2013 Peugeot RCZ Review
2013 PEUGEOT RCZ REVIEW
What’s hot: Unique funky style, great sound, racecar handling.
What’s not: Auto model underpowered, harder ride (than previous model).
X-factor: Razor chassis dynamics and sharp new styling – careful, there’s a ‘bad boy’ in there.
Vehicle style: Small sports coupe
Price: $58,990 (plus on-roads)
- Engine/transmission petrol variants: 1.6 litre DOHC turbo/six-speed manual (or six-speed auto)
- Engine/transmission diesel variant: 2.0 litre turbo/six speed manual
- Power/torque petrol variants: 147kW turbo (115kW automatic)/275Nm (240Nm automatic)
- Power/torque diesel variant: 120kW/340Nm
- Fuel consumption listed: 6.9 l/100km (manual); 7.3 l/100km (auto); 5.3 l/100km (diesel manual)
OVERVIEW
There’s more to Peugeot’s tasty little RCZ coupe than a half-day run in the hills can reveal. But put it on a racetrack for the other half-day, and it will expose its Le Mans breeding and laser-cut sporting soul.
Its problem - well not really a problem - is that its baby-face-looks are a bit diverting. That dubble-bubble roof and shapely haunches obscure the brat within.
It’s harder-edged than its style-council lines might suggest.
That said, the new lines to the front work. The RCZ no longer looks like a dachshund trying to swallow a bathplug. It’s still a Peugeot-family face, but the wide-mouthed grimace has gone.
It looks neat to me, but, more importantly, it feels right at home bouncing off the rev-limiter before tucking into a set of corners.
At a new price of $58,990 for all three models in the range – 2.0 diesel turbo, 1.6 petrol turbo manual and 1.6 petrol turbo automatic – it’s still reasonable buying for a finely honed European sports car.
You can pick the new model by the matt black roof arches, new grille and 19-inch charcoal grey rims. We liked version one, the first RCZ, it was a little softer on-road, but we like version two even more.