Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 76%

It’s getting on for two decades since the 106 arrived, yet it still looks fresh and offers a great driving experience. Even better, you can pick up a minter for a song – but it’s not so easy finding such a car. Thrashed and abused 106s outnumber superb examples by quite a margin, so you have to tread carefully – but if you want an urban runabout and you’re on a tiny budget, this could be just the ticket.

1: Looks

Closely related to Citroen Saxo, the 106 is perfectly proportioned and arguably it looks even better than its cousin thanks to that typically svelte Peugeot nose. Whether you’re looking at a 106 with three doors or five, it’ll look great – although pre-facelift cars look a bit dated now because the cleaner nose of the newer cars looks so good.

It’s not until you move up to the sportier models in the range, such as the Quiksilver or GTi as tested here, that the 106 really comes alive. It was only the Quiksilver and GTi that got alloy wheels, while some of the detailing (or lack of it) of lesser models can make them look cheap and basic. Still, the overall lines are just right – which is more than you can say for many of the 106’s contemporaries.

9/10

2: Looks inside

You’re not going to get excited by the 106’s cabin, but it’s also nothing to be offended by either. Most 106s are pretty spartan, but the GTi as tested here carries various goodies that lesser editions don’t get. These include a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob, plus sports seats which are trimmed in alcantara and leather.

Even though lesser 106s tend to be basic, their interiors can generally boast a bit of design flair, even if it’s just a jazzy colour scheme for the seat fabric. The reality is, once you’re on the move you’ll be having too much fun to notice the lack of toys.

8/10

3: Practicality

It’s a bit of a mixed bag here, as the 106’s hatchback configuration ensures decent levels of practicality because the rear seats can be folded flat. However, this isn’t a big car, so even with the back seats stowed, there’s a limit to how much you’re going to fit into the car.

Leave the seats in place and you’ve got a load bay that can hold just 198 litres; tip those seats forward and this expands to a mere 538 litres. It’s not as though the boot is so small because the rear seats have eaten into it; the short wheelbase ensures there isn’t much space in the back of a 106.

7/10

4:Ride and Handling

The 106 GTi is a true 1990s hot hatch, which means there’s a definite emphasis on driving fun. With its feisty character, you’ll relish every corner in the GTi, thanks to sharp steering and predictable handling, although if you go into a bend seriously committed then back off, you could end up being bitten. However, unless you drive like a lunatic you’re on safe ground, and there’s no ride penalty to pay for such handling; the 106’s suspension offers a surprisingly compliant ride.

It’s not just the GTi that’s so nimble either; all 106s are great fun to punt along back roads. They all enjoy precise steering and neutral handling as well as a comfortable ride; it’s not until you drive a 106 that you wonder why many other superminis are so much less capable dynamically.

10/10

5: Performance

With 120bhp on tap, it’s no surprise that the 106 GTi is so peppy; it can sprint from 0-60mph in 7.4 seconds before topping out at 124mph. But the GTi is no one-trick pony, because leaving those figures to one side for a minute, what’s more likely to put a smile on your face is the 106’s agility.

Other 106s are also reasonably sprightly – at least the petrol-powered editions. Even the 1.1-litre cars can crack 103mph and get to 60mph from standstill in 12.5 seconds (the 1.4 is marginally slower at 12.8 seconds). Don’t expect strong performance from the 1.5 diesel though; 0-60mph takes a yawning 18.5 seconds and by 98mph the car is all in.

8/10

6: Running costs

Apart from the GTi, running a 106 should be a financially painless experience, partly because depreciation shouldn’t be much of an issue now, while fuel economy, insurance and road tax should also be cheap.

Aside from the 1.4 Quiksilver and 1.6 GTi, all 106s have a group 3 insurance rating; these other two sit in groups 5 and 13 respectively. All 106s also sit in road tax band C (£120pa), apart from the 1.4 Quiksilver (£145pa) and GTi (a very steep £210pa).

Servicing requirements also aren’t too onerous, as maintenance is needed only every two years or 20,000 miles for petrol editions and every two years or 10,000 miles for the diesels. Bearing in mind that fewer than one in five 106s sold was fitted with a diesel engine, you could easily go for two years between services.

8/10

7: Reliability

It’s no good buying a Peugeot for its cast-iron reliability – you’ll be sorely disappointed. As with most cars from the marque, the 106 can suffer more than its fair share of niggles, such as the brake shoes separating (locking the rear drums in the process), along with chafed wiring for the seatbelt pretensioners and airbags.

If you’re thinking of buying a 1.5D, watch out for worn cylinder bores, indicated by oil being burned – look for blue smoke from the exhaust on acceleration. Also make sure the engine has been treated to regular oil changes; a lack of these guarantees premature wear.

Failed catalytic converters are a fact of life on hard-driven 16-valve cars, while any 106 can suffer from a braking system that’s disappointingly ineffective due to wear and incorrect adjustment of various components. Finally, check that the spare wheel is in its cradle under the boot floor; it often isn’t because it’s been stolen.

6/10

8: Safety

This is where things tend to fall apart; the 106 was introduced in 1991 so you can’t expect much in the way of safety equipment to be fitted, while the bodyshell isn’t designed to withstand hefty impacts either. Unsurprisingly, the 106 was never EuroNCAP crash tested, so it doesn’t carry a safety rating; if it did, you can bet it wouldn’t be more than one star.

The 106 isn’t a completely hopeless case though, as all facelifted cars feature a driver’s airbag, and apart from the entry-level 1.1 Zest 1, they all get a passenger airbag too.

5/10

9: Equipment

As an economical runabout of the old school, 106s tend to come with little in the way of standard kit; even the GTi is pretty basic by modern standards and few derivatives even have a split folding rear seat. However, towards the end of the 106’s life, all editions except the entry-level 1.1 Zest 1 were fitted with a CD player, remote central locking, electric windows for the front and an immobiliser. Still, just think of it as less to go wrong.

6/10

10: X-Factor

If you’re looking for fun transport on a seriously tight budget, you could do far worse than pick up a 106. Multi-talented and affordable, the 106 has wide-ranging appeal but there are a lot of abused examples about, largely because they’re so popular with young drivers.

9/10

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