Australian New Car Buyer – June 2019

AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE | 119

P

riced from $26,990, the
second-generation 308
shares nothing with what’s
come before as a result of
an all-new architecture that
was unashamedly inspired by
Volkswagen’s Golf.
Shedding some 140kg, the
new 308 is slightly shorter than
before, but roomier inside thanks
to a sizeable wheelbase stretch.
Like the little 208, it features
Peugeot’s controversial high-
instrumentation/low-steering-
wheel driving position.
Designed to raise safety and
lower fatigue by cutting eye
movement between the road
and speedo, some drivers will
fi nd that with the steering
wheel and seat positioned to
their liking, their view of the
instrument panel is partially
obscured. Check that the driving
position works for you if you’re
looking at a 308.
Peugeot claims a sizeable uplift
in quality, including four million

kilometres of testing and 15,000

hours of endurance testing.

Space, seat comfort and ease of

access are further 308 highlights.

On the downside, the thick

pillars can obscure vision, the

tachometer’s needle swings

the wrong way, the single cup

holder is useless and there are

no rear-seat air vents.

There is no seven-seater

confi guration for the (longer

wheelbase) 308 Touring, which

boasts 625 litres of cargo space.

The range opens with a 96kW/

230Nm 1.2-litre three-cylinder

turbopetrol e-THP unit in Active

specifi cation, paired with a six-

speed automatic.

Quiet, revvy and surprisingly

eager, it provides abundant off-

the-line acceleration and then has

no problem maintaining a rapid

pace. Its frugal fuel consumption,

albeit on premium unleaded, is

also quite remarkable.

The same drivetrain powers

the $31,990 Allure.

Peugeot’s BlueHDi 2.0-litre

four-cylinder turbocharged

engine is available in two tunes:

110kW/370Nm, as used in Allure

specifi cation from $35,990 with

a standard six-speed automatic.

Allure Touring turbodiesel, with

the same drivetrain, costs $37,990.

The 308 GTi270 is aimed

straight at the VW Golf GTi.

It runs a 200kW/330Nm

1.6-litre four cylinder turbopetrol

engine and is priced at $45,990.

There’s no auto option, just a

six-speed manual.

Peugeot always does a punchy

yet frugal diesel, with even the

low-power engine bringing

spirited acceleration once the

tacho heads towards 2000rpm,

while averaging 4.1L/100km at

the same time.

All engines make the most

of an excellent chassis, with its

properly weighted and nicely

responsive electric power

steering, sharp handling and

superbly controlled roadholding.

The suspension (struts up

front, a torsion beam out back)

still provides a smooth and

supple ride, with a level of noise

damping that puts it up amongst

the leaders in the class.

VW’s Golf is still the benchmark

car in this class. However,

Peugeot is back in the race and

the latest 308 should certainly

now be on your test drive list.

Its main problem is the fact that

it’s so unrealistically priced against

any of its rivals, especially the Golf.

You can get into a base model

Golf for about $25,000 drive-away.

The same goes for a Ford Focus,

or a Mazda3, so the 308’s $26,990

plus on-roads starting price is

ambitious. Each of these rivals

also has a more powerful engine.

When you step up to the

GTi270, it’s a more competitive

deal against the $46,190 Golf GTi

with a seven-speed DSG.

By Byron Mathioudakis

S PEUGEOT^308 FROM $26,990

Safety

ANCAP

Green Vehicle Guide

Performance

Handling

Quality and reliability

Comfort and refi nement

Value for money



Overall



STARS

THINGS WE LIKE

 Elegant, spacious design

 Great 1.2-litre turbopetrol engine

 Excellent handling and roadholding

 Brilliant interior presentation

 Stylish Touring wagon option

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE

Peugeots can be troublesome

Instrument panel can be partially

obscured by steering wheel

Overpriced

Weak resale values

SPEX (308 Active)

Made in France

1.2-litre three-cylinder turbopetrol/

six-speed automatic/front-wheel

drive

96kW of power at 5500rpm/230Nm

of torque at 1750rpm

0–100km/h in 9.1 seconds (claimed)

4.4L/100km highway; 6.5L/100km

city, 95 octane premium; CO 2

emissions are 119g/km

Warranty: Three years/100,000km

Standard: Six airbags, stability

control, autonomous emergency

braking, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay,

Android Auto, navigation, camera,

16-inch alloys, rear parking

sensors, automatic air. Allure

includes LED lights, front parking

sensors, blind spot monitor,

adaptive cruise, automatic parking,

17-inch wheels and a glass roof.

GT includes 18-inch alloys, sports

suspension and paddle shifters.

Redbook future values: 3yr: 38%;

5yr: 24%

compare with ...

Ford Focus, Holden Astra, Mazda3,

Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Golf