Peugeot 308 Road Test

Peugeot 308

Although the new Peugeot 308 is larger than the 307, in every respect except height (12mm shorter), Peugeot designers have made the most of the ‘semi-tall’ aspect. The front seats are compact but comfortable and supportive, while the rear seats are positioned slightly higher in a ‘stadium’ fashion, for improved legroom.

The rear seats have a 60:40 split to both the seat backs and the squabs. The SE and GT versions have a couple of added benefits; the middle rear seat conceals a ski-flap and the front seats gain lumbar support. The luggage space behind the upright rear seats has a capacity of 430-litres, below the parcel shelf, rising to a maximum of 1,398-litres with the seats folded away.

Incidental storage can be found in compartments above the space-saver tyre, in boot-bins and in the SE and GT versions, in under-seat trays and armrests. The clever parcel shelf also conceals a shallow compartment, which can be accessed from the boot or from inside the cabin.

The fascia has been designed to be compact but stylish and features air vents, which are nicely integrated into the soft-touch dash. The centre console in the test car had a metallic-effect centre console. Again, the word ‘compact’ is the only word to describe it. I thought the controls to be ergonomically laid out and easy to understand but one passenger suggested that it looked as if the various buttons and knobs had been applied with a spatter gun. Too harsh!

The 5-door, Urban version starts the pricing at £12,595 for the 1.4 petrol and £13,895 for the 1.9 HDI 95, diesel. That buys a rake- and reach-adjustable steering column, front electric windows, electric door mirrors and a radio/CD player. The S and Sport build on the basic specification by adding front fogs and manual air-conditioning (S), cruise control with speed limiter, powered rear windows, radio/CD with MP3 compatibility and white instrument dials in place of the black ones (Sport).

The test car was in SE trim, which for me, is where it gets interesting. With prices between £15,895 and £18,145, this is the level at which you get the huge, panoramic sunroof with electric sunblind, folding mirrors, the Comfort Pack comprising Lumbar support and flip-up tables amongst other things, auto headlamps and wipers, dual-zone air-conditioning and the Ambient Pack, which includes a fragrance diffuser and ambient interior lighting.

The test car also had a few items from the optional extras list. These came in the form of black leather upholstery (£900), the RT4 Multi-media system including Satellite-Navigation via a colour, pop-up screen, GSM and MP3 storage for £1,300 and a front parking sensor for £100. The top-of-the-range GT is priced between £18,795 and £20,045 and adds even more goodies.

The new Peugeot 308, especially in SE form, has everything you need for a safe, comfortable journey. It is fast, frugal and a whole lot of fun to drive. And for rugby fans, it could even be termed a ‘Sweet Chariot’.

Peugeot 308