Peugeot 306 ST sedan, an affordable alternative
Peugeot 306 ST sedan, an affordable alternative
By Russell Williamson
Peugeot has high hopes for its 306 ST sedan, due to go on sale from Jan. 9 next year.
According to Julius Iskander, general manager of Peugeot's Indonesian distributor, PT Multi France Motor, the company is expecting to have at least 200 orders for the vehicle prior to its on-sale date and it hopes to notch up as many as 2,000 sales in its first year.
However, Julius said, the company's greatest challenge will be to dispel the notion that parts and servicing costs are extremely costly because of the car's European origins.
To do this the car will be launched with an after-sales service package costing Rp 900,000 which will cover replacement parts for the first two years.
Julius said the car has been priced very competitively at Rp 64 million and he was confident that it would take a considerable slice of the small sedan market, which is currently dominated by the likes of the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Opel Optima.
The introduction of the 306 will complement the bigger 405 sedan, which is already well established and has a reputation for European reliability and brand image at an affordable price.
The 306 sedan is a very capable refinement of the themes established by the 405. Its suspension is a combination of front MacPherson-style struts, and a space-saving system comprising torsion bars and near-horizontal shock absorbers at the rear.
The system provides an excellent ride for this class, combining sure-footed handling with excellent roadholding. The assisted rack and pinion steering shows the sensitivity European designers can have for providing the driver with correct amounts of road "feel".
The body is a smoothed-out, rounded version of familiar Peugeot shapes, with minimal overhangs at either end of an unusually long wheelbase. The greater distance between the front wheels and back wheels helps ride quality, while adding to interior leg room.
Under the skin, there is a ruggedly simple, 1.8-liter four- cylinder engine supplying motive power in reasonable quantities.
The engine mates to a five-speed manual gearbox with nicely spaced ratios and generates maximum power of 103hp at 6,000rpm and 160Nm of torque at 3,000rpm.
The interior crosses the border between the small and medium class and is well equipped with many features, including standard air conditioning.
Cabin width tends to be a little greater than most, apart from Honda's relatively broad-beamed, lengthy Civic, allowing ample space for tall adults in both front and rear.
The seats are comfortably supportive, with welcome lateral support. Together with the height-adjustable wheel and driver's seat, the vast majority of drivers should have no problem finding a comfortable driving position.
The only problem, and this will affect only drivers with large feet, is that there is a shortage of foot space around the pedals and under the instrument panel, a familiar problem with cars primarily designed for left-hand drive markets.
Finish quality, which has been something of an issue with European cars over the years, shows no evidence of any glaring problems.
The new single-piece instrument panel is devoid of the rattles and squeaks once considered to be an integral part of Peugeots, and the general fit and finish is of a suitably high standard not to offend buyers accustomed to Japanese quality.
The 306 measures up very well in its class. It has the space, comfort and ride-handling qualities that set European cars apart, yet does not sacrifice performance. And it is well put together.
Above all, the 306 is a refreshing new entry priced within reach of buyers normally accustomed to -- and brought up on -- Japanese fare.