Peugeot RCZ (2010-2015) Review

It’s easy to dismiss affordable coupes like the Peugeot RCZ as styling trinkets or too impractical to bother with. However, the Peugeot RCZ has real substance to its design with details that make it stand out and more usable, such as the ‘double-bubble’ roof shape that provides more head room while retaining its low-slung profile.

There are also two rear seats that can fit children, meaning the Peugeot RCZ can function as your main car at a push or, more likely, work as the second and stylish car on the driveway. A big boot also means you don’t have to worry about stopping off at the supermarket in the Peugeot.

Running costs are much the same as for a hot hatch courtesy of two petrol and one diesel engine with acceptable economy. As the Peugeot RCZ is a Peugeot, there are plenty of dealers to service it at reasonable rates, so if you want a coupe but think it might be impractical the Peugeot RCZ is the car to make you think again.

When the Peugeot RCZ was new, we’d have had no hesitation in steering you towards the 156PS 1.6-litre version of this coupe. It’s quick enough to be fun in the same way as a MINI Cooper that it shares its engine with yet is also easy on fuel and other ownership costs.

The diesel also makes a case for itself with strong performance and economy, but the Peugeot RCZ we’d aim for now is the R. In the used market, its hefty original price has been deflated and it’s now a great performance bargain thanks to its 270PS power and handling that puts it above the Audi TT for enjoyment.

A Peugeot coupe bettering an Audi? You’d better believe it and the R comes with enough unique touches to set it apart from the other Peugeot RCZ models. Just as importantly, it’s likely to hold its value better thanks to rarity and loyal band of followers.

The Peugeot RCZ’s big competition comes from the Audi TT, another coupe that draws in customers with its looks and then closes the deal with how it drives. Many will be swayed by the premium pull of the Audi badge and notion that the Audi is better built. There’s no doubting the appeal of the TT’s badge, but construction quality is very much on a par with the Peugeot RCZ’s. You could also look at the Volkswagen Scirocco or something like a Toyota GT86. 

Others to consider? Most will come from the hot hatch firmament, such as the Ford Focus ST, Renault Megane RS or Volkswagen Golf GTI. A leftfield coupe choice is the Hyundai Veloster. However, none looks quite as special as the Peugeot, even if the Megane is the best to drive.

Look closely and you’ll spot some of the plastics share their origins with the Peugeot 308 that was around in 2010 when the Peugeot RCZ was launched. While they will never impart the same sense and depth of quality as an Audi TT’s interior, they are fairly robust and neatly finished.

The only area we can spot that lets down the Peugeot RCZ’s cabin a little is around the lower edges of the transmission tunnel. Look here and you can see where Peugeot has spared a few centimes.

However, this is nit-picking to large degree and we reckon the Peugeot RCZ’s cabin is as well made and put together as its main rivals from Germany and it’s certainly more robust than anything from Alfa Romeo of the same period.

Choosing the Peugeot RCZ in GT trim brings leather upholstery as standard, which adds a touch of class that many coupe buyers will desire. Peugeot also offered an extended leather option that covered the dash in hide and it’s worth seeking out. The R model has its own unique trim and this looks and feels very good.

Peugeot launched the Peugeot RCZ in 2010, which was before the trend for boldly positioned infotainment displays and touchscreens had really taken off beyond the luxury and executive segments. So, the Sport and GT models make do with a simple dash-top display for the stereo and other simple information.

In the headline Asphalt and R models, things improve with Peugeot’s Connect Media Navigation system that has a pop-up screen in the middle of the dash top. Even by the standard of when these models were new, it was dated and a little too fussy to use, so now it seems positively archaic.

Choosing the Peugeot RCZ as a used car means accepting the dated infotainment for what it is. In most cases, owners simply bypass the Connect Media set-up and use their smartphone for navigation. Every Peugeot RCZ has Bluetooth connectivity, as well USB and aux-in ports so hooking your phone up to the car for hands-free calls is simple.

The Peugeot RCZ is a coupe and Peugeot never intended it as a rival to the likes of the BMW 3 Series Coupe or Audi A5 that are much more two-door saloons than full-blown coupes. So, you won’t be surprised to find the rear seats of the Peugeot RCZ are there more as a get the kids to school feature than a ‘let’s all head on holiday’ option.

Even so, the two rear pews come with three-point belts to show willing, though you have to connect the centrally mounted belts to buckles in the middle of the seat base before they can be used properly. For children, this won’t be too much of an issue as the compact rear chairs with their upright back and short bench can cope.

Despite the high waist of the Peugeot RCZ and its miniscule rear quarter windows, the back seat of this coupe feels very airy. This is due to the large rear screen that lets in copious amounts of light. However, adults who manages to negotiate their way through the narrow gap between door and pillar into the back of the Peugeot RCZ will then find headroom severely limited. Add in a shortage of space for feet and knees and this is not place for grown-ups.

Letting the kids into the back of the Peugeot RCZ is easy enough as the front seats tilt and slide forward. However, they don’t return to the same setting you left them, so the driver often has to adjust the driving position after allowing someone in or out of the back seats.

The issues with rear seat space are entirely down to the styling of the Peugeot RCZ, yet it also endows the car with a large boot. At 384-litres, the load bay is easily one of the biggest among its coupe contemporaries, comfortably bettering the Audi TT, Toyota GT86 or Volkswagen Scirocco. The Peugeot also lets you tip down the rear seat back to free up as much as 760-litres of carrying volume. That’s big enough to sling a couple of sets of golf clubs into the Peugeot RCZ.

The Peugeot RCZ dimensions are 4290mm long, 2107mm wide and 1362mm tall.

The Peugeot RCZ buyer has four engines to choose from, starting with the 156PS 1.6-litre turbo petrol. It’s a good bet for anyone who wants to have plenty of enjoyment from their Peugeot RCZ without going at a ballistic rate, though anyone coming to the Peugeot from any decent hot hatch might find the performance a mite underwhelming. 

Still, the six-speed manual ’box is light, albeit with a notchy shift typical of Peugeots. To side-step this, you could opt for the automatic that was only available with the 156PS engine, but we wouldn’t bother unless you really need an auto.

Next up is a 200PS version of the 1.6 turbo petrol that was only offered with the manual six-speed gearbox. It sees off 0-62mph in an official claimed time of 7.4 seconds versus the 156PS version’s 8.0 seconds. As a result, it is brisker for pulling away and overtaking, but the 200PS engine in the Peugeot RCZ doesn’t every feel quite a sporty as hot hatches with similar power. For instance, a Renault Clio RS200 covers this sprint in 6.9 seconds.

All of this steers us towards the Peugeot RCZ R as the one to have thanks to its 270PS motor that serves up a zero to 62mph dash of 6.1 seconds. It feels very purposeful when pulling through the six-speed manual gearbox, yet it will also cruise with excellent refinement and it’s not at all stroppy when used in town.

Take the 163PS 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine and it doesn’t look great on paper, taking 8.4 seconds from a standstill to 62mph. However, as with most diesels, this engine is about the mid-rev power it serves up and that makes it feel faster than the 156PS or 200PS petrols when making progress on country roads.

There’s a lot to like and admire about the Peugeot RCZ as a car to use everyday thanks to the way it distances the cabin from any unnecessary noise and clatter as it passes over rougher roads. Where some coupes on large wheels and thin-profiled tyres can rumble and whirr, the Peugeot RCZ remains pleasantly calm.

Use the full potential of the engines and there is a sporty growl from under the bonnet, but much of this is deliberately tuned into the cabin. Drive more conservatively and it’s very hushed and easy to cover big miles without feeling fraught or tired in the Peugeot.

Given the Peugeot RCZ’s sleek shape, it’s to be expected that it cuts through the air cleanly and it does so with very little audible wind noise in the cabin.

If you choose the diesel version of the Peugeot RCZ, there is not great shift in how quietly it goes about its business thanks to the 2.0-litre HDi unit being a quiet performer. Only when you try to wring the last ounce of speed from it will it let you know it’s had enough, by which stage you’d be far quicker changing up a gear anyway.

The Peugeot RCZ was never tested by Euro NCAP due to its low sales volumes, but it compares well with other coupes from the time of its launch for safety kit. That includes twin front and side airbags to protect the occupants in the driver’s and front passenger seats.

In the back, there are no additional airbags, but you do get three-point belts for both seats and ISOFIX child seat mounts as standard. However, space is limited in the back for fitting kiddy seats.

Every Peugeot RCZ comes with ABS anti-lock brakes and ESP stability and traction control. There is also electronic brake force distribution to make sure the wheel with the most traction does the most braking and keeps the car pointing in a straight line.

Every Peugeot RCZ model has standard reverse parking sensors, which were a boon as parking the Peugeot could be tricky due to its low down driving position and high-waisted window line. The GT trim also has door mirrors that automatically dip when you select reverse gear to help spot where kerbs are to protect the Peugeot RCZ’s alloy wheels.

The Peugeot RCZ scored a perfect 10 out of 10 for reliability in the HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Survey, although it's worth pointing out that this is based on a low number of respondents and so should be seen as not 100% reflective of the average ownership experience. The Peugeot RCZ has been the subject of recalls during its lifetime so be sure any car you look at has had remedial work carried out.

As a brand Peugeot finished 24th out of 30 manufacturers overall, which suggests a fault-free existence might not be a given.

A sporty coupe is never going to be the cheapest car to get cover for and so it is with the Peugeot RCZ. The least expensive for cover will be the 1.6-litre THP with 156PS that starts in group 27 and goes up to group 29 depending on trim level. The 200PS version sits in groups 33 to 35 based on which trim you choose. The R is in group and the diesel Peugeot RCZ resides in either group 29 or 30 dependent on trim choice.

As the Peugeot RCZ was on sale between 2010 and 2015, its road tax is based on different rates to cars built after 31 March, 2017. So, the diesel version is the lowest emitting model at 130g/km to cost £135 per year in Vehicle Excise Duty.

Next best is, perhaps surprisingly, the R model with 145g/km carbon dioxide output to attract yearly tax at £180. The annual tax for the 156PS model is £180 and the auto version £265, while the 200PS version comes in at £220.

The Peugeot RCZ was launched in three trim levels, starting with the Sport that came with 18-inch alloy wheels, black-painted roof, twin exhaust pipes, pop-up active rear spoiler, and rear parking sensors. Inside, there was cloth upholstery, electric windows and a CD stereo with USB port.

The Peugeot RCZ GT version added 19-inch alloy wheels, front parking sensors, and automatic lights and wipers. The cabin gained leather seats with electric adjustment and heating for the front pair. Move to the Peugeot RCZ Asphalt trim and you get Nappa leather and Alcantara upholstery, and JBL stereo. For the exterior, Peugeot added Xenon headlights, black brake calipers and a unique Telluric matt grey paint finish.

The Peugeot RCZ R has suspension lowered by 10mm and sits on its own design of 19-inch alloy wheels. There are also larger 380mm brake discs at the front and red-painted calipers. The cabin has its own R shape of sports seat.

A Peugeot RCZ Red Carbon limited edition of 300 cars cam with metallic black or red paint, matt black roof and black leather seats.