Appreciation for understanding - Dongfeng Peugeot 307 2.0

A girlfriend decided to buy a car. She chose it all the way from Nissan Tibia to Ford Focus. A month passed quickly, and she was still uncertain about her attention. It happened to be the cover story of the 11th issue of the magazine. The selected model They included a Peugeot 307, a Ford Focus and a Bora Sport, so I invited her over to check it out.

My friend's impression

From the look in Fox's eyes, I know that she appreciates Fox's body shape, but after getting in the car, she complained that the design of the center console was not very pleasant , In particular, the feel of the handbrake and the design and material selection of the front seats do not seem to match the beautiful and atmospheric shape, which makes her somewhat disappointed.

Although there are many women who drive Bora, the sports version in front of her is not attractive to her at all. Although she also shows enthusiasm for the Bora 1.8T (my car) parked on the side, she will definitely not be tempted. Her reason is very simple, a female colleague she doesn't appreciate also drives Bora, so she will never "combine". (Of course, car owners like me are not among them.)

As for the Peugeot 307 that I enthusiastically recommend, she agrees with most people at present, "the design of the rear of the car is too ugly", it seems that the power of public opinion is powerful of. But after getting into the car, both the shape of the center console and the space inside the car were beyond her expectations.

So, I started preaching my theory, "Looking at a car is like falling in love. You may not feel it at first glance, but as you get to know it gradually, you will appreciate the other person more and more."

briefly Contact

The fate of Peugeot 307, in addition to this nearly a week of driving, I had two brief contacts before.

The first time was a visit to Peugeot's French headquarters before the 307 was put into production in China at the end of 2003. There is a driving experience of about 300 kilometers, but the model is the single-box car that was very popular in Europe at that time, and it is also the hatchback we often say now. When I visited the factory, I found that both the production line and the transportation line from the factory area to the train station were all Peugeot 307 models. According to factory personnel, as soon as the 307 was launched in Europe, the supply was in short supply, requiring workers to work overtime. This is a big deal in European factories, which were negotiating with unions when we visited. Therefore, at that time, the French side was complacent about producing the 307 in China, and believed that it would not repeat the mistakes of producing the Peugeot 505 in Guangzhou.

The second time was in the summer of 2004. The domestic 307 was officially launched, but the simple single-cabin car had a very high tail compartment. I remember that I had many questions when I interviewed the manufacturer at that time, and the gentle Frenchman Dou Saier's answer was also very positive. "There are two reasons for choosing to produce 307 sedan models in China. First, there are sedan models in the 307 series; second, we have commissioned a professional company to conduct surveys in Beijing, Guangzhou and Chengdu. 80% of people like sedan, and 20% like hatchback."

Obviously, this is not the first time Dou Saier has answered this question, he said with a smile: "Maybe sedans are more like being carried before in China. So many people like sedans.” But the market performance was not optimistic. Chinese consumers who have always liked sedans have begun to change their minds, not to mention the Peugeot 307 has caught up with the “unhappy life”. "time" is a period of severe competition in the market.

Comprehensive knowledge

In addition to these objective factors, just from the feeling of driving the Peugeot 307, I had a very good impression of it from the beginning. Although it is a small car, whether it is the interior design or the feeling of handling, it can be said to be a role model in the same class of cars, including the domestically produced sedan Peugeot 307. This time, I have a relatively long time to fully understand the 307, and this feeling is even more certain.

The large space design of the Peugeot 307 is the place where all the people who have contacted can reach a consensus. My daughter and her classmates benefited the most from this. When four 18-year-old girls happily sit in, my Bora must be very crowded, and the 307's rear seat is no big problem even with four girls. In return for the ride, I asked my daughter to talk about her feelings, and she blurted out, "The sound in the back row is good, and listening to music feels good." It seems that the 307 not only satisfied them with the spacious space, but also had good music along the way. accompanied.

Actually, if you experience it carefully, you can find that the 307 has put a lot of effort into the humanized design. For example, the large storage compartment between the front seats, although simple in shape, is practical and beautiful. The LCD display on the right front is clear and convenient to read data, and when the car is locked, the two rearview mirrors will automatically retract.

There is also a profound experience in driving. The combination of the 307's relatively wide field of vision, the simple shape design of the center console, and various reasonable button layouts allow drivers to quickly become familiar with the driving environment without unfamiliar ones. Feel. The only inconvenience I felt was that the manually adjustable seats were not easy to use, and it was difficult to find the right driving position as quickly as possible.

Future market advantage

I have always felt that the Peugeot 307 has not taken full advantage of the splendid achievements of the 307 in motor sports since its launch. Perhaps on the one hand, the focus of Chinese consumers is different, and the current atmosphere of motorsports in China is far inferior to that in Europe. On the other hand, it also shows that companies pay more attention to price and market share in cultivating the market.

However, in the future competition in the automobile market, the factors affecting consumers' purchase will increasingly focus on the brand value and social influence, and Peugeot has a unique advantage in this regard. Because Peugeot 206 and 307 have been the champion teams of the World Rally Championship in recent years, not only in European rallying, many drivers will choose Peugeot models, even in the World Rally Championship held in China in 1999, the first time to participate in world-class competitions Chinese racers also use Peugeot 106 modified cars, and it is really remarkable that they can complete the Chinese rally, which is known for its harsh roads. Five years later, I can still recall many difficult road conditions during the race and the thrill of the car jumping to the ground. We all called the 106 a "little potato" at the time, and in Europe it was also the car of choice for junior racers.

Recently, there have been rumors that the Peugeot 206 will be produced in China. This news has not been officially confirmed by the manufacturer. However, as the number of Peugeot models produced in China gradually increases, it is definitely a must for consumers who like French cars. good thing. Of course, the establishment of the Peugeot brand in China requires more time and energy from manufacturers.