Peugeot 306 Estate 1997 - 2002

With the 306, Peugeot managed to make a car that was solid and reasonably reliable. It offered an engaging drive, that was probably beyond it’s cost, and with a wide range of models on offer had the ability to fit almost any requirement.  The Estate was the biggest and most practical of the 306 range.

On the inside the 306 was pretty much as expected for a relatively basic car. The seating is comfortable and giving, although there could be more leg and headroom. The finish was reasonable although the materials haven’t proved to be as hardy as many people would want.

Boot space was fairly ample and usable. with 442 litres in the back and rear seats split and fold flat easily to offer more load space owner were rarely found wanting.

On the road the Peugeot performs well. It’s light chassis was transferred to the bigger model so as to not loose the positive attributes of the 306.  it still felt nimble and had decent cornering ability. Body roll was limited to as minimum, the steering precise and the brakes razor sharp.  The combination of these elements made for an excellent and engaging drive.

Engine options were, like the rest of the car, nicely understated, while offering a decent level of performance. They were for the most part lively and refined, some struggled, the smaller petrol and diesel units weren’t great cruisers, but who would have expected them to be. They were all lively enough around town and the GTi-6 was really quite potent. They offered decent fuel returns too, ranging between 34 and 54 mpg and had top speeds between 99 and 119 mph. The 0 – 60 dash took between 11.1 and 17.4 seconds.

There are still a few 306s available to grab today. none are likely to blow your mind but if you can find one in good condition you may well be surprised at how much fun you can have.

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