Peugeot 206 vs BMW 1 Series – Hatchback Comparison

Peugeot 206

Gratitude to its fashionable lines and modern concept the Peugeot 206 has established a huge hit. Comfortable to drive with light controls, it is perfect for undertaking urban roads and although some of the engines are light lazy, it’s amusing pottering along the motorway too. Nevertheless, it’s seriously dispensing its age – particularly related to the more current Peugeot 207, and the cramped driving position, confined rear, and reduction of refinement are only half the story.

The scratchy synthetics on the dash and sheer build quality do it few approvals either. But the 206 resides a good used value – it’s cheap to run, mechanically sound and the styling still seems good even after ten years on sale.

BMW 1 Series

The BMW 1 Series – the German company’s tiniest and cheapest model in the series – is now in its third generation, and continues a somewhat uncertain car. When it first debuted, some fought to get on with the way it seems, and this latest model is no various. That hasn’t meant too much, as the 1 Series has been a selling success for BMW, and there’s a small reason to recommend it won’t proceed that way.

This new car has also grown front-wheel drive (the older models were rear-wheel drive), which believers may not be thrilled about, but this is a difference that’s dubious to mark the appeal too much, and most customers won’t regard any variation in the way the car drives. This change has come because, underneath the new body, the 1 Series sits on mechanical elements and a frame that’s shared with other models in the BMW Group.

Peugeot 206

A great bodyshell supported the 206 earnings a four-star Euro NCAP crash test rating. There is a driver’s Airbags additionally standard passenger bags from mid-2000 but ABS was a possibility on most early cars (standard on sportier 1.6 and 2.0 petrol models). An immobilizer is standard while an alarm is provided on higher-spec cars.

With 237 liters of baggage space, the 206 is medium connected to other little cars – although the Ford Fiesta and its huge competitor the Renault Clio both give more. The boot itself is a good aspect though and the split-folding rear seats mean it’s probable to transport more substantial objects. Folding them boosts scope to a helpful 1,100 liters but up front, there’s only confined storage.

BMW 1 Series

The earlier BMW 1 Series paddled into battle with a smaller-than-average boot space and rear passenger room – something that the German brand has achieved to increase with its follower.

The five-door-only 1 Series is 34mm wider and 13mm longer than its ancestor however, surprisingly, also appears 5mm smaller. This recent analysis is owing to enhanced packaging from the front-wheel-drive powertrain and twisted engine (so it’s now transverse-mounted, meaning it’s placed across the engine compartment rather than lengthways), enabling the car to be more precise without compromising passenger or boot space.

Peugeot 206

While the exterior styling has matured well, the equivalent cannot be stated of the interior. The design is reasonably clean with a detailed information screen on the height of the dash but the scratchy synthetics, unsupportive seats, and irregular rattling do mean to inspire conviction in durability and stability. But the most important difficulty is the colossal driving situation. The pedals are too near collectively and the steering wheel is too distant from the driver and lies at an unusual angle. There’s a scarcity of storage too.

Most of the engines in the 206 are noisy, not supported by the apparent absence of sound isolating while there’s untimely wind turbulence at a greater speed. It unquestionably doesn’t feel very elegant. The reduction of relief in the front seats can execute more distant trips tiring and the uncomfortable driving position doesn’t serve aid either – it’s surely not a car that is intended for lengthy motorway routes.

On the positive side, rear passenger space isn’t bad for a car of this measurement, but when contrasted to more modern competitors it appears pretty narrow.

BMW 1 Series

The 1 Series cabin gets much influence from its BMW 3 Series maturer sibling, particularly when specced with the voluntary digital dashboard display and a head-up display. A button-heavy center console also highlights, as does the same solid-feeling build and selection of quality substance all around – it comfortably surpasses the Mercedes A-Class on both appearances.

Infotainment

BMW’s Operating System 6.0 is implemented as standard to the 1 Series, although consumers can upgrade to the newest 7.0 infotainment system (with a 10.25-inch display) should they wish via one of the Technology Packs. Do that and the functionality on the proposal is excellent, with the Android-like menu system enabling web browsing and other apps, as well as the typical sat-nav, media, and telephone purposes.

The 10.25-inch digital dashboard display, though, is less of a victory. Its somewhat essential setup seems better fitted to the 1 Series than the 8 Series, for instance, but the level of functionality balanced to what Mercedes-Benz and Audi offer is requiring. Users aren’t able to cycle the whole screen by various modes, rather than viewing only a short part change preferably.

Peugeot 206

The tiny Peugeot enjoys extended service periods, aggressive insurance, and a moderate range of engines. Its opposition to depreciation is better than ordinary but charges for some parts can be costly.

The 206 is a moderately environmentally-friendly model and with a standard of 143g/km of CO2 across the model line-up, its emissions are comparably cheap for a little car. Eco-conscious consumers should analyze the 1.4-liter diesel, which is one of the youngest models in the series shooting 116g/km of CO2 and averaging 64mpg.

The 206 points to be mechanically strong and old Peugeots have respect for enduring well, but it will receive a bit tatty with age as interior elements are fairly cheap. There have been various evokes too, so it’s worth investigating with VOSA and making sure that any possible investment has had the important work conducted out.

BMW 1 Series

Unsurprisingly, the BMW brand brings a premium listing cost with the most affordable 1 Series significantly more costly than an entry-level Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf.

The most economical petrol 1 Series is the three-cylinder 118i, delivering a deserved common fuel consumption figure of up to 47.1mpg. This conflicts profoundly with the performance M135i xDrive model that achieves 35.3mpg – still a moderate return for a 306hp hot hatchback.

Model

Opt for a diesel model and you can anticipate up to 61.4mpg from the 116d, 60.1mpg from the 118d, and 51.4mpg from the 120d xDrive. As with all fuel economy figures, real-world results vary due to parts such as driving style and the size of the wheel implemented in your car.

Spend your cash on the 116d and CO2 emissions occur in at as small as 100g/km of CO2, while the 118d isn’t far behind on 108g/km. Meanwhile, the automatic, all-wheel-drive-only 120d xDrive generates 117g/km. For petrol variants, the 118i gives a minimum of 114g/km of CO2, while the M135i xDrive sees a large jump to 155g/km.

Peugeot 206

There’s a nice selection of engines in the 206 fields beginning with the entry-level 1.1-liter petrol with the only 60bhp. It’s adequate about town but not a good choice for larger drives, rather seem to the 1.4-liter with 75bhp (from 2003 this was upgraded to a 16v version with 90bhp). Nevertheless, our decision of the patrols is the 1.6-liter unit – the 16-valve model from 2000 being more sought after.

It’s peppy and revs easily giving honest performance although like the smaller engines it will get loud when pushed hard. The diesel strikes more although it’s best to avoid the older 1.9D which is an unpolished throwback with just 70bhp. The 1.4-liter HDi is better and the most economical in the field, equalizing 64mpg, though, it can seem slow.

Engine

But the best engine in the field for performance and economy is the 1.6HDi with 110bhp (that was launched in 2004 and only available as a GTi). It’s still, fairly smooth, and gives a powerful in-gear pace. Before the 1.6-liter, Peugeot gave a 2.0HDi but this only claims 90bhp – yet, it’s a good motorway cruiser.

The 206 is safe and comfortable to drive with light controls. This has its limitations on more difficult roads though where the overly assisted power steering robs the driver of any quality and there’s refined little feedback. That’s a disgrace as the handling is well set up and the 206 edges neatly with good levels of grip while the body roll is somewhat controlled.

The slack five-speed gearbox is a great misery though and only continues to the low-rent feel plus the trip can be a few crashy, particularly on the sportier models.

BMW 1 Series

From launch, the BMW 1 Series is available with two petrol and three diesel engines. Most models are front-wheel drive, while xDrive all-wheel drive is also available. Note that this is a notable difference from the previous-generation 1 Series, which often utilized a rear-wheel-drive platform. For most customers, the variety offers a slight variation to how the car handles.

The BMW 118i indicates a three-cylinder 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine delivering 140hp and 220Nm of torque. Good for 0-62mph in a punchy 8.5 seconds, it’s available in the front-wheel-drive form with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The top speed is estimated at 132mph.

Power

If you’re after the most mighty BMW 1 Series currently on sale, the M135i xDrive delivers 306hp and 450Nm of torque from a four-cylinder 2.0-liter petrol engine. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 4.8 seconds while top speed is 155mph. As per the title, the M135i is an all-wheel-drive only and begins with the seven-speed Steptronic automatic gearbox.

Beating off the diesel series is the 1.5-liter four-cylinder 116d delivering 116hp and 270Nm of torque. Available in the front-wheel-drive form with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, 0-62mph takes 10.1 seconds while top speed appears at 124mph.

Cylinder

Following up is the big-selling 118d. Utilizing a four-cylinder 2.0-liter diesel engine, it delivers 150hp and 350Nm of torque, providing a 0-62mph time of 8.4 seconds and a top speed of 135mph. The front-wheel-drive alone, gearbox selection is within the six-speed manual and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.