Peugeot 307
Specs, engines and history
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By Felix Hartmann, Automotive Technology & EV Contributor
Which Peugeot 307 to buy
Our verdict · Felix Hartmann
- For families on a budget: a facelifted (2005–2008) 307 SW with the 80 kW 1.6 HDi; the third-row seats make it a cheap seven-seater.
- For open-air driving: the 307 CC, ideally with a documented roof mechanism.
- For the fastest version: the 130 kW (177 PS) 2.0 16V petrol.
- Be careful with: cars without service history, given the 307's poor ADAC breakdown record.
Rivals included the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Renault Mégane and Opel Astra; our comparison tool sets them side by side.
The Peugeot 307 is the small family car (C-segment) that Peugeot introduced in Europe on 26 April 2001 to replace the 306. Designed under Murat Günak, it was taller than its rivals, came as a hatchback, two estates, a coupé-cabriolet and a saloon, and was voted European Car of the Year 2002. European production ended in 2008 after the 308 arrived, but the 307 was built in Argentina until 2010–2011 and in China until 2014; about 3.78 million were made.
In short
- Built 2001–2008 in Mulhouse and Sochaux, later also in China, Argentina and Nigeria; 3,781,000 produced by 2012.
- European Car of the Year 2002; facelift in June 2005.
- Engines from the 50 kW (68 PS) 1.4 HDi to the 130 kW (177 PS) 2.0 16V petrol; diesels up to 100 kW (136 PS) and 320 Nm.
- The 307 WRC, based on the 307 CC, won three World Rally Championship rounds from 2004 to 2006.
Peugeot 307 at a glance
| Specification | Peugeot 307 |
|---|---|
| Segment | small family car (C-segment) |
| Production | April 2001 – 2008 (Europe); China to 2014; Argentina to 2010–2011 |
| Plants | Mulhouse and Sochaux (France), Wuhan (China), Villa Bosch and El Palomar (Argentina), Kaduna (Nigeria) |
| Platform | PSA PF2 (reworked 306 platform) |
| Body styles | 3/5-door hatchback, Break and SW estates, CC coupé-cabriolet, 4-door saloon |
| Engines | 1.4–2.0 petrol, 1.4–2.0 HDi diesel |
| Power range | 50–130 kW (68–177 PS) |
| Gearboxes | 5/6-speed manual, 4-speed ZF and 6-speed Aisin automatics |
| Built | 3,781,000 by 2012 |
| Predecessor / successor | Peugeot 306 / Peugeot 308 (2007); 408 for the saloon |
The 307 is listed in our Peugeot catalogue, and its successor generation is covered in our Peugeot 308 II guide. For the company background, see the history of Peugeot.
From Prométhée concept to Car of the Year
Peugeot previewed the car as the 307 Prométhée at the Paris Motor Show (Mondial de l'Automobile) in 2000, and the production hatchback went on sale in Europe on 26 April 2001. It sat on the PSA PF2 platform, a reworked version of the 306's base that also served the Citroën Xsara. The 307 was larger than the 306 in every direction, and at 1,510 mm it was noticeably taller than most small family cars, which were typically 1,400–1,450 mm high; compact MPVs of the time were 1,600–1,650 mm.
The tall body worked well with testers and juries. In June 2001 Top Gear compared it with the Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec and the Honda Civic 1.6 VTEC and chose the Peugeot, and the 307 was voted European Car of the Year 2002. Its 2001 launch advertising used Labi Siffre's song "(Something Inside) So Strong".
Body styles: hatchback, SW, Break, CC and saloon
| Version | Launched | Length | Wheelbase | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/5-door hatchback | April 2001 | 4,210 mm | 2,608 mm | 1,510 mm tall |
| Break and SW estates | February 2002 | 4,420 mm | 2,710 mm | SW with optional removable third-row seats |
| 307 CC | August 2003 | 4,350 mm | 2,608 mm | retractable steel hard top, 1,420 mm tall |
| Saloon | June 2004 (China) | 4,470 mm | 2,612 mm | built in China and Argentina |
The SW stood out with a longer wheelbase and an optional third row of individually removable seats, so it worked as a compact seven-seat MPV. The 307 CC brought the folding steel roof of the 206 CC to a larger car and also served as the basis of the 307 WRC rally car.
In June 2005 the range was facelifted with a new front, a larger air intake, a new bonnet and a new instrument cluster.
Engines, transmissions and performance
| Engine | Capacity | Power | Torque |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 TU3 8V petrol | 1,360 cc | 55 kW (75 PS) | 111 Nm |
| 1.4 ET3 16V petrol | 1,360 cc | 66 kW (90 PS) | 133 Nm |
| 1.6 TU5 16V petrol | 1,587 cc | 81 kW (110 PS) | 147 Nm |
| 2.0 EW10 16V petrol | 1,997 cc | 100–103 kW (136–140 PS) | 190–200 Nm |
| 2.0 EW10 16V petrol (top version) | 1,997 cc | 130 kW (177 PS) | 202 Nm |
| 1.4 HDi DV4TD | 1,398 cc | 50 kW (68 PS) | 150 Nm |
| 1.6 HDi DV6ATED4 | 1,560 cc | 66 kW (90 PS) | 215 Nm |
| 1.6 HDi DV6TED4 | 1,560 cc | 80 kW (109 PS) | 240 Nm |
| 2.0 HDi DW10A / DW10ATED | 1,997 cc | 66–79 kW (90–107 PS) | 205–250 Nm |
| 2.0 HDi DW10TED4 16V | 1,997 cc | 100 kW (136 PS) | 320 Nm |
Manual gearboxes had five or six speeds. Automatics were a four-speed ZF 4HP20 and, on some later versions, six-speed Aisin units. From September 2007 a 1.6 BioFlex petrol engine could run on E85 ethanol, and South American cars had 1.6 and 2.0 flex-fuel engines.
In January 2006 Peugeot showed a diesel-electric hybrid 307 prototype rated at 3.4 l/100 km (83 mpg), but it never reached production.
Dimensions, interior space and weight
| Parameter | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Length (hatchback) | 4,210 mm | 165.7 in |
| Width | 1,730 mm | 68.1 in |
| Height (hatchback) | 1,510 mm | 59.4 in |
| Wheelbase (hatchback) | 2,608 mm | 102.7 in |
| Wheelbase (estate) | 2,710 mm | 106.7 in |
| Length (estate) | 4,420 mm | 174.0 in |
The estate's wheelbase is 102 mm longer than the hatchback's, and the CC is 90 mm lower at 1,420 mm.
Safety and reliability
The source used here does not give a Euro NCAP result, but ANCAP tested the five-door hatchback in 2001. It scored 11.60 out of 16 in the frontal offset test, the full 16 points in the side impact and 2 of 2 in the pole test, with marginal pedestrian protection. The 307 CC scored 13.08 in the frontal and 15.26 in the side test.
Reliability was the car's weak point. In the 2009 breakdown statistics of the German motoring club ADAC, the 307 came last among small family cars aged three to five years. A full service record matters more than usual on this model.
Sales and production by year
| Year | Worldwide sales |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 583,700 |
| 2005 | 520,400 |
| 2006 | 447,000 |
| 2007 | 369,100 |
| 2008 | 142,300 |
| 2010 | 86,900 |
| 2012 | 103,000 |
After the 308 replaced the 307 in Europe in September 2007, production continued for other markets. Total output reached 3,677,711 by 2011 and about 3,781,000 by 2012, and the Chinese 307 ended in 2014.
The 307 WRC
The 307 WRC replaced the 206 WRC for the 2004 World Rally Championship. Marcus Grönholm gave it its first win at Rally Finland in 2004; in 2005 he won in Finland and Japan and finished third in the drivers' standings, while Peugeot was second among manufacturers. In 2006 the private Bozian Racing team ran the cars, and Manfred Stohl finished fourth overall. In total the 307 WRC won three rallies and scored 26 podiums. Its record is overshadowed by the death of co-driver Michael Park on Wales Rally GB in September 2005.
Photo gallery
FAQ
When was the Peugeot 307 made?
In Europe from April 2001 to 2008; production continued in Argentina until 2010–2011 and in China until 2014.
Did the Peugeot 307 win European Car of the Year?
Yes, the 307 was European Car of the Year 2002.
What body styles were available?
Three- and five-door hatchbacks, the Break and SW estates, the 307 CC coupé-cabriolet and a four-door saloon built in China and Argentina.
Is the Peugeot 307 reliable?
Its record is poor: in ADAC's 2009 breakdown statistics it came last among three- to five-year-old small family cars. A well-maintained example with service history is essential.
What replaced the Peugeot 307?
The Peugeot 308, launched in France in September 2007 on the same platform; the 408 replaced the saloon.
