Peugeot 206 (1998 - 2007) : GALLIC CHARM

Monday October 13

Models Covered: (3 DR 2.0 [GTI, GTI180]/ 3 and 5DR/SW 1.1 [L, LX, STYLE, S]/ 1.4 [LX, GLX, ROLAND GARROS, S, SE, QUICKSLIVER, URBAN, VERVE]/ 1.6 [XS, GLX, ROLAND GARROS, XSI, SE, SPORT]/ 1.9D [L, LX]/ 2.0HDI [D TURBO, LX, GLX, ECO, XSI, S, SPORT] 1.6HDI [HDI GTI] 1.4HDI [STYLE, S, SE, URBAN, VERVE])

BY JONATHAN CROUCH

Peugeot's 206 had a tough act to follow. It's predecessor, the 205, had dominated European supermini sales in the Eighties and proved difficult to replace. The British-built 206 quickly found favour however, with striking looks and careful packaging. Used buyers seem to find it equally appealing.

Murat Gunak and his design team aimed to create a combination of VW build quality, Ford handling and Vauxhall value in the 206. Though not recording a perfect score in any of these areas, the little Peugeot performs well enough to score highly as a strong supermini all-rounder. Step inside and it's just like every other Peugeot you've ever sat in. Though the dark plastics used are rather sombre, the materials chosen are light and attractive. You wouldn't mistake this for an up-market saloon but it's an environment you'd be quite happy with, even on a long journey. Rear seat accommodation isn't one of the 206's strongpoints but then you could say the same about most of the other cars in this sector. At least the boot is a reasonable size, thanks to compact rear suspension. As for the styling, well, make up your own mind: most think that that nose looks just great bearing down on you from behind. Our only comments are practical ones; the rear doors could be larger and the top of the tailgate is so low that it slightly cuts into the interior mirror's field of view.

The earliest S-registered 1.1-litre L 3-door 206s start from around £1,600 if you can find one. You'll more likely come across later T and V-registered models at around £1,650-£1,900. Expect to pay a £300 premium for five-door equivalent models and a £400 premium for plusher LXs. The 1.4 litre cars start in LX form on 98S-plates for under £1,700 (later 99T and 99V-platers at £1,775-£2,050) with a £300 premium for 5-doors and a £600 premium for plusher GLX trim.

The 1.6-litre models start from under £1,800 in 3-door-only XS trim (£1,900-£2,175 for later T and V-platers): pay a premium of £100 for the 5-door-only GLX. The normally aspirated 1.9-litre diesel starts in 3-door-only LD form from around £1,625 on an S-plate (later T and V-platers at around £1,900). Pay a £1,000 premium for plusher LX models, a trim level that also offers the option of 5-doors (£1,300 premium).

1.4HDI diesels start at £2,925 for a Style on 51 plates. If you need a heftier 2-litre engine capacity there are two choices: The 206 GTi with petrol power (from under £2,175 on a T-plate to over £3,300 on a Y-plate) or the 2.0-litre HDi diesel that arrived on a 2000 V-plate (starting at £2,225).

Not much goes wrong, though the Blaupunkt stereo system fitted in early GLX, GTi and Roland Garros models can be troublesome and some of the plastic fittings can prove a bit flimsy. Watch out for thrashed GTi models.

(based on a 206 1.4 with air con and power steering ex Vat) A clutch assembly is around £100. Front brakepads are around £35, rear brake shoes around £37, a full exhaust about £265, a starter motor about £100 and an alternator around £145. A replacement headlamp is about £60.

On the road, it's much as you might expect, given the impressive abilities of other cars from the company's stable. Class-leading attributes include the slick gearchange and the absorbent suspension. And handling? Well, unlike its 205 predecessor, the 206 advances the science no further in this respect the class standard is these days too good for that. Nor, unlike the 205, is it the kind of car that enthusiasts will find excuses to drive (except in GTi form).

The power steering is a little light and the body roll a little too pronounced. Having said that, traction is excellent and it's possible to get into a fast, fluid driving rhythm that few other cars could sustain. None of the eight valve engines are particularly fast or refined (rest to 60 takes 13.2s in the 1.4 on the way to 106mph) but they are class-leading frugal (expect to average around 43mpg in this model).



Though not the overall class-leader that the 205 was, the 206 is a strong contender in the crowded supermini sector. The British build quality is strong, it's good to drive and inexpensive to own, especially in diesel form.


 

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