Peugeot 206+ 1.4 HDi 70 CV, test drive (Part I)

We continue with the Lion’s house in tests since the test of the Peugeot 206+ came about almost by chance, and it was one of the cars I enjoyed most for its simplicity and good behaviour. After having gone through my hands, from saloons to large 4x4s, (and before the surprise that Javier has in store for us in the form of a test) this time we bring you a test that is sure to interest more than one person, especially those who want a small city car that doesn’t use much fuel and with which you can easily get out of the city and, above all, at a moderate price.

When I had confirmed the test of the Peugeot 206+ equipped with the 1.4 HDi 70 CV engine, some doubts came to mind about how it would behave on a trip of around 600 km on the motorway (the route to Galicia), since it is not a saloon, or whether its engine would respond with enough power to cruise comfortably on the motorway. Those who know the previous 206 or have owned one know the answer to these questions is yes, and the Peugeot 206+ really behaved very well (let us not forget it is a 206 with some aesthetic details that change it).

As I was saying, the Peugeot 206+ is not a 100% new model, since it is basically a Peugeot 206 with cosmetic changes and updated. Moreover, the front combines elements of the 207 and, inside, the upper part of the dashboard is also borrowed from the 207, and the engine range (very simple) is made up of old acquaintances from the PSA Group. But that has its good side: a competitive price, a thoroughly proven model and engines that are reliable and have been on the market long enough to prove it.

Engine and performance

Leaving behind the look of the Peugeot 206+, we now focus on its engine, the old PSA acquaintance, the 1.4 HDi 70 CV (engine of Ford origin), an engine already fitted to the previous 206 and still used in the 207, among other models in the group. The best thing about the engine is its power and its very low consumption, and its strength is also noticeable because of the low weight of the 206+ (around one tonne), which makes it a very light car. The engine reaches its maximum torque at 2,000 rpm and responds from 1,700 rpm; below that figure the engine feels dead.

If two adults travel in the 206+ equipped with this diesel engine (it is the only diesel available in the range) you won’t notice that it only has 70 CV; if we load it with four people, then on hills or in places where we need power, the 70 CV will be more noticeable. What I liked most about its behaviour is the agility it has: its small dimensions and its powerful engine (combined with its low weight) give it great agility, and on the motorway (we covered nearly 1,200 km with it on the motorway) we have more than enough power to overtake or travel comfortably at the legal speed, which is more than sufficient since the top speed of the Peugeot 206+ is 166 km/h.

The HDi engine is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox that has a correct feel, with fairly flexible 3rd and 4th gears and good ratios. The gear knob, as always, has that metal material that is becoming fashionable in the range and is not good at all in high temperatures.

One thing that caught our attention about the Peugeot 206+ is the steering, which feels hard (except on country roads or motorways, where it becomes more assisted), but in town or at low speed it is quite stiff, especially when parking. Moving on to the handling and stability section, the Peugeot 206+ offers ESP as an optional extra, which I strongly recommend fitting, especially with this diesel engine that encourages more relaxed driving. The 206+ has a problem that the previous 206 also had: its rear axle can be somewhat treacherous when pushed hard, and ESP helps mitigate these issues. Otherwise it is a more composed car than it may seem; on the motorway it behaves very well, and in bends or difficult stretches it holds its own quite well (let us remember we are talking about a city car, not a sports car), but I insist that ESP is a recommended extra.

As for behaviour, due to the weather I happened to test it on a road practically flooded by a storm that caught me one afternoon in the south of Galicia, and the response was very good for a compact car. Furthermore, the ride comfort is at a fairly high level, and you can take trips in the 206+ without it being an uncomfortable car to travel in (it is not an MPV, nor a 5-metre saloon, that is clear, but it fulfils its role very well).

The only drawback I would point out regarding comfort is the engine, which takes its toll in terms of noise, and on long gradients or with the car full of four adults, as I mentioned earlier, it falls short.

Moving on to the fuel consumption section, the Peugeot 206+ will please you much more, especially if you plan to cover many kilometres with it. During the 1,200 km it covered on the motorway it averaged 4.7 l/100 km at a speed of 120 km/h; the official average consumption is 4.2 litres per 100 km, a figure we can easily achieve with smooth driving. In town, over a 50 km route, its average consumption was 7 l/100 km, and the range on a full tank easily exceeds 1,000 km on the open road (50 litres capacity).

Therefore we really liked the engine and the balance between performance and consumption, but the 206+ has more interesting features in its design, equipment and pricing. In the second part of the test we will talk about the exterior and interior design, and the practicality of the Peugeot 206+.

Photos | David Taboada