Large, comfortable youngtimer
The times of the large sedans, or limousines if you talk about French brands, are long behind us. Yes, there is another DS 9, but have you ever seen it in real life? Because we at AutoWeek also have nostalgic feelings, we once again get behind the wheel of such a grande limousine, namely the Peugeot 605. A car that was perhaps a bit overshadowed by other models in the higher segment.
As successful as Peugeot was and is with, among others, the 205, 206, 308 and 2008, the 605 had a difficult time during its existence from 1989 to 1999. Perhaps not surprising, because it operated in a segment in which the German brands partly set the tone. Think of an Opel Omega or Ford Scorpio, two direct competitors of the large Peugeot, which had to tolerate the Citroën XM (with which it shares its platform) and the Renault 25/Safrane in its own country. And while Citroën gained fame in the class of ‘grande limousines’, Peugeot failed to acquire the same status. Not even with its predecessor, the 604.
To look at it, the 605 is not the most exciting car and it mainly resembles a 405 XL, as the Volkswagen Phaeton is sometimes called a blown-up Passat. And perhaps the customer who spends a little more money wants a little more exclusivity. However, Peugeot is not a brand for extravagant styling and seems to focus mainly on the down-to-earth German buyer. For example, in the interior of the first batch of 605, it is striking that the steering wheel appears to be a direct copy of the cup-shaped, four-spoke wheel from an older 5 series and the lever looks exactly like the gear knob from a Mercedes-Benz 200. Coincidence or conscious choice? In 1994 the 605 received a facelift and we drive such a version. During that facelift, the interior was slightly refurbished and improvements were made under the skin, because the 605 also had some quality issues at first. However, the test car seems solid, which is confirmed by the sound with which the doors close: German solid.
Peugeot 605
Okay, so it wasn’t a sales success. What numbers are we talking about? Just under 255,000 were produced in ten years. To illustrate: the 205 and 405 passed the five million mark. The fact that Peugeot did not supply the 605 as a Break did not do it any good. The competition did offer such a version and it turned out to be quite popular. With all this knowledge in mind, we may be slightly biased when getting behind the wheel, although the 27-year-old car makes a good first impression. Firstly, because of the condition in relation to the mileage. The odometer shows a respectable 235,000 kilometers, but that could just as well have been a ton less. Not a spot of wear can be seen in the interior and the bodywork is also free of damage.
The two-liter turbo engine is perhaps the best powertrain for the 605. With its 235 Nm of torque, this four-cylinder equals the twelve-valve V6 (which later became a stronger 24V) and of course it delivers that pulling power at a lower speed. And to get straight to the point: this Peugeot drives really great. What a magnificent travel limousine this is! It does everything you expect from a large French sedan and that especially means excellent driving comfort. Since its successor, the 607, we have somewhat forgotten what the almost proverbial French comfort should be like. Peugeot seems to have had a patent on it for decades, because the 404, 504 and 505 are also wonderful cars that also deliver a good dose of driving pleasure.
Peugeot 605 offers wonderful suspension comfort
Peugeot was the only car manufacturer in the world to develop and produce its own shock absorbers and thus managed to achieve optimal tuning. On the narrow and sometimes bumpy back roads where we drive the 605, we have a good opportunity to assess the suspension comfort of the car. It rolls on modestly sized 205/60R15 tires, so almost all imperfections are nipped in the bud. And no matter how well car manufacturers today do their best with adaptive dampers or air suspension, nothing matches this pure and pleasant suspension behavior. Maybe this Peugeot is less likely to cross the Nordschleife, but who cares? First-class pampering. The engine and transmission also contribute to this. Sufficient power, the four-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly and at 100 km/h the engine runs approximately 2,200 rpm. You barely hear him. The large seats provide sufficient support without being hard.
Things like cruise control (retro-fitted, VDO) and automatic climate control are more than pleasant. In the back seat you sit at least as well as in the front, with plenty of space in all directions. We even see adjustable fresh air outlets in the B-pillars. What has become more than clear after this test drive is that the 605 has unfairly led a rather anonymous existence. It can compete well with its competitors, even those from a higher price range, such as the Audi 100, BMW 5-series or Saab 9000. Are you looking for a large, comfortable youngtimer to drive your daily miles? Then you have a hell of a car here for little money.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl