Peugeot · 1983–1999

Peugeot 205

The Peugeot 205 is a supermini (B-segment) car manufactured and marketed by Peugeot from 1983 to 1999 over a single generation. Developed from Projet M24 and introduced on 25 February 1983, the 205 replaced the Peugeot 104 and the Talbot Samba, using some elements from their design. It won What Car?'s Car of the Year for 1984. It was also declared "car of the decade" by CAR Magazine in 1990. Peugeot stopped marketing the 205 in 1999 in favor of its new front-engined 206. The 106, which was introduced in 1991, effectively took over as Peugeot's smaller front-engined model in their lineup. The latter was developed as a close sibling of the Citroën AX, sharing many components and a platform that later evolved into the Citroën Saxo.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Talbot Samba|Peugeot 104|Peugeot 204 · Successor: Peugeot 307 WRC|Peugeot 206

All Peugeot 205 data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

History

Before the 205, Peugeot was considered the most conservative of France's "big three" car manufacturers, producing large saloons such as the 504 and 505, although it had entered the modern supermini market in 1973 with the Peugeot 104. The genesis of the 205 lay within Peugeot's takeover in 1978 of Chrysler's European divisions Simca and the former Rootes Group, which had the necessary expertise in making small cars including the Simca 1100 in France and Hillman Imp in Britain. It was around this time that Peugeot began to work on the development of a new supermini for the 1980s. After its main launch in February 1983, the right-hand drive form for the UK market followed in September that year. Shortly after its launch, it was pipped to the European Car of the Year award by the similar sized Fiat Uno, but ultimately (according to the award organizers) it would enjoy a longer high market demand than its Italian competitor. It was one of five important small cars to be launched onto the European market within a year of each other: the other four were the Uno, the second generation Ford Fiesta, the original Opel Corsa (sold as the Vauxhall Nova on the British market) and the original Nissan Micra. Its launch also closely followed that of the Austin Metro and Volkswagen Polo Mk2. The styling of the 205 is often thought to be a Pininfarina design, although Gerard Welter claims that it is an in-house design; Pininfarina only styled the Cabriolet. It is often credited as the car that turned Peugeot's fortunes around. The fully independent suspension used the standard PSA Peugeot Citroën layout that had debuted in the Peugeot 305 estate. A key ingredient of the success of the 205, it had MacPherson struts at the front and trailing arms with torsion bars at the rear. The rear sus

Versions

Most of the versions had manual transmission. The 205 had a rather unusual trim level scheme for its models; three-door models (apart from the GTI) were badged 'X' and five-door models were badged 'G'. Trim levels were: XA and XAD, two-seater commercial versions. There was also the "Multi", tall-bodied special versions built by independents such as Gruau and Durisotti. 1.1 litre petrol, 4-cylinder – 54 PS (40 kW; 53 hp), 1124 cc 1.8 litre diesel, 4-cylinder – 59 PS (43 kW; 58 hp), 1769 cc XE/GE, available with: 1.0 litre petrol, 4-cylinder – 44 PS (32 kW; 43 hp), 954 cc 1.1 litre petrol, 4-cylinder – 54 PS (40 kW; 53 hp), 1124 cc XL/GL, available with: 1.0 litre petrol, 4-cylinder – 44 PS (32 kW; 43 hp), 954 cc 1.1 litre petrol, 4-cylinder – 50 PS (37 kW; 49 hp), 1124 cc 1.1 litre petrol, 4-cylinder – 54–60 PS (40–44 kW; 53–59 hp), 1124 cc (in Spain, 1118 cc Simca/Talbot engine) 1.8 litre diesel, 4-cylinder – 59 PS (43 kW; 58 hp), 1769 cc 1.6 litre petrol, 4-cylinder – 79 PS (58 kW; 78 hp), 1580 cc Automatic (Note: The 1.0 litre GL was not offered in the UK). The 1.8 litre GLD diesel model was popular, and What Car? magazine recommended it as a Used Car Buy in August 1992. It was also a Which? magazine best buy for five years running in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was, (and is as a used buy), a better car than the 106 diesel that replaced it. XR/GR, available with: 1.1 litre petrol, 4-cylinder – 54–60 PS (40–44 kW; 53–59 hp), 1124 cc (higher output for fuel injected and catalyzed version) 1.2 litre petrol, 4-cylinder – 63 PS (46 kW; 62 hp), 1204 cc (GR only, Spain only, Simca/Talbot engine) 1.3 litre petrol, 4-cylinder – 65 PS (48 kW; 64 hp), 1294 cc (In Spain, Simca/Talbot engine) 1.4 litre petrol, 4-cylinder – 69 PS (51 kW; 68 hp), 1360 cc 1.6 litre petrol, 4

High performance variants

=== 205 GTI/CTI === The 1.6 litre GTI was launched in 1984, and came with a XU5J engine, producing 105 PS (77 kW; 104 hp), for the 1987 model year the XU5J received the cylinder head with larger valves thus becoming XU5JA. The new engine was quoted for 115 bhp (86 kW; 117 PS). The 1.9 litre GTI came with an XU9JA engine producing 128 PS (94 kW; 126 hp), although later models with a catalytic converter produce 122 PS (90 kW; 120 hp). Internally these engines are very similar, the main differences on 1.9 litre versions being the longer stroke, oil cooler, and some parts of the fuel injection system. The shorter stroke 1.6 litre engine is famed for being revvy and eager, while the 1.9 litre feels lazier and torquier. Outside the engine bay the main differences between the 1.6 GTI and the 1.9 GTI are half-leather seats (1.9 GTI) vs. cloth seats (1.6 GTI); and disc brakes all-round (1.9 GTI) vs. discs at the front and drum brakes at the back (1.6 GTI); as well as the 14" alloy (Speedline SL201) wheels (1.6 GTI) vs. 15" (Speedline SL299) alloys (1.9 GTI). The 205 is still often treated as a benchmark in group car tests of the newest GTI models or equivalent. Peugeot itself has never truly recreated this success in future GTI models, although they came very close with the highly regarded GTI-6 variant of the Peugeot 306. A cabriolet version of the 205, known as the CJ/CT/CTI, was designed and partially assembled by Pininfarina of Italy. The CTI version offered the same plastic arches and wheels as the 1.6 GTI. Some later models incorporated the catalysed 1.9-litre engine. The main aesthetic difference between the GTI/CTi versions and other 205 models were the plastic wheel arches and trim, beefier front and rear bumper valances. The shell also underwent some minor changes, i

Electric prototype

In 1983, Peugeot secured a partnership with Saft, a battery company that supplied many advanced batteries for the time. Together, they took a year to develop an electric version of the 205, and produced 20 prototypes starting in 1984. Most electric vehicles typically used lead-acid batteries, but instead Saft chose their Nickel Iron chemistry for added longevity and capacity, with a claimed 200,000 km (120,000 mi) lifespan. The battery pack weighed 300 kg (660 lb), with 12 batteries in total all in the engine compartment. Being 6V cells, the total capacity was 230A. Charge time was 10 hours using a standard 16A outlet. The electric motor in the 205 was an 8 kW (11 hp) Leroy-Somer unit with a maximum power of 17.5 kW (23.5 hp). Top speed was 100 km/h (62 mph) and acceleration from 0-50 km/h (31 mph) could be done in 11.6 seconds. Many of the 20 prototypes were exported and came as 3 doors, 5 door hatchbacks, convertibles, and vans. None are known to have survived today and were not displayed at the Peugeot Adventure Museum's electric vehicle exhibit in 2021. The development of the 205 made way for the production of the Peugeot 106 Electrique, as well as the many electric Citroëns made during the late 1980s and 1990s including the 1989 Citroën C15 Electrique and 1995 Citroën AX Electrique.

World Records

On 11 October 1992, Angus Hamilton set three world records with the car (Class 7) at the former Elvington airbase in the United Kingdom: quarter-mile, half-kilometer, and kilometer, in Category A3 Group 3.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: Peugeot 205
Manufacturer: Peugeot
Production: 1983–1999
Assembly: France: Mulhouse (Mulhouse Plant), France: Cerizay (Heuliez: 205T16), Spain: Madrid (Peugeot España), Chile: Los Andes (Automotores Franco Chilena S.A.), Taiwan: Changhua (GSK Corp.), Iran: Tehran (Iran Khodro), Morocco: Casablanca (Sopriam), Uruguay: Montevideo (Nordex S.A.)
Designer: Gerard Welter, Pininfarina (cabriolet)
Class: Supermini (B-segment)
Body style: 3/5-door hatchback, 2-door convertible, 3/4-door panel van
Related: Peugeot 309
Layout: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive, Rear Mid-engine, four-wheel-drive (205 T16)
Engine: Petrol:, 954 cc XV I4, 1124 cc XW I4, 1124 cc TU1 I4, 1204 cc F1 I4, 1294 cc G1A I4, 1294 cc TU2 I4, 1360 cc XY I4, 1360 cc TU3 I4, 1442 cc 6Y I4, 1580 cc XU5 I4, 1592 cc 6J I4, 1775 cc XU8T turbo I4, 1905 cc XU9 I4, Diesel:, 1769 cc XUD7 I4, 1769 cc XUD7 turbodiesel I4, 1905 cc XUD9 I4
Transmission: 4-speed ZF 4HP14 automatic, 4/5-speed manual
Wheelbase: 2420 mm, 2540 mm (205 T16)
Length: 3705 mm, 3820 mm (205 T16)
Width: 1562 -, 1589 mm (GTI/CTI), 1700 mm (205 T16)
Height: 1350 -, 1354 mm (GTI/205 T16), 1381 mm (Cabriolet)
Kerb weight: 740 - (excluding 205 T16)
Predecessor: Peugeot 104, Talbot Samba, Peugeot 204
Successor: Peugeot 106, Peugeot 206
Platform: PSA N platform

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q215218CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peugeot_205CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1375300137 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Peugeot_205_front_20080121.jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: Rudolf Stricker · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.