Peugeot 306 SW is quite an interesting station wagon
In the Polish comedy, whose name I will not name, one of the key moments is a monologue about people and their machines. The young actor asks a group of co-hosts a series of questions, one of which is related to the automotive industry, namely the power of the cars they own. Everyone takes turns boasting about the characteristics of their favorite cars, and then everyone is confused by the question: why do they need machines with gigantic capacities when there are speed limits?
Of course, the owners of cars such as the Porsche 911 GT3, BMW M3 or Mercedes E55 AMG, this question would be embarrassing and, in any case, obviously annoying. Because in fact, cars are equipped with engines that can accelerate the car to 100 km / h faster than in some diesel engines, the candles warm up. But why all this, if we still can not enjoy these benefits of technology? Wouldn't it be better to drive a car with a small engine, large and practical, the operation of which will not break your budget? For example Peugeot 306 station wagon?
Peugeot 306 debuted in 1993. Clearly rounded, with a sophisticated style and, in any case, not very masculine way, she became a bestseller of the French concern. In any case, there is no need to go far - there are a lot of offers for reselling models, and the prices are more than affordable.
The car was available in several body styles: three-door and five-door hatchback, four-door sedan, station wagon and convertible version. Family version, i.e. station wagon seems to be some kind of highlight that is not so popular. Why?
To be honest, it's hard to single out. The car looks decent, if not neat. The typical Peugeot headlights of those years, the elegantly sculpted hood, the traditional side line and the interestingly designed rear end with the original shape of the side window made the car age rather slowly. Given that 18 years have passed since the debut of the model, its appearance can be considered more than satisfactory.
At over 4.3m tall, the car is very spacious thanks to its generous width (1.7m). A decent amount of space in both the front and rear seats makes the car perfect for a family car. In addition, in the station wagon version, passengers have access to a luggage compartment with a volume of 440 liters, which, if necessary, can be increased to 1500 liters! The ratio is more than enough, and thanks to the low trunk line it is very comfortable to use.
Although the body style of the 306 is not disgusting, the layout, workmanship and materials used in the cabin betray its age from the first minute after it sits behind the wheel. A powerful steering wheel, far from comfortable seats, hard and crackling plastic, insipid dashboard - many other interior defects could be easily replaced. But there is something that allows you to look favorably at the compact Peugeot - equipment. Most cars are very well equipped versions, incl. with air conditioning and full electrics on board. Another thing is the durability and reliability of electrics - the French and their products have very annoying problems with equipping their cars, which sometimes for some reason begin to live their own lives.
As for other downsides and upsides, the suspension should be mentioned as well – it’s comfortable and handles corners well, but it’s very delicate and attracts attention quite often.
A whole galaxy of gasoline and diesel engines could work under the hood of the car - from the frivolous "gasoline" 1.1 liter with a capacity of 60 hp, to the "two-letter" with a capacity of 167 hp. As for diesels, we have a naturally aspirated and indestructible 1.9 D with a power of 69 hp. and modern HDi units, sensitive to sloppy operation (injection system requiring good quality fuel).
"Three hundred" - the car is quite attractive, cheap, spacious inside and quite decent to drive. The good equipment of most models makes them an offer for those who are looking for a bit of luxury at a very low price. However, the Peugeot 306 is also a typical French design - mechanically very refined, but extremely complex in terms of electronics. Sometimes some elements of on-board electronics begin to take on a life of their own, which may not be to everyone's taste.
