You shouldn't really change down to 1st ideally unless you are stopped. Once the car is moving, 2nd is all you need. You also haven't really experienced a French hot hatch unless you have experienced lift off oversteer. My Clio 172 felt like a crapheap just driving around town, but once you opened it up it really came to life.

I love you Mr R but don't try and over think this too much . It's one of the best 80s hot hatches ever made so just relax , nail it on some back roads and soak up the experience .

This car is designed for twisty back roads with its high gearing and responsive throttle. It handles like maradonna

Two men in cargo pants...

No clue how to drive it. Had one 25 years ago and they are awesome on UK backroads. You have to drive it hard and change gear quick as they don’t have a lot of torque. Mine was modded to 170bhp 143 of torque standard 1.9 was 130bhp and 113 torque and the 1.6 was 105bhp. Mine slaughtered Audi Quattros and Porsche 911s of the time on B roads in UK.

Finally using the correct units of measurement. Thank you.

Driving so many different cars constantly, I wonder when will you get the hang of it :P

I own a "normal" 205 with the 1.1l engine with 60bhp. though it lacks a bit of the snappiness of the engine and stiffness of the suspension, it still is one of the most enjoyable cars i've driven so far. And considering what little they cost to buy and maintain, I would call it the best 400€ i've ever spent

I knew a gear grind was coming eventually 😂

If you can't get it into 1st gear, don't force it! Put it in neutral, release the clutch, hit the clutch again and then 1st goes in smoothly. Also it helps, when you shift down into 2nd while stopping and then put it in neutral. The shifter should go precisely and without any force. I guess this car is driven too rarely. My 205 has similar issues after the winter when I don't drive it ;)

Car starts moving... KZfaq: Ad time!!!

1. peugeot 205 totally different from the Golf. 2. You should wait with pushing so hard until the oil gets warm enough.

Video should be titled ‘11 minutes of me struggling to drive a manual hot hatch and not really having much nice to say about it’ lol

55kph should be in fourth. Can even be done in fifth. You were way too high, it drives very fine

Man 205 GTI is very rare in USA but in Europe it's a classic ! great you drove one

I miss my AX GTI. Now I would love to have one of these snappy 205 GTIs.

They did a 1.9 version, too

What a cool little car, the snappiness reminds me of my 1st gen Yaris TS, short gearing, low weight and a 1.5L 4cyl engine - a road legal gokart. Thanks for the vid

I owned one of these during the late 1980s and can confirm that the steering was incredibly heavy and the gearbox notchy. However, that brilliant 1.6 engine could see off most other cars with ease and the owner's manual allowed running-in for the first 750 miles at engine speeds up to 5,000 rpm, which was 95 mph in top gear.

''It looks very Volkswagen'' Isn't just an offense to Peugeot fanboys but all the retro european car fans around

I have '85 305, which is weird model, it's between 70's and 80's in its features. Electric almost everything but the overall feel of it is strongly 70's.

Today Mr Regular drives in Nashville's glamorous Murfreesboro road hotel district. Emphasis on the "ho" part.

My real car is my toy car!

This lil car looks so much fun! And holy crap working there has to be the coolest job on the planet!!

Nice to see Mr RCR likes it. I learnt to drive in an 205 with the 930cc suitcase engine and can't remember anything remotely unusual about the driving position. The English say Purjoe, a lot of Scots say Pewjoe.

Someone doesn't drive small manual cars often :D I have 3 french hatchbacks at home, 2 mk1 renault meganes and one renault modus. They all drive pretty much like that gti gearbox and throttle response wise. You pretty much have to only start in 1st immidiately shift into 2nd and generally shift at around 2.5k rpm On sharp turns and city driving you pretty much avoid 1st as much as possible since 1st gear often isn't synchronised or it uses much straighter gears than all other gears, also super low gearing makes it snappy. Pretty much don't engine brake in 1st as it will torture the engine mounts. At around 60km/h you usually can shift into 5th gear already and keep it there, sure it revs quite high at high speed 100km/h in all the cars we have is at around 3k rpm in all cars, highway speed that is 140km/h is around 4-4.5k rpm. Thos sorts of transmissions make manuals really easy to use daily, pretty much you row 1-2-3-4 stay in 4th for most of city driving and then throw into 5th for anything over 55-60km/h. Also generally you want to avoid sudden punching and letting off so you won't wear off the engine mounts too quickly.

I find it adorable how scared and panicked Mr. Regular is when driving a car that's not his, especially one that's unfamiliar. To be honest, I'm the same way.

Good tip alot of French cars locks out first gear above 10 KMH~ some higher depending on gearing

You can lower the seats by removing a series if ‘plastic washers’ which are approx 1cm tall at the front and a little more than that at the rear (I believe) from the runner mechanism. I think this was done often for tall drivers. I am 6ft 1” and have no issues. I certainly don’t need to adjust my seat like you do.

One of the greatest cars of all time, shame you're too big for it. Mine fitted like a glove. Hated seeing you banging it over speed bumps. Bang! as you destroy the bushes, Bang! Those certainly weren't the roads to appreciate the magic of the 205 GTI. What was that daft comment about the steering wheel angle before you set off?

I used to have a 1.6 GTI. Didn't have the electric windows. YOU SELL OUT!!!!!

“It’s very very snappy on the BUH-BAM!!” 😂

Peugeot being Peugeot. Love it! I own a bone stock 106 Rallye and its incredibly similar from what i can grasp from the video. Id love to drive a 205 to see for my shelf though .

Sometimes you are better of just putting the car into 2nd gear if you are still rolling instead of trying to force it into 1st, especially if it's geared that low. Old Euro car really don't like the 1st gear unless you are stopped completely.

Bought my first manual a year ago - 2001 Accent. It's a bit sketchy entering a parking lot in second gear - it's stressful, but you almost have to be stopped to put it in first (grinds very loud) If you double clutch you have to memorize the exact rev point and you have to guess the speed of the car because the speedo doesn't register below 15 km/h. I drove a newer mazda 2 recently with a mint first gear synchro but you still can only go into first smoothly at almost a stop. Seems to be an archilles heal of synchro gearboxes. Pain in the ass at speeds to low for second without starting to lug

You’ve not got your seating position correct. In the 205 like a lot of other euro cars of the period you need to pull the seat slightly further forward then normal, with your legs splayed slightly for the steering wheel. Then recline your seat more then you would normally. Then you will find it’s much more comfortable.

As someone who lives in Nashville, I can definitely agree with what he said about the trains. The average from what I've noticed is 15 minutes per train. It has taken much longer before though.

A Peugeot made before they fired the chef of suspension

The 205GTi is on my small list of French Cars I intend to import along with the Citroen CX Pallas. Along with a container of spare parts.

First gear is just for start. If the car is moving, stay in second gear. And don't stay on first gear !I have a 205 GTI when i was young, it's very easy car to drive.

At 11:21 I saw an 83 celica in the background and I SWEAR IF YOU DONT REVIEW IT I WILL BE very upset with you.

He starts driving the car and I'm staring at the ass end of a Ford Ecosport Damn ads

Maybe I missed it? Did you say what engine it had? 1.6 or 1.9? Thanks

Dad mode is hilarious. Followed by dads sharing cargo pockets, how sweet.

American roads could not be more different than our British. Very interesting video to watch from this perspective.

ive got a 309 and a lot of things u said about the 205 holds- low gearing, snappy 1st gear, seating position. only mine’s a diesel and terribly slow

Just a simple advice from a French Swiss, please don't say piugote, just say Peugeot (peujo). Thank you 😊

That's the experience really. Except for the smoothness, i find the 106 really identical. Mine is a 1.0 so it doesn't go that fast but i experience nearly everything he said.

@RegularCars The USA missed out so badly not receiving this car! I remember being at the Philly Car show back in the mid 80s and bugging the official French Mfr Rep for Peugeot, I was a teenager back then and the guy completely lost his temper with me actually yelling at me when I persisted at getting a yes or at least some answer as to why they wouldn't bring it here!

It’s funny that they have the same weird first gear thing that Toyota has. I have 1990 2wd Toyota pickup and 93 Celica GT with a 3sgte swap, and you have to be going less than 8 mph to get into first and even then you’re applying a decent amount of force. Also, very very snappy in first, especially my pickup. A lot of clutch work to get it to drive through a Parking lot slowly.

These are really nice cars, especially the 1.9 GTi.

Goes just the same as mine went proper little French hatch it’s only competitor was the golf gti in my opinion the 205 was better what made this was it’s punchy 1.6 engine or 1.9 and it’s super lightweight frame giving this hot hatch good pull away speed and the ability to hoot it around windy roads always staying planted to the roads and leaving you a huge smile on your face

the coolest looking hot hatch there is

The starting place is the Lane Motor Museum, a great museum with lots of classic European collections. Visited there a month ago and I recommend anyone interested in cars to have a visit.

I used to courier drive in a 106.. suffered terrible backache and I'm only 5'9"

That car looks SO fun

My brother had black 205 GTi too. It was nice car, i was like 10 years old back then.

So glad the POV videos are back

are GTI All petrol or there is a Diesel Version of GTI .??

Try a 205 1.9 GTI. It's one of the best hatchback of the 80'.

YES!!!! "All the way past 5 and the gears just drop in." Exactly so.

Sounds like it drives a lot like my 206 GTI did. Seating was somewhere in the roof, way too high for me at my towering 5'9" to see properly out the back window, shifter was somewhere in the climate controls. Loved to be revved and driven hard, died just above a thousand RPM when moving, typically you wanted to be somewhere around 3000 when just cruising, then punch it up to 5000 to shift.

Here after your rustbelt gothic vdya. Stayed for the sweet voice

imo the "frenchiness" of this hatch adds to the charm of it would have been great if they let you drive this on a track or proper backroad

There is one secret how to make shorter shift, in engine bay there is a shifter linkage L piece which you have to cut right ammount off and weld it back Now you have short shifter😁

5:32 That's bump steer, not torque steer. Most likely it's in need of an alignment, as that isn't usually a problem for the 205.

I love the 205 and the 405, now I own a 307. but I wish I had my 405 mi16

“Don’t worry, I know the H pattern.” Bua hahaha!

Lovely perky engine note, looks like it would be a hoot around the city or tight country roads.

kinda seems like he really enjoyed this car. his whole demeanor around 3:46 is way different than with other cars.

Thanks for the POV driving. Btw this is the weirdest pronunciation of Peugeot I've ever heard.

hating the ads! love the vid!

“It’s gearing is like a VW GTI and a Honda.......” Okay, that literally means nothing. It’s like watching someone on their first driving lesson, but with more annoying comments thrown in, like “it’s a rotary without being a rotary”.

I still miss my old 205 1.9 gti:s Owned 2 of those 130hp 1.9 gti:s (i never wanted to have that 1.6 gti) So fun cars to drive, corner coming, drop it 2 gears lover and punch it! 7.8 sec 0-62mph

I'd been considering getting a Peugeot 205 at one point because my stepfather had one when I was a kid, and then I saw the seating position for the driver in this. At six foot two, I don't think it would make for a comfortable driving experience.

Is it 1.6 or 1.9 if its 1.9 its feels lazy because of stroke (its same as 1.6 only difference is stroke)

I think I need to drive this car at some point. This would be so much fun on CA Route 9.

Seems like a fun little in town car

It looks like a nice little car. But does it have AC? Driving in the USA without AC is asking for death by heatstroke.

I think Mr R was too anxious with all the damn traffic and terrible roads couple with it being a museum car. Couldn't even enjoy the damn car.

I have a pristine 91 Mazda b2200 manual with 250,000 miles on it daily driver. I live in Johnson City Tennessee if you're interested to make a video on it.

Dashboard is weird where does it comes from ?

Only put it in first when your stopped with this car. And get out of first asap as soon as your rolling

where can i get this car

Bless you!

is this a 1.6 or 1.9? I'm guessing the former?

seating position is fine if youre smaller than 6 ft

Don't invite Mr. Regular in your classic cars, he'll sneeze in 'em

Who downshifts into first.?

Very neat

people talking about not being able to drive stick in the comments but somehow this video contains 10 minutes of a manual car being driven huh

Regular Car Guy seems like the kind of guy kind to look inside your medicine cabinet.

Was it a 1.6 or 1.9? Regardless, if they are hard to drive smooth, it´s not character, it´s a problem. Of course they are very responsive but if they are ok they are super easy to drive. The 205 engines is standard engines in millions of larger models. Anyway, the 205 GTI is the best hot hatch ever.

Atlanta considers the metal plates a permanent fix

THIS car on The Tail of the Dragon🐉🐉

Iconic car.

Bless you

What a sneeze

About the sitting position, for someone who drove it: It is that weird or is simply because Mr. Regular is too tall for it ? I don't think a guy like me with my 1,7 m or 5'7" of height would be that uncomfortable driving it.

I defy anyone to find a less suitable road to test drive this car on...