THERE'S SO MUCH you can tell about a car from the first few minutes of driving it. In the case of the Peugeot 407, it didn't even take that long. In fact, there were plenty of things that struck me before I even got in the car. Parked among rows of executive and family sedans, the Peugeot 407's distinctive look stood out. With a pointy nose, a wide grin grille, slanted headlights and details such as sprouting side winglets, vertical driving lamps and black protector strips, the Peugot put me in mind of Ferrari's 612 Scaglietti. And that's exciting, because most sedans in this 2.0-litre, sub-$300,000 category have as much personality as a cheap business suit. But the 407 can raise one's pulse by looks alone. I'd been told that the 407 was an important entry to the mid-sized saloon market. But I didn't need to be told what a classy car it is - that's clear from just one look. Inside, the 407 isn't quite as impressive - but it's still fine. What caught my eye first is the meaty steering wheel with aluminium-colour plastic trim on the thumb-rests. I'd prefer a leather steering wheel, but the 407's is stylish, nonetheless. The dashboard is well styled, although it may not be as colorful and fancy as the Honda Accord or as rich and wholesome as a BMW. Start up the engine in the dimmed car park and the white-faced gauges on the instrument panel take on a warm, orange glow, flanked by chrome surrounds. The centre console, finished in the same aluminium colour as the steering wheel's thumb rests, is tidy, easy to read and business-like. It looks a bit German. I turned around to check the rear passenger space. The space ranges from good (for my passenger, who's of average height) to not so good (for me at 180cm). The most impressive thing about the 407's interior is that the driver's seat is ideally positioned. There's no longer a far-reaching steering wheel that requires a hunched back and crooked wrist to reach, as in the 206. The 407's driving position is just perfect. It's the best-sitting Peugeot I've been in. Driving out of the car park, the steering feels well weighted, tight and smooth. The car is a decent size - big enough to be a proper sedan, but not so large as to be a handful moving out of the garage whose walls bear the paint marks of larger saloons. Hong Kong's small garages are no problem for the 407. Rolling down the ramp to the lower floor, the suspension felt stiffer than most sedans of this category. Better be careful of that speed bump ahead. And I was right. Had I taken it at a speed that a Toyota Camry, for instance, could handle, there may well have been some structural damage - to the car and its passengers. Still, I don't care if I have to drive the car gingerly over speed bumps - something tells me the 407 will dance on the way to Shek O. But there's more drama before then. Not many cars in this category have the ability to turn heads on the streets, but the 407 does. Don't you feel good when pedestrians scope your car's headlamps and grille? You don't get that driving Camry and Accord. Nor even the previous BMW 3-series and A4 - people are just too used to them. I'm not suggesting that a mid-size sedan that looks like an Italian exotic automatically makes it onto a best cars list. But not many cars in the 407's neighbourhood offer such style. Around the city, the 2.2-litre 160hp four-cylinder engine shows a quick and flexible response. Torque delivery is linear. The 22.1kg maximum output is available at a sedate 3,900rpm. Coming to a stop, I'm again reminded of Peugeot's excellent automatic transmission. You can feel the slight and pleasant jolts as the transmission goes down from 4-3-2 gears - the kind of programme strategy you want when the car races into corners. The car can also be manually shifted with its Tiptronic function. As shown in the garage, the 407 is more responsive than some Japanese sedans. And it's not as stiffly sprung as the Germans. Perfect for Hong Kong? Perhaps. Certainly, the chassis feels sporty and alive without much sacrifice in riding comfort. My earlier hunch is soon proven right. The 407 is seriously sporty. Most marketers would have you believe their products are sporty by installing wings, spoilers, aprons and badges. Peugeot did it by tuning and setting the suspension to actually perform. Peugeots are usually excellent handlers, but the 407 is impressive. Taking corners at speeds that would result in tyre squeals in most cars, the 407 stays firmly planted and doesn't break a sweat. Push it even harder and it obediently follows the command of the steering wheel - like a police dog tracking down a suspect. Bear in mind that the 407 isn't particularly strong in straight-line acceleration. With a sedan body that weighs 1,516kg, and a motor that cranks out 160hp, the pace is brisk at most, but it's fine for Hong Kong. Still, having driven the 206GTi, I can tell you that the 407 can match its handling performance anywhere. It must be among the top handlers in its class. Priced at $280,000, the Peugeot 407 (named Scotland's Car of the Year) is positioned right between the most popular German and Japanese sedans. With its excellent driving characteristics and handling performance, the 407's greatest attribute is easily identifiable. Whereas most marques are tempted to flaunt this with cheesy aerodynamic add-ons, Peugeot shows it by giving the 407 a distinctive appearance. Talk about substance. AT A GLANCE Peugeot 407 What drives it? A 2.2-litre, 160bhp. four-cylinder engine, four-speed auto box How fast is it? 0-100km/h in nine seconds; top speed 219km/h How thirsty? 11.1km per litre How safe is it? Five-star European safety rating with nine airbags; active front seat head restraints; ESP and ABS. Voted What Car?'s most secure family car. Available: $280,000 from AutoFrance Hong Kong (tel: 3118 1828)