The Peugeot 301 is a small B-segment sedan produced by Peugeot from 2012 to 2021. It was announced in May 2012 and launched at the Paris Motor Show that September, and it was designed specifically for emerging markets.
Peugeot 301 at a glance
| Production | 2012–2021 |
|---|---|
| Class | subcompact (B-segment) sedan |
| Launched | Paris Motor Show, September 2012 |
| Plant | Vigo, Spain |
| Twin | Citroën C-Elysée |
| Chinese production | from November 2013 |
| Petrol engines | 1.2 VTi 72 PS, 1.2 PureTech 82 PS, 1.6 VTi 116 PS |
| Diesel engines | 1.6 HDi 92 PS, 1.5 and 1.6 BlueHDi 100 PS |
| Gearbox | five-speed manual; automatic on the 1.6 VTi |
| Facelift | 2017 |
| Markets | Turkey first, then Africa, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe |
History of the Peugeot 301
Markets and plant
The 301 was built at Peugeot’s Vigo plant in Spain alongside its twin, the Citroën C-Elysée, and has been manufactured in China since November 2013. It is also assembled from CKD kits in markets such as Kazakhstan and Nigeria. Sales began in November 2012 in Turkey and later spread to Western Asia, Africa, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and Greece. The car was designed for emerging markets and was not sold in the core Western European countries, apart from the French overseas departments, or in right-hand-drive markets.
Engines
The range had five engines. The petrol units were a three-cylinder 1.2-litre VTi of 72 PS shared with the Peugeot 208, a 1.2 PureTech of 82 PS and a 1.6 VTi of 116 PS, the only one available with an automatic gearbox. The diesels were a 1.6 HDi of 92 PS and 1.5 and 1.6 BlueHDi units of 100 PS, both with a five-speed manual only.
The name and the facelift
The 301 name was first used on a Peugeot 301 of 1932. The new car was the first Peugeot to use the company’s revised naming strategy, in which x01 and x08 numbers mark models for emerging markets and traditional markets respectively. In 2017 the 301 was facelifted together with the C-Elysée: the headlamps were modified, the Peugeot logo moved from the bonnet onto a new grille, and daytime running lights were added. The facelift also brought an optional touchscreen radio with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Safety and relatives
The car has front disc brakes. In 2019 the Spanish-built 301 in its basic Latin American configuration with four airbags received three stars for adult occupants and three for toddlers from Latin NCAP 2.0, and in 2014 the standard European version received three stars from Euro NCAP. In 2016, after the JCPOA, Iran Khodro and PSA planned to build the 301, 208 and 2008 in a joint venture called IKAP. When the United States returned sanctions in 2018, Peugeot left Iran and the venture was suspended; Iran Khodro then modified the 301 for local production and launched it in February 2020 as the IKCO Tara.
Design and features
- Emerging-market sedan: a B-segment four-door designed for markets outside Western Europe.
- Shared with Citroën: built alongside the C-Elysée at Vigo.
- Five engines: three petrol and two diesel families, mostly manual.
- 2017 facelift: new grille with the logo, daytime running lights and a touchscreen option.
- Three-star safety: three stars from Euro NCAP in 2014.
Peugeot 301 versions
- 301 (2012): the original sedan, petrol and HDi.
- 301 facelift (2017): revised front end and touchscreen option.
- Citroën C-Elysée: the twin model launched at the same show.
- IKCO Tara (2020): an Iranian development of the 301.
The 301 shares its 1.2 VTi engine with the Peugeot 208 and sits below the 308 in markets where both are sold. More in the Peugeot collection.
Video: Peugeot 301 Allure 1.6 HDi test drive and review
Video by on YouTube.
Sources
- Peugeot 301 (2012), English Wikipedia: production, markets, engines, naming, facelift, safety
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