Peugeot 205: versions, engines and weak spots before you buy

The Peugeot 205 was built from 1983 to 1998, around 5.28 million of them, so today's buyer can choose between very different cars: from a three-door city car with a 1.1 engine, through diesels, to the GTI 1.9 and the Pininfarina-bodied cabriolet. This post is an overview of the whole range from a buyer's point of view. I cover the tennis-themed special edition separately: Peugeot 205 Roland Garros — versions and originality.

Which versions of the Peugeot 205 were made?

The Peugeot 205 was sold as a three- and five-door hatchback, a cabriolet and a van, with petrol engines from 954 cc to 1.9 litres and 1.8–1.9-litre diesels. It was launched on 25 February 1983, and according to French Wikipedia series production ended in 1998, shortly after the 206 arrived; the last cars were still being sold in early 1999.

The same source gives the production split: 2,245,522 three-door cars, 2,598,515 five-doors and 72,375 cabriolets. Cars were assembled in Mulhouse, Sochaux, Poissy and Madrid among other places, and the last GTIs were built in Spain, according to Hagerty UK's buying guide.

Phases and naming

French sources split production into three phases: 1983–1987, 1987–1991 and 1991–1998. British GTI guides use a different split: "Phase 1.5" means cars with the new dashboard (1987/1988), and Phase 2 (from 1990) has darker interior plastics and smoked rear lights. When comparing French and British adverts, check which system is being used.

Engines

Early 205s used X-series engines (the 954 cc XV and 1124 cc XW). In 1987–1988 they were replaced by the more modern TU units (1.1, 1.3 and 1.4 litres) and the aluminium XU (1.6 and 1.9 litres). The 1.8 D diesel (XUD7, 60 PS) was offered from September 1983, and a 1.8 turbodiesel (about 78 PS) followed in 1990. The simple naturally aspirated petrol engines and XUD diesels are now the least troublesome part of the car.

How does the 205 GTI 1.6 differ from the GTI 1.9?

The GTI 1.6 feels lighter and revs more eagerly, while the 1.9 has more torque, bigger wheels, rear disc brakes and longer gearing. The GTI 1.6 arrived in 1984 with the XU5J engine rated at 105 PS; from the 1987 model year the XU5JA produced 115 PS. The GTI 1.9 (XU9JA) appeared in 1986 with about 130 PS — sources give 128 to 130 PS.

According to the Goodwood Insurance guide, the GTI 1.9 weighs 880 kg, does 0–62 mph in 7.8 seconds and reaches 128 mph; the 1.6 tops out at 122 mph. When catalytic converters became mandatory from 1992, the 1.9 dropped to 122 PS and the GTI 1.6 left the price list. GTI production ended in 1994.

The MB Classics archive includes a 1991 Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6 — its page shows a GTI from the final years of the 1.6.

What are the CTI, Rallye, XS and other versions?

Beyond the GTI, the 205 range had several versions that now have their own followers:

• CT and CTI (from 1986) — cabriolets whose bodies were designed and partly assembled by Pininfarina. The CTI used the GTI 1.6 mechanicals (115 PS), the less powerful CT a 1.36-litre engine (80 PS). In 1988 the CT was replaced by the CJ with the TU3 engine.
• XS — a sporty three-door with a 1.36-litre engine: 80 PS at first, then the 85 PS TU3S from the 1988 model year.
• Rallye (1988–1992) — a Group N homologation model: 1294 cc TU24 engine with twin Weber carburettors, 103 PS, under 800 kg. According to Wikipedia, 30,111 were built.
• Turbo 16 — the road-going homologation version of the Group B rally car: 200 cars with a mid-mounted 1.8 turbo (about 200 PS). The works team won the world championship with it in 1985 and 1986. It is a separate market category.
• Special editions — including Lacoste, Junior and Roland Garros; I cover the last one in a separate post.

What are the Peugeot 205's weak spots?

Two things matter most: corrosion in places photos don't show and worn rear axle bearings. Engines and gearboxes cause fewer problems if they have been serviced normally.

Body and corrosion

The 205's panels are thin and dent easily, but they were partly galvanised. The Hagerty and Goodwood guides list the same areas to check: the panel behind the headlights and their mountings, the bulkhead, the inner wings, the door inner skins, the sills and their joint with the rear arches, the void between the fuel tank and the rear seat, the boot floor and the rear bumper mountings. Leaking brake fluid can eat through the footwell. On hard-driven GTIs, also look for undocumented accident repairs.

Rear axle

This is the best-known 205 fault. The trailing-arm pivots run on needle-roller bearings; when they wear, the rear wheels take on obvious negative camber and there is play when the car is lifted. Neglected bearings damage the axle beam, which is why specialists sell both rebuild kits and complete reconditioned axles.

Engine, gearbox, suspension, electrics

• XU engine (GTI) — the aluminium block can crack if the coolant mix is wrong; blue smoke usually points to valve stem seals. The cambelt and water pump are replaced every four years. According to Hagerty, a well-maintained XU lasts well past 150,000 miles.
• Gearbox — a vague change is most often a worn bush in the linkage; crunching on downshifts means worn synchros.
• Front suspension — knocks are usually anti-roll bar drop links, less often strut top mounts and wishbone joints.
• Electrics — simple, and faults are mostly corroded connections.
• Interior — brittle plastics, collapsed front seat bolsters, a leaking sunroof seal (if fitted).

Are Peugeot 205 parts available?

Most mechanical parts are available, some as aftermarket items; interior trim is the problem. Hagerty notes that Peugeot listed many trim items as "NFP" (no further production), although the brand's classic department is gradually bringing some back. Original GTI seat fabric is the hardest to source, which is why a complete, unmodified interior counts for a lot when assessing a car.

If you want to confirm a specific car's build date, version and trim, the L'Aventure Peugeot Citroën DS association, which keeps the brand's archives, issues certificates with factory data. This is especially useful for the GTI, CTI and special editions, where the correct version matters most.

How much does a Peugeot 205 GTI cost?

Prices depend mainly on body condition, originality and history — the gap between a usable driver and a no-compromise car is several-fold. In its April 2021 guide, Hagerty UK quoted for the British market: around £27,000 for a concours car, around £19,000 for a beautiful one, over £12,000 for a very tidy regular driver and about £7,000 for a flawed but usable car. The same guide notes that 1.9s usually cost a little more than 1.6s, and the last-built cars slightly less. These are figures from a few years ago and from a right-hand-drive market, so treat them as proportions rather than a current price list.

Other versions (XS, CJ, diesels) cost noticeably less than a GTI, and special editions are valued separately — I have collected auction results for the 205 Roland Garros in the post on that edition.

What should you compare the Peugeot 205 with?

Its closest period rivals are the Renault 5 GT Turbo, the Clio RSi and the Citroën AX GTI. The French site automobile-sportive.com puts the Clio RSi on a par with the 205 GTI 1.6 for performance, with the Peugeot almost 100 kg lighter — more in Renault Clio RSi: history, versions and prices, and on the R5 in Renault 5 — the model's history.

For the wider context of French cars from the 1980s and 1990s — parts, costs and the market — see my post on French youngtimers, and for a short list of models worth a look, 7 French future classics. More guides are in the Models and buyer's guides category, and the cars I currently have for sale are in the listings.