Peugeot · 1989–1999

Peugeot 605

The Peugeot 605 is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Peugeot between 1989 and 1999, with a facelift in 1995.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Peugeot 604|Peugeot 505 · Successor: Peugeot 607

All Peugeot 605 data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

History

The 605 was a saloon built on the same platform as the Citroën XM and was the successor to the critically well received, but slow selling, Peugeot 604, which went out of production four years earlier. The popular Peugeot 505 model was thus phased out in the end of the 1980s and beginning of the 1990s in favour of two cars, the large family car 405 and the executive car 605. Peugeot kept the estate version of the 505 in production until 1992, and had planned to replace it with an estate version of the 605, but this was eventually abandoned. The car was launched in July 1989 in left-hand drive form; a right-hand version was launched onto the British market during the first half of 1990. At the time of the original launch, only petrol engines were available. In April 1990, the turbodiesel followed, and the naturally aspirated diesel was added in autumn 1990. High equipment levels, a luxurious interior, a smooth ride, and exceptional handling were strong points for the 605. But Peugeot had always struggled to succeed with large cars outside France and the 605 was no different. It was too similar in design and appearance to the smaller Peugeot 405 to command a price premium, while its dashboard also drew criticism for its uninspired design. PSA Peugeot Citroën, like Vauxhall/Opel, has not been able to address the "luxury brand" issue effectively, the automobile market seeming to reward segmentation by brands from one factory, like Lexus/Toyota, Acura/Honda, and Audi/Volkswagen. Also like the XM, the 605 initially suffered from quality issues that resulted in a number of breakdowns or malfunctions (particularly with the ambitious electrics). An extensive recall operation took place at great cost, in which most of the engine room wiring and exhaust system (as well as multiple

Design and styling

Its appearance resembles that of the Alfa Romeo 164, launched in 1987, and also styled by Pininfarina. Despite the resemblance, the Peugeot did not use the Type Four platform; it rode the same platform as the Citroën XM. As it closely followed Peugeot's design language of the time, the 605 bears a strong visual resemblance to the smaller Peugeot 405, this was generally considered to harm the 605 in the marketplace, as the car was not distinguished enough from its lower cost brethren.

Engines

Eight petrol engines were offered during the 605's lifetime: 2.0-litre (1,998 cc) 8-valve, carbureted inline-four, 85 kW (115 PS; 113 bhp) 2.0-litre (1,998 cc) 8-valve, fuel injected inline-four, 79 kW (107 PS; 106 bhp) 2.0-litre (1,998 cc) 8-valve, fuel injected inline-four, 89 kW (121 PS; 119 bhp) – a non-catalyzed version available in multiple markets produces 94 kW (128 PS; 126 bhp) 2.0-litre (1,998 cc) 8-valve, fuel injected turbocharged inline-four, 108 kW (147 PS; 145 bhp) 2.0-litre (1,998 cc) 16-valve, fuel injected inline-four, 97 kW (132 PS; 130 bhp) 2.9-litre (2,946 cc) 24-valve, fuel injected V6, 140 kW (190 PS; 188 bhp) 3.0-litre (2,975 cc) 12-valve, fuel injected V6, 123 kW (167 PS; 165 bhp) - 3.0-litre (2,963 cc) from 1993 on 3.0-litre (2,975 cc) 24-valve, fuel injected V6, 147 kW (200 PS; 197 bhp) - 3.0-litre (2,963 cc) from 1993 on As well as three diesel engines: 2.1-litre (2,088 cc) 12-valve, turbocharged inline-four, indirect injection, 80 kW (109 PS; 107 bhp) 2.1-litre (2,138 cc) 12-valve, normally aspirated inline-four, indirect injection, 60 kW (82 PS; 80 bhp) 2.4-litre (2,446 cc) 12-valve, turbocharged inline-four, indirect injection, 95 kW (129 PS; 127 bhp) The carbureted four cylinder petrol engine and the normally aspirated diesel (which arrived for the model year of 1991), though reliable, were generally considered to be simply over matched by the car's weight. Even the turbodiesel came in for such criticism, with its hard working engine requiring as much fuel as its bigger competitors. The fuel injected inline four was better received though it was criticised for lacking low and mid range punch, whereas the powerful 123 kW (167 PS) V6 suffered from criticisms over poor fuel economy when combined with an automatic gearbox. In the beginning

Fiction

The Peugeot 605 is featured prominently in the car chase scenes of John Frankenheimer's film Ronin (1998). In the first chase, three Peugeot 605s are escorting a Citroën XM carrying a mysterious briefcase, where it comes under attack by mercenaries, including the character played by Robert De Niro.

Sales

A total of 254,505 units have been produced. All came from Sochaux factory, except for 192 units manufactured in Vesoul (between 1991 and 1992).

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 605
Manufacturer: Peugeot
Class: Executive car (E)
Production: July 1989 – September 1999
Assembly: France: Sochaux (Sochaux Plant), France: Vesoul
Predecessor: Peugeot 604, Talbot Tagora
Successor: Peugeot 607
Related: Citroën XM
Engine: Petrol:, 2.0L XU10 I4, 2.0L XU10 J4R 16V I4, 2.0L XU10 J2TE turbo I4, 2.9L ES9J4 DOHC 24V V6, 3.0L ZPJ V6, 3.0L ZPJ4 24V V6, Diesel:, 2.1L XUD11 A 12V diesel I4, 2.1L XUD11 BTE 12V TD I4, 2.5L DK5ATE 12V TD I4
Transmission: 5-speed manual, 4-speed ZF automatic
Length: 4763 mm
Wheelbase: 2799 mm
Width: 1798 mm
Height: 1419 mm
Kerb weight: 1500 kg
Body style: 4-door saloon
Layout: FF layout
Designer: Pininfarina

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/Q825790CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peugeot_605CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1367265743 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Peugeot_605_red_vr.jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: see file page · 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.