Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 72%

It was never going to be easy trying to follow up a legend such as the 205, but Peugeot did its best with the 206 which made its debut in 1998. It was this model, in tandem with the 306, which replaced what many felt to be the most significant car of the 1980s. While few warmed to the 206 like they did to its predecessor, that’s because the 205 was exceptional and not because the 206 was especially lacking.

1: Looks

Peugeot’s family look is one of the most successful around; it seems to translate well whatever the car. That’s certainly the case here, as the pert 206 looks good from any angle, thanks to its sleek headlamps, rounded rump and a well balanced profile. But crash safety rules are definitely leading to a dilution of Peugeot’s design greatness; where earlier cars were beautifully resolved, the 206 is less pure than cars such as the 205 or 306, thanks to the need to accommodate bigger crumple zones than ever.

8/10

2: Looks inside

The 206’s cabin fit and finish is easily beaten elsewhere, and we’re not talking solely among costlier rivals either. However, occasionally naff plastics aside, the 206’s interior isn’t a bad place to be as it’s ergonomically sound and well stocked with equipment – and it looks pretty good too.

What doesn’t work so well is the driving position, as the seats aren’t supportive enough and the door bins are intrusive – especially where larger drivers are concerned.

6/10

3: Practicality

Peugeot would have to get things seriously wrong to create a hatchback – even one as small as this – which didn’t offer a decent degree of practicality. Even the 206 hatch comes with up to 1130 litres of carrying capacity with the seats down (but just 245 litres with them up) – opt for an estate and you’ll have even more luggage capacity on hand.

Whichever bodystyle you go for there’s plenty of cabin space, although the door bins are a bit intrusive and if you fancy something sporty (XSi or GTi) there’s no five-door option. But that’s not necessarily such a problem, as the warm (rather than hot) editions are generally available in five-door form.

7/10

4:Ride and Handling

The French have always been adept at creating cars with a comfortable ride, and the 206 is no exception. The short wheelbase doesn’t help of course, but considering what a small car the 206 is, Peugeot’s engineers have done a pretty good job.

There’s a trade off for that cosseting ride however, and that’s handling which isn’t all it should be for a supermini. In isolation it’s okay, but compare it with key rivals such as the Clio, Yaris and Fiesta, and it’s clear that further tuning is needed to push the 206 anywhere near the top of the class.

7/10

5: Performance

With a top speed of 143mph and a 0-60mph time of 7.4 seconds, the 206 GTi 180 should be quick enough for most buyers; the standard GTi offers equivalent figures of 131mph and 8.4 seconds. However, these petrol-engined cars like their juice while they’re costly to tax and insure. That’s why you’re better off going for the 1.6HDi, as tested here, because it offers a decent blend of performance and economy.

Packing more of a punch than its 2.0HDi sibling, the 1.6HDi can muster a useful 110bhp and a stonking 180lb ft of torque, to give a top speed of 118mph and a 0-60mph time of 10.6 seconds; drive more gently and 60mpg is within reach. While these figures are reasonably enticing, the punch available can’t compare with the Seat Ibiza Sport or Skoda Fabia vRS, but those cars also can’t offer the refinement of the 206.

8/10

6: Running costs

One of the 206’s strongest points is its low running costs, especially when you consider how cheaply the cars can be bought, thus reducing the impacts of depreciation. Aside from some high insurance ratings for the sportiest editions (such as group 14 for the 2.0GTi) it’s good news pretty much all the way.

8/10

7: Reliability

Peugeot has battled with reliability issues on many of its cars in recent years, and the 206 is no different. Subject to a worrying 10 recalls, the 206 can also suffer from a multitude of glitches such as electronic management systems giving trouble with automatic gearboxes, indicator stalks breaking on cars built after July 2001 and engine mountings failing on 1.4-litre petrol cars.

Other common maladies include all models being prone to lower ball joint wear in the front suspension, the central locking system giving trouble when water gets into the control box in the footwells, plus rattles cropping up in the factory-fitted sunroof; there’s no fix and the noise is very annoying.

3/10

8: Safety

Keen to compete with arch-rival Renault, Peugeot has long focused on building safe cars, with a mass of active and passive safety systems fitted as standard. Active safety features help to prevent a crash, and those fitted to the 206 include anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist and hazard light activation if the car is braked very hard.

Passive safety features are those which protect a car’s occupants in the event of a collision, and once again the 206 generally has plenty of these. As well as twin front airbags there are seatbelt pre-tensioners, rear and side airbags and a trio of three-point seatbelts for those in the rear. Finally, just to confirm that the 206 really will look after you in an impact, the car has notched up a four-star EuroNCAP score – which isn’t bad for a car that first saw the light of day way back in 1998.

9/10

9: Equipment

One of the key attractions of buying French is the generous amount of standard equipment, and it’s no different here. Even entry-levels 206s get electric windows in the front, central locking plus a CD/tuner to keep everyone amused. Most cars also come with alloy wheels plus air conditioning or climate control, but all 206s buyers had to spend extra if they wanted a sunroof.

8/10

10: X-Factor

With well over five million global sales notched up so far, Peugeot has sold more 206s than any other car in its history, and it’s not hard to see why. Cheap to buy and run, practical and well equipped, the 206 makes a lot of sense on many levels; just make sure you don’t buy one riddled with faults.

8/10