Way back in the 1980s when I was a young lad I bought a new Peugeot 205 GTI. It looked great, was quick and at the time was the hottest hot hatch around.
I loved that car because it set new standards but, sadly, in recent years there hasn’t really been a hot hatch Pug (slang for Peugeot) that has come anywhere near making the same sort of impact on the market. The VW Golf and Ford Focus have taken over as the dominant cars in the affordable hatchback sector but now the French manufacturer is fighting back.
First there was the new 208 GTI and now there is the revamped 308 which has been totally redesigned and aimed directly at the younger driver and families looking for something affordable and sporty, in other words they are taking the brave step of going head to head with VW and Ford and they mean business. This Pug certainly looks better than its predecessor, particularly from the front which now has a far more refined persona and gives the car an upmarket feel.
The back is also nicely compact with classy wraparound tail lights and from the side the whole thing looks neat although 16-inch wheels which were on our Active model, are too small.
It needs bigger wheels to add a bit of presence, which is what you get on the top of the range 308 GT.
I wouldn’t say it is exactly overflowing with ‘wow’ factor but, apart from the small wheels, it has a fresh feel and is more than nice enough for the market it is aimed at.
Inside, Peugeot have succeeded in making this car distinctive with a refreshingly different cabin.
The first thing you notice is the position of the small, sporty leather steering wheel and the instrument cluster. Rather than looking through the steering wheel to see the dials they are positioned above it which is supposed to ensure you keep your head up and are constantly looking ahead at the road.
At first it appears this is blatantly silly, as the wheel partly obscures the cluster, but actually you can see all the information you need including the rev counter which has an unusual anti-clockwise dial movement which is very cool, so kudos to Peugeot’s designers.
The infotainment system is accessed via an excellent 9.7-inch touch screen and the whole thing works very well although I was slightly disappointed that our Active model didn’t have sat-nav which I really think should now come as standard on all cars.
On the plus side there is a very good digital audio system and there is also a rear parking camera, front and rear sensors, speed sensitive power steering, and rear fog lights.
There is a lot of plastic used in the cabin which I always find disappointing although this didn’t bother me too much, mainly because it is so nicely designed. Our car had very comfortable cloth seats but there is optional leather in the slightly more expensive Allure and GT models. The cabin is also reasonably spacious with enough room in the back for normal sized passengers. The boot also has more than adequate space.
The 308 is powered by a 1.6-litre VVT four-cylinder turbo-charged engine which has 160bhp and torque of 240nm. The power is delivered to the front wheels by a six-speed automatic tiptronic gearbox. There are no paddle-shifts but a manual position on the gear selector and there is a sport mode, although it didn’t seem to make a significant amount of difference.
The one thing that really impressed me about this car was the way it handles. The engine is very sprightly indeed and although it is not blindingly quick off the mark it is more than fiesty enough.
This 308 is significantly lighter than its predecessor and so coasts along at a nice speed and because of its excellent chassis and suspension system the car is surprisingly nimble and the ride is always extremely comfortable.
This 308 has already been successful in Europe and was named Car of The Year in 2014 so it clearly has plenty going for it. Personally, apart from the front, I think the Active looks a bit dull but that is no reflection on the way it drives.
If I was going to buy this new car it would be have to be the GT version which has bigger wheels and body kit that gives it a more aggressive and appealing look.
