2006 Peugeot 307 XS review from China

Windscreen wipers made a creaky noise while working. Dealer replaced them with a new pair, problem solved.

Exhaust pipe joint made creaky noise when changing gear to or from neutral. Dealer replaced the joint twice. On the second time, they replaced it with an imported one, and promised it won't happen again.

Nothing else so far. It's only 9700km now.

What I like about this car:

First of all, the 1.6 liter petrol engine runs pretty quietly and smoothly. Only the noise from wind and tires can be heard while running on the autobahn. And, no vibration is transfered into steering wheel at all while standing still with the gearbox in "D".

Second, the handling of this car is pretty good. The steering feels very direct and accurate. I believe the firm suspension is a major contribution to this.

The cabin is very high, which provides plenty of head-space for all passengers, especially for tall people like me. Compare with other compact cars, this one feels like an MPV, height-wise of course.

What I don't like about this car:

Hot hatch converted into ugly sedan. This car only comes in the sedan version in China. I don't wanna say why. It doesn't affect the everyday driving. But under extreme conditions, such as high speed maneuvers, with the "help" of passive steering rear axle, the tail can easily swing out of control.

The 1.6 liter petrol engine is a bit weak pulling a car weighs over 1300 kg, especially while fully loaded and with the A/C on. I have to push the pedal very hard to overtake another vehicle on the autobahn.

The gas mileage is not cheering either, probably due to the weight. It's 20 mpg (US) in city and 26 mpg combined.

After 10 months of driving, I've decided to trade this in for a better one. Maybe a Focus 2.0 AT, not sure yet.