PEUGEOT 306 5 doors 1993-1997 Photos, engines & full specs

Peugeot introduced the 306 in 1993 as a replacement for the nine-year-old 309 and was built on the same platform as the Citroen ZX.

At the beginning of the '90s, the hatchback market was on an ascending trend, and the French carmaker was good at it. After the 306 experience, Peugeot understood that the era of big, expensive, curved rear windows was gone and changed the entire concept. That led to a more dynamic look of its vehicles and marked a step away from the overall domestic look.

There was a new design language for the French carmaker, who suddenly remembered that its badge was a lion and put the feline-eye-shaped headlights on the car. It looked miles away from most of its competitors who insisted on squared or round headlamps. The hood left a small gap underneath, above the bumper, for the grille. Its raked-forward tailgate was another important improvement since it didn't feature an additional tail behind the rear window. It was a proper two-box hatchback.

Inside, the carmaker understood the importance of a center stack and built the dashboard with that center element incorporated under the same roof as the instrument panel. All the controls from it were easier to reach by the driver. Moreover, Peugeot understood that the radio controls are more important than the climate controls and placed the cassette player above them. The front seats were comfort-oriented, while the bench was suitable for three children or two adults, as long as the front occupants were not too tall.

Under the hood, Peugeot installed a wide engine choice ranged between 60 hp and 155 hp. The latter was more potent than the acclaimed VW Golf GTI.