Peugeot 308
MODEL TESTED: Peugeot 308 1.2 Allure PRICE: £20,808 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 3cyl, 108bhp
THE Peugeot 308 is often overlooked in the compact family hatchback class, but its blend of quality, refinement, practicality and performance means it merits serious consideration. Like its rivals, the car is available with a range of downsized petrol engines, and we test the 108bhp 1. 2-litre unit in £20,808 Allure guise for the first time.
Styling 3.8/5
VIEWED alongside its sporty-looking rivals, the 308’s smart yet subtle styling appears a little low key. But Peugeot’s designers have paid particular attention to the details, with some neat touches dotted all around the car. Gently flared side skirts and the ‘Lion’s claw’ tail-lamps that reference the brand’s badge all sharpen up the standard 308’s flowing front end and squared-off tail. The classy look is reinforced by the car’s eye-catching 17-inch alloys, which rival the Astra’s rims for kerb appeal.
From the outside, the Allure seems restrained rather than racy and that theme continues inside, where the focus is on build quality and comfort. There are a pair of heavily bolstered front seats and a small steering wheel for the driver, but the Mégane’s interior is far racier.
The Peugeot’s dashboard is made of tactile, soft-touch plastic and, coupled with the metal detailing around the air vents and gearlever, it’s in the same league as premium hatchbacks like the VW Golf and Audi A3. The 9.7-inch touchscreen controls the navigation, radio and air-con, so there are very few buttons on the car’s centre console, giving the interior a sleek look. Plus, with neatly styled dials and a rev counter that rotates the opposite way to the speedo, there’s a lot to like about the 308’s cabin.
However, Peugeot’s unusual i-cockpit design means it’s sometimes difficult to see those attractive gauges. Along with the central touchscreen, i-cockpit includes a smaller-diameter steering wheel and highset dials that, Peugeot says, mean you don’t have to take your eyes off the road for too long. Trouble is, the low steering wheel and high seating position feel strange when you initially climb aboard.
Also, while the touchscreen is neatly integrated into the dashboard design, its graphics lack a little definition, and the controls don’t respond as crisply as the systems used in the Vauxhall and Renault.
There’s no shortage of standard kit on the 308, with cruise and climate control and sat-nav all included. It’s also the only car here that gets LED headlamps as standard; this desirable addition will cost you extra on the Renault and Vauxhall.
Driving 4.0/5
TOUCH the 308’s starter button, and as with the Astra, it’s difficult to tell that the engine has fired into life, due to the impressive refinement. The 1. 2-litre three-cylinder engine is virtually inaudible at idle and remains muted when extended. There’s a distant off-beat growl as the rev counter hits the red line.
This more refined nature was obvious during the sprint from 0-60mph, where the Peugeot proved to be the slowest of our contenders with a time of 10.6 seconds. However, thanks to its muscular 205Nm torque output at just 1,500rpm and well chosen gear ratios, the 308 put on a stronger display during our in-gear assessments, comfortably beating the Astra from 30-50mph. This makes the three-cylinder engine deceptively brisk in the real world, pulling strongly and unobtrusively from low revs. And even though the Peugeot’s sixth gear is the tallest here, turning 2,300rpm at 70mph, there’s enough muscle for it to keep up with traffic on the motorway.
Perhaps the only real criticism is reserved for the five-speed manual gearbox, which suffers from a vague action and often baulks if you try to rush a gearchange. The angular lever feels a little uncomfortable to hold, too.
Even in less sporty Allure trim, the 308 served up assured and agile handling. The quick steering and small wheel deliver sharp turn-in, while once settled into a corner, the Peugeot provides strong grip and good body control. It’s not as engaging as the Astra or as comfortable as the Renault, but it offers a decent ride and handling balance.
However, while the 308’s suspension does a decent job of soaking up bumps, there’s more wind and road noise than you’ll find in its newer rivals here.
Ownership 3.8/5
PEUGEOT has come on leaps and bounds over the past few years, and while its Driver Power performance was shaded by Renault in 2016, there’s still lots to celebrate. The company finished in 17th place in this year’s satisfaction survey, while its dealer network bagged a top 10 placing.
This transformation of the brand is largely down to cars like the 308, which owners praised for its quality and durability. Safety is strong, too. The car scored five stars in Euro NCAP’S crash tests, thanks to six airbags and ESP coming as standard.
However, autonomous emergency braking is only available as part of the £450 adaptive cruise control pack, while blind-spot monitoring is £400.
Running costs 3.6/5
THE Peugeot is the most expensive car to buy in this test, but its relatively low CO2 emissions of 107g/km mean that it’ll cost business users less than the Renault Mégane. For instance, higher-rate earners will save nearly £100 over a year compared with Vauxhall drivers.
Furthermore, the 308 will also have a smaller impact on owners’ wallets at the pumps, as we recorded a respectable 39.4mpg, which was around 6mpg higher than the Renault.
However, private buyers will need to reap all the savings they can to offset the 308’s freefalling residual values. Our experts calculated that it will retain just 30.3 per cent of its price after three years.
Practicality 3.9/5
IT ’S the shortest of the three cars, but the 308’s 420-litre boot is a healthy 50 litres larger than the Vauxhall’s. However, this carrying capacity advantage is cancelled out once you climb aboard, because the Peugeot delivers the least legroom for rear passengers, due to its short wheelbase. Six-foot-tall occupants will find enough space to get comfortable, but they’ll struggle to tuck their feet underneath the bulky front seats.
Elsewhere, interior storage is also limited, with narrow door bins and no handy smartphone storage. Plus, like the Mégane’s, the 308’s glovebox is heavily compromised by the car’s fusebox.