In France, this makes perfect sense. Long drives from Paris to the south of France can be broken at delightful roadside lay-bys, where happy families bond over ripe brie and a fresh baguette. Maybe it is the same with a cup noodle in a crowded country park car park.

So, looking good, we pull out into the mid-afternoon Wan Chai traffic, where I am cut up by taxis, minibuses and on one very humiliating occasion a Daihatsu Move. No one lets me in. I try batting my eyelashes but to no avail: I am the invisible woman.

Maybe it is something to do with the size and style of the car that signals 'middle age'? Sleek as it is, the Peugeot 807 is a thoroughly grown-up, sensible car, but it lacks the sportiness of the Odyssey or the presence of the Mazda.

Acceleration appears to be something that happens to other people. The two-litre engine has an output of 138bhp, which is unimpressive when combined with a kerb weight of 1,612kg. Peugeot claims the 807 can sprint to 96km/h in 12.2 seconds but I suspect this may be downhill, with a prevailing wind.

On the plus side, there is absolutely no chance of me breaking the speed limit, which is a good thing as checking the centrally located speedometer involves craning your neck and using binoculars. I was told the key instruments - speedometer, rev counter, fuel indicator - were positioned in the centre of the dashboard so people in the back can see what is going on.

This is the motoring equivalent of platform shoes: pointless and you run the risk of coming a cropper. Surely the whole point of having an instrument panel is to keep the driver aware of what he is doing? The last thing I want to do is solicit advice on whether a five-year-old feels I have just taken a corner a tad quickly. Not that this is likely with the 807's underpowered engine.

The car is a winner for families, however. It is the first MPV to win five stars in the stringent European New Car Assessment Programme. The examiners gave the 807 full marks in side-impact tests, with the head, curtain and side airbags providing full protection. The front airbags have two stages of inflation that provides full cushioning for head-on accidents. The centre seats have three, full, three-point safety belts, rather than the two-plus-one waist constricter found in many cars.

The hazard lights come on automatically if the driver decelerates rapidly, which may be a giveaway to stray traffic patrols, but could make the difference between safety and a rear-end shunt in an emergency.

The roof-mounted, fish-eye child mirror is a parent's delight, curved to reflect the whole rear and with a ball joint that lets you scan corners for your young's illicit activities in the rear seats.

Halfway up Nam Long Shan Road, I experiment with the Tiptronic gearbox. First gear gives a lot better acceleration but, really, the effort/reward ratio is not worth it and I switch back to automatic. The 807 oozes around corners and is surprisingly light to drive. The suspension handles emergency road covers with ease.

Braking distances take some adjusting to, particularly in city traffic, but the discs work well. The front ones take the brunt of stopping and are ventilated to prevent overheating. Electronic brake distribution reallocates braking power, depending on the car's load, so optimal force is applied, whatever you pack into the 807. The parking sensor in the 807 removes any risk of haphazard reversing and are a vital bonus because the raised headrests in the back row of seats obscure rearward vision.

The 807 designers have abolished the traditional boot, putting an extra row of seats in its place and hanging a fishing-net-style ensemble across the back. There is just enough space remaining to store a small stroller, but you may have to sacrifice a row of seats to get your children's kit in.

The seats are moveable and all but two can be removed if you need to move the contents of a small flat, for example.

There is also an exciting 'lounge configuration', which swivels the front and rear seats and turns the middle row into a coffee table. Useful for businessmen who fancy a mobile office or family meetings.

The Peugeot 807 is a safe, reliable car but something of a Euro Pudding. The safety features are admirable, the ride is comfortable but I wonder where the joy of driving a Peugeot went.

AT A GLANCE

PEUGEOT 807

What drives it? A 1,997cc, 16-valve engine with a four-speed automatic, Tiptronic gearbox, ventilated disc brakes on 16-inch wheels

How fast is it? Fast enough at 190Nm at 4,100rpm

How safe is it? Very, thanks to 10 airbags, including curtain bags for three rows of seats, ABS with EBD, parking sensors, central locking, a central child-safety lock and more

How thirsty is it? 9.6 litres per 100km

Available: From AutoFrance (tel: 3118 1828); seven-seater $279,900; eight-seater $299,900