Autumn 2013
New
308
makes
space
Thinking of getting into a new compact hatch in the coming while? Maybe you
might whoah on the choice for the moment. It's not just Golfs, Focuses, Astras,
i30s and cee'ds are there for the picking.
There will be a new Peugeot 308. And after travelling one through part of the
Alsace region in France, I'd be strongly making a case that it go on your drive-to-try
schedule.
The brand has been upshifting its range for some time, with the 3008, 5008, 508,
208 and 2008 all getting serious design and quality treatment. It's fair enough to say
that Peugot's interior treatment and its cars' build quality doesn't fall behind any of
the competition any more.
And powertrains have been enthusiastic and refined in most cases ... and
promising even better.
Well, the 308 generation 2 brings that particular model into the same level of
contention as its siblings. A much smarter styling than its predecessors (the first
308 and the 307 before it), a seriously sexy look on the inside, certainly with the
leather-loaded cars on the international launch, and a big success with weight
trimming, using new build concepts and materials.
The new Peugeot 308 will initially be offered with 1.2 and 1.6 petrol engines and a
1.6 diesel. In the spring of next year, the new model will get new Euro 6 3-cylinder
petrol engines in 110/130hp variants, as
well as 120hp 1.6 and 130hp 2.0 BlueHDi
diesels.
CO2 emissions as low as 82g/km are
promised, with fuel economy racked up
to more than 90mpg equivalent.
In accommodation terms, there's more
elbow room, a little more legroom in the
back, and a significantly larger boot and
maximum load capacity. The car is lower
and has a lower centre of gravity.
My time with the 1.6 diese ?]?HYHH?[??H ??Y[]\??[? ??[? ?[Y?K???[? ?H?[?[?[ H ??Y ?[?H??\H?????\?[???^H ?[??] ???????? ??Y?H???HX???Y[?H ?[]]?[ H ??^ \?Y[??K?]H?Y?\?HI??B??]?[?? \?H ?\?]?\??]Y?[???\X?]? [X?? \ ?[?H?]?B???H ?YZ??H ?X[ ?Y?[?[Y[????\?\? ]]Y?[?[?] ??] ??[? \??\? ??X? B??[XZ?H H?\?Y\?[ ?[? H ?? [? H ??[? ???\??]?H ???Y???\?? ?XZ?H ?\?H ?I??]?\??[Y]?H] ??[??[?\??\? [?\? H?? ??H ?\?[??[?\??Y[?[?Y??H[?H [?H??\H????\??[? ?Y? ??\?[? H??[?? ?Y?\?[??H]??\??H ?\?H??\??Y?\??]?[???[??H??[? ?H ?X???H ?Y\?[???\?? ?H ??H ?[ X?\?\?X? ??]? ? H ?\]Z\?Y \??? ?]X??? ]HX??\?X?K??\?\? H[????\]]]?H ?Y?Y[?[? H]\??X[?8?%[?\?[[? ?ΒΈ?%?\?X\??] X?K?[? ?] H ??Y?\?][????X] ?[??U?? ?Y?????[???T??[?]??X???] ??]?[? ?Y?\? ?XZ?HH ??]X?B??X?K??]Y?[?\??Y[? ???[??\??? ??YH YX\????? ? ?]] ? ?X?H[? B?\ \? ]XY ?[?? H?\?XZ?\??[YK?X?]\?H ] ???? ??] ??[??B??Z[?Y ?[ ?Y? ??]?H] ???\]]??I?H[\ ?\??Y ?] H[??? ???\???[?I??H ?YZ[?? H?]? ?[?X?[??[X?\???^ YX\?I?H ?YX?[?????X[??\??K??M??