Peugeot 205

205 1.9 GTI, 1989. Bought the car : 1998 , still own. It is not fastest car, but amazingly balanced. I drove a lot of others "sportish" like WRX, M3, MINI ,EVO ... but just compare : light, fantastic suspension, crisp engine response, steering like you keep your wheels by hands, roomy, still very practical, excellent MPG ( at least in my case). Yes it is slower them above. But it is more eager to run and always puts a smile on your face. It is so nice that you can forgive building quality and required permanent flow of spares ...

Well I've had my trusty Pug 205 5 door 1.1 GL for 5 years now so I thought I'd put down some thoughts on how it has fared over the years... Firstly I have found it very robust - the engine and acceleration are still lively even though the car is only a 1124cc fuel injection and over 8 years old (K reg) with 85K on the clock. I have driven a lot of hire cars and drive 300-400 miles a week and it is still faster off the mark and easier to build up speed than most other small cars such as the Fiesta, Citroen ZX and the Ka. Even driving uphill - for example up a slip-road to join a motorway - it can quickly build up average speed without trouble. Overtaking ...

I have an 1988 5dr 1.4L 205 SR and love it! It's the first car anyone in my immediate family has owned as my father and brother don't drive. It's economical to run at about 50-60mpg it's very nippy round town and does well on the motorway. It also handles the steep & twisty roads in rural areas with no problems. The exterior is pretty smart given it's age and I'm quite loving razzing around in it. Looks a lot better than the equivalent Polo or Micra hatchback small car. I love the very roomy interior, enough space for my son, the (large) dog and plenty of luggage. Even an 18" frame adults bike will fit in no problem with the seats down. Insurance ...