UKCAR Peugeot 306 Turbo D Review

UK Car Road Test

Peugeot 306 Turbo D 2001

Movie Clips of this Car

Peugeot have established a good reputation for their little cars, as they have got less french they have evolved in decent little motors with few quirks and build quality that is just as good if not better than much of the competition. Here is the 306 one of a long line of Peugeot super minis and one well worth a look.

This one is an attractively economical and practical sounding 5 door diesel.

Cost New 14640 Residual @ 3 years N/A

Produced from Jun 1 1999 to Sep 1 2001

Remember the good old days of quirky looking French cars take a look through the database to see some real odd looking Pugs of old.

By the time the 306 arrived Peugeot were well beyond that, leaving Citroen to plough that funny furrow alone.

Take a look at this black coated version, is a not a little belter a lovely looking little car, a hint of natural sporty ness enhanced by the wheels and the discreet spoiler above the rear hatch.

Im not sure whether this is meant to be a sporty model (I doubt it) but little touches do enhance that feeling. The black coat does have a lot to answer for in your initial views, but equally the deep square chin spoiler and embedded spots enforce the suggestion.

Entering the cabin, via neatly trimmed doors, you notice the doors do not seem quite as flimsy as previous 30X cars, the 306 seems quite solidly built for its price and class.

Internally the seats are a little to jazzy for my taste, but do give a youthful fresh feeling to the interior. You soon forget the jazzy pattern as your back and backside obscures most of it. Facing you is a simple but stylish dash with a hint of psudeo silver metal to bring it up to date. The dash is simple but well stocked and laid out and is very clear in use.

Just check out the level of spec you now get in a Diesel Super Mini. It really is quite well packed with features, from the all important Air con to the somewhat superfluous heated mirrors. The spec level of these lower end economical cars is really quite stunning nowadays. You really dont want for much in real world terms.

Comfort Features
Adjustable Steering Column	Cloth Trim	Drivers seat Lumbar Support	Front Door Bins	Head Rests (front & rear)	Height Adjustable Drivers Seat
Height Adjustable Seat Belts	Pollen Filter	Remote Petrol Cap Release	Split rear seats	Sports Front Seats	Time Clock
General Features
Colour Coded Bumpers	Colour Coded Mirrors	Digital Odometer	Exterior Side Mouldings	Heated Rear Window	Rear Wash Wipe
Tinted Windows
Luxury Features
Air Conditioning	Cigarette Lighter	Electric Mirrors	Electric Windows front	Heated Mirrors	Radio Cass Remote
Radio CD Player	Trip Counter


Just a touch modern design.	Discreet appendage

Really does wonder for interior.	Neat wheels

I am not a great fan of the HDI engine, this one is the 90bhp version which should provide ample performance for a small car like the 306.

Trouble is it feels a bit too refined if you now what I mean. The units so advanced nowadays that there is little pronounced power band or step just a steady push from low to not so high revs. I for one really do miss that step and thrust as the turbo spooled up. Admittedly it makes the car far less tiring to drive, it just lacks a little excitement. It seem like an odd comment but it feels a bit too refined.

Service Interval	Insurance Group	Safety Rating		Smog Rating
10000	6			Band (A)
Engine		BHP	CC	Fuel Inj.
Diesel 4 Cylinder		90	1997	No
Cyl	Camshafts	Valves/cyl	Compressor
4	Single	2	None
Top Speed	0 to 60	BHP per Tonne
112mph	12.6seconds	79
MPG@Urban	MPG@Cruise	MPG@Speed	Fuel Type
40.9mpg	65.7mpg	54.3mpg	Diesel
Kerb Weight	Tow Weight	Length	Width	Height
1155kg	1200kg	404cm	168cm	138cm
Boot Seats/up		Boot Seats/Down		Seats
340 Litres		637 Litres		5


Advanced Common Rail Motor	Lacks a bit of excitement.

The gearbox is sweet enough and being a Diesel you can happily let it mouch about on torque all day, making little use of it. Putting it to good use was a little more difficult. Firstly the clutch was a little sticky and odd feeling with a slow oozing let off from its bite point, but probably nothing a little tweaking could not fix. Second problem was the engines lack of rev range making changes a little frantic. with an effective range from 2000 to around 4250rpm it revs through each gear very swiftly and then dies off very quickly above 4250rpm, brick walling at around 4500rpm well short of the rev limit.

Performance within these confines is more than competent against the clock, it just needs the extra kick in the pants that the 110(bhp) probably gives to generate any feeling of exhilaration.

a late 12 second dash to 60 is hardly going to set your pants and fire, and the 112mph top end really points at the lenght of top gear rather than and potent performance. In fact performance is directly comparable to the 1.6 petrol model as below

Service Interval	Insurance Group	Safety Rating		Smog Rating
20000	6			Band (D)
Engine		BHP	CC	Fuel Inj.
4 Cylinder		90	1587	Yes
Cyl	Camshafts	Valves/cyl	Compressor
4	Single	2	None
Top Speed	0 to 60	BHP per Tonne
112mph	12.9seconds	86
MPG@Urban	MPG@Cruise	MPG@Speed	Fuel Type
27.4mpg	45.8mpg	37.8mpg	Unleaded
Kerb Weight	Tow Weight	Length	Width	Height
1060kg	1000kg	404cm	169cm	138cm
Boot Seats/up		Boot Seats/Down		Seats
441 Litres		1510 Litres		5

Similar performance different feel, huge economy difference, though that should be offset against the regularity of the required servicing.

Despite the power steering I thought the steering a little stiff, given the HDi's probable role in life. It also feels a little less than lively in response and could do with being a little quicker witted.

The big heavy engine can take some blame here and pushes the car deeply into understeer territory. That given, the tyres cling on tightly and it rattles around corners pretty well like all good minis should, with minimal roll and no sign of lurching. Driving deep into a corner with the throttle pressed hard down, causing deliberate understeer and then lifting right off, does not cause sudden lift off oversteer like some sporty Pug's of old, just a passive tightening of the steering line, safe easy simple.

On the other hand the ride was nicely compliant and gives cause for few complaints, from the drivers seat at least. I cant vouch for the rear seat passengers though. Its a good trick on such a short car and one many marques can not quite master.

Peugeot seemed to have managed to get the ride handling balance pretty much spot on for my tastes at least in the last couple of generations of hatch and saloon.

Steer/Susp/Tech Features
Alloy Wheels	Catalytic Converter	Disc Brakes Front & Rear	Front Fog lamps fitted	Halogen Head Lights	Height Adjustable Headlight Aim
Independent Suspension	Intermittent Wash Wipe	Power Assisted Steering	Rear Spoiler	Rev Counter	Service Level Indicator


Neat Wheels aid visuals	Minimal Chrome highlights sit well with me.

Just when did we become so safety conscious. Four air bags in such a small car is obviously okay. The more the merrier really. But are we really fascinated by safety.

Why do we not all drive Volvos if we are that worried. What always worries me is whether we start to place to much reliance on the technology and not enough on paying attention to our driving, but that is a question for somewhere else.

Security is not such a strong point, the omission of an alarm on any modern car is a bit of a faux pas, adding one may even let you bring the already reasonable group 6 insurance down a notch.

Safety/Security Features
Antilock Braking System	Engine Immobiliser	Front Side Air Bags	Front Twin Airbags	High level brake Light	Locking Fuel Cap
Pre Tensioned front Seat Belts	Rear Seat Belts Fitted	Remote Central Locking	Side Impact Protection	Visible Identification Number


Airbaggery seems the order of the day.	Range covering wheel it is not the worst in production


Remote radio neat and easy to use.

The looks alone will win the 306 many friends and buyers and in this sector that's good enough reason by itself to purchase the Peugeot.

But its also a deeply practical car within the limitations of its size. I would not worry about squeezing five into it on occasion like I have done in other super or maybe not so super minis. And the rear doors make rear seat life so much more pleasant an experience.

Many minis maximize seat space by sacrificing all vestiges of a boot in the name of rear seat space. The 306 carries a decent boot as well and expands nicely with the now obligatory split rear seats.

Despite any faults the HDi may have when taking it out for a bit of fun, but in day to day use its a fine flexible economical unit. Economy being the watchword. Citroen Peugeot Diesels used to be the last word in Oil burner technology, nowadays they are just averagely fine and maybe struggling to keep with the ever advancing opposition, time will tell.

The only real problem I can see with this car is the rather hefty initial purchase price, which puts you in range of some much bigger if less speeced and less economical motors.




	front end treatment very nicely done




	Doors and trims now well built and styled



	Small cars have brought the Roar back to the famous old Lion.