Peugeot 308
Subtle makeover adds revised infotainment to stylish and practical hatch
MODELTESTED: Peugeot 308 1.2 Puretech 130 GT Line PRICE: £22,390 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 3cyl, 129bhp
THE Peugeot 308 has been around since 2014, but a facelift in 2017 brought it back up to date with revised infotainment and some subtle exterior changes. Here we’re testing the 129bhp 1.2-litre petrol model in GT Line trim, which costs from £22,390.
Design & engineering
PEUGEOT has kept things simple with its most recent facelift of the 308, and the new grille, bumpers and tail-lights are the main features of the fresh exterior look. It’s not too different from before; and that’s no bad thing, because it’s still a distinctive and modern design.
It’s a similar story on the inside, where the driving position and tiny steering wheel stay the same, with the dials positioned just above the wheel instead of behind it as part of Peugeot’s first-generation i-cockpit layout. It’s a set-up that will work for some drivers, but not all, although the interior materials are of better quality than the Honda’s, if a little less appealing than the Golf’s.
All cars feature a 9.7-inch touchscreen display right in the middle of the dash, and it’s used to control most of the car’s main functions. It’s a top bit of kit to get as standard, and now comes with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, too. Unfortunately, you’ll have to pay an extra £1,200 for heated leather seats, which are standard equipment on the Honda Civic.
You also have to shell out more for features such as keyless go, which is included on the Civic as well, although Golf buyers have to pay extra for this, along with heated seats.
The 308 is based on Peugeot’s versatile EMP2 platform, which also underpins the 3008 and 5008 SUVS. It uses the same Macpherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension layout as a result.
Driving
ALL three of our contenders here have just under 130bhp on tap, but the 129bhp Peugeot is the most powerful choice, by just 1bhp, and has the most torque at 230Nm; the Civic and the Golf both serve up 200Nm.
That helped the 308 to sprint from 0-60mph at the test track in 9.5 seconds, which was a tenth faster than the Golf and six tenths up on the Civic. This advantage is also partly down to a low kerbweight of just 1,089kg, compared with the Golf’s 1,280kg and the Civic’s 1,275kg.
However, it wasn’t the best performer going up through the gears: the 308 took 9.1 seconds to cover 30-70mph, slightly slower than the Honda’s 8.9 seconds and the Golf’s 8.8 seconds. It also matched the heavier Honda from 30-50mph in fourth and 50-70mph in fifth: both cars took 6.3 seconds and 8.9 seconds respectively, while the Golf completed those tests in 6.1 seconds and 9.3 seconds.
Even if the French model’s six-speed box isn’t the nicest to use, it’s no chore to drop down a gear and accelerate with the 308’s 1.2-litre three-cylinder unit. It’s definitely the most engaging engine of the three in this test as it feels more responsive and revvier, while also serving up good mid-range grunt.
The 308’s low kerbweight helps its handling. Its quick steering and that small wheel contribute towards a relatively nimble feel, but there’s not much feedback with the Peugeot and the chassis isn’t as grippy as the Honda’s.
It’s closer to the Golf’s more neutral feel, but ultimately the 308 ends up in between the more comfortable Golf and sportier Civic. The difference really is minimal, though, and all three models are comfy enough, but can still satisfy keen drivers.
Practicality
WITH the rear seats folded, the 308 has more space than either rival, but the majority of owners will use it with the seats in place and here the 308 does lose out to the Civic – just. There are 470 litres on offer in the Peugeot, which is only a hair’s breadth behind the Honda’s 478 litres. The Golf trails both, with 380 litres.
Look at the total figures with the seats folded and the 308’s 1,309-litre capacity beats the Honda’s 1,245 litres and the Golf’s 1,270 litres, but the difference between them in reality isn’t huge and all three cars will have plenty of space for most owners’ needs.
There’s a good amount of head and legroom in the rear, just like in its rivals, but the Honda does just have the edge over the 308 for room in the back.
Ownership
IN our Driver Power 2017 satisfaction survey, Peugeot scored better than rivals Volkswagen and Honda, finishing 13th out of 27 in our makers’ chart. VW was just behind the French marque in 14th position, with Honda coming just two places further back in 16th.
It was a little different for the brands’ garages in the dealer survey, because Honda scored an excellent second place here, while VW came a disappointing 20th out of 26. Peugeot split the two firms in ninth.
All three car makers offer a three-year warranty. Peugeot and Honda’s has unlimited mileage, but the Golf is restricted to 60,000 miles. Honda also offers three years of breakdown provision, while VW and Peugeot only cover the first year of ownership.
Running costs
THE 308 split its rivals for fuel economy on test, achieving 38.5mpg. The Golf returned 35.4mpg and the Civic 44.1mpg.
However, depreciation is where the 308 trips up next to its rivals here. Our experts predict that you’ll lose £14,348 on the Peugeot over three years, because it’ll hold on to only 35.9 per cent of its list price.
By comparison, the Golf’s 43.0 per cent predicted residual value means it’ll lose £12,690 during the same period, and the Honda’s 42.9 per cent figure translates to depreciation of £13,489 over 36 months.