you want it within the time you want. A lot of this owes to the small size of the car. Thus, you can easily squeeze it into small spaces in traffic in a flash.

In long distance trips, I just feel that the fun is no longer there because there are speed cameras everywhere. So as a law abiding citizen, I just find myself always driving 120 KM/H as required. But when I get a chance to drive where there are no cameras, the performance is amazing, the overtaking impressive, and the roadgrip marvellous. Just be sure to always keep your eyes on the speedometer, lest you find yourself driving at 210KM/H without knowing it.

Overall, an impressive little car. but in today's world of the ST, S3 Megane RS LTD, Cupra, MPS, OPC, GTC etc, all which are turbo charged, the space for 2.0 naturally aspired hatches in the hot hatch scene is gradually becoming extinct. But if Peugeot want to be a force to be reckoned with in the hot hatch scene, they'll produce a 2.0 turbocharged hatch with a targeted power out put of at least 150 KW. Till then, this GTi will be recognised as such by those driving standard hatches.

Faults:

Engine was sluggish from day 1, and unfortunately I was foolish enough to believe the local dealer that this was normal and would improve within the first 1000km. What a lie and just one excuse after another from the dealer.

The cost to service and repair is horrendously expensive. This coupled with the low quality parts means the running cost becomes really high. The car has broken down 4 times to date from mechanical failures i.e. Peugeot parts failing.

Engine management computer failed at +- 60000 km – this was very expensive to replace. Worst of all there is only a 6 month guarantee on the replaced part. I was assured the replaced part was new… I am not so sure.

Terrible resale value. I have been trying to sell or trade in for over a year. No offers worth considering so far but I am getting so desperate that I may accept a low offer soon. So aside from being over priced when bought new, you will loose more money when you sell, even to Peugeot themselves who are not interested in buying back there own vehicle!

Dashboard looks cheap and the finishings are generally poor.

Gear change is rough.

General Comments:

Aside from the sluggish engine the handling is otherwise good and the car feels safe and solid on the road even in wind, rain, etc.

Nice features (when they work) – auto lights and wipers, etc.

The fuel efficiency is good.

Upholstery is good.