1999 Peugeot 306 GTi-6 review from UK and Ireland

Airbag wiring under seat needed resoldering (common fault that causes airbag light to blink continuously). 60 minute DIY repair.

Outside temperature reading erratic (haven't bothered fixing yet)

Otherwise very reliable.

This was a spur of the moment purchase. A friend had owned the car from new and was after something bigger to accommodate a growing family. He was offered £2500 as part-ex and I took it off his hands for £2750. This is a mint, one owner car with a full Peugeot service history that I know has never been pranged and I know has been reliable. Worth the extra £250 to me, particularly when the same cash would have normally bought a car a year or two older.

On first acquaintance, the GTI-6 feels lively rather than quick, but you soon realise the engine does its best work over 4,000 RPM. At this point, the engine note hardens to a lovely shrill growl, the nose lifts, and the engine sings round to 7,200 RPM, pulling harder and harder as it climbs on cam. There are quicker cars, but the engine sounds fabulous and is a joy to use. The 6 speed box is a little notchy at first, but works perfectly with familiarity.

The piece de resistance though is the chassis. It's perfect, or as close as you can get with FWD. There's stacks of feel through the steering, the nose tucks in beautifully in response to a feathered throttle, and with a little more provocation will ease into full blown oversteer. This allows you to corner using the throttle to adjust your line, and the fabulously meaty, quick steering to hold it all together. I still have not driven a car that is so willing to be driven past its limit of physical grip and still remain so beautifully controllable. Yet it manages to do this with a ride quality that soaks up bumps and mid corner ruts with barely a thump from the undercarriage. It's been set up by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, and it feels brilliant.

And that's the GTI-6 in a nutshell. Feel, and lots of it. Through the steering, through your backside, and through the brake pedal where the unintrusive ABS only cuts in at the absolute last minute. And it says it all that this car has 167 bhp and no traction control or "driver aid" electronics. It doesn't need it. A masterclass in how to set up a chassis properly.

The alcantara seats and silver trim lift the interior ambience slightly, but it's still fairly standard uninspiring French fayre. It's wearing the miles well though and doesn't rattle so far. Standard kit includes everything you need - CD multichanger, air con, electric windows and mirrors and ABS.

What's more though it illustrates the lack of progress in hot hatches in the last 7 years. I've since driven a Focus ST2 and a Golf GTI T-FSI mkV. The Golf is no quicker, and neither handle with anywhere near the same balance and feel, even though they probably grip better and therefore corner faster. Both feel more nose heavy and more leaden. Neither changes direction with the same agility, neither can match the steering feel, and neither get close to the damping quality. The Focus is massively quicker though!

The car just feels brilliant and I've become very attached to it. Still looks good, still more fun to drive than most modern equivalents, and cheap enough that you can really drive the pants off it without having to worry too much. A class act.