France’s aspirational volume brand rekindles ’90s feel for Golf-fighting hatchback
It’s been a long time since Peugeot used TV, radio and magazine advertising to crow about the strength of its lion-like models, but those of us who can remember when it did might well see a parallel between its relative commercial tidings of the late 1980s and early 1990s and today.This company is incrementally shifting itself closer towards pseudo-premium brand territory by launching ever more chiselled-looking cars with inviting, materially appealing interiors, powered by modern engines that keep them relevant.In the UK and elsewhere, it has reclaimed much of the market share that it lost to the German brands through the mid-2000s. However, in using compact SUVs and electric offerings to fuel so much of its rise, it has yet to really rejuvenate the spirit that brought us those great-handling hatchbacks and saloons of the 1980s: cars like the 205, 405, 406, 309 and 306.This week, we find out if the company’s all-new mid-sized hatchback, the Peugeot 308, can bring a clearer dynamic flavour of the old Peugeot back. This is the second time that the firm has recycled the 308 model nomenclature for its VW Golf-segment entrant, and it has also recycled and overhauled the old version’s vehicle architecture, while honouring the 308’s relatively diminutive proportions within a class where much larger cars are now more and more common.But even so, this car is no stranger to new technology. It is the first 308 to tout plug-in hybrid powertrains, and will be the first to go all-electric too, in the shape of next year’s e-308. For those who prefer to keep things simple under the bonnet, however, Peugeot is offering both petrol and diesel combustion options – and it’s the more traditional petrol we have opted to test here.Peugeot 308 range at a glancePeugeot’s UK-market line-up for the 308 has combustion-engined models from around £25,000. The price jump from a regular petrol to a plug-in hybrid is a hefty £6500, some or all of which you might be able to recoup through lower costs of ownership. An SW estate costs about £1200 more than a hatchback.Trim levels start with Active Premium, and go up through Allure, Allure Premium, GT and GT Premium. Mid-spec Allure Premium gets you 17in alloy wheels, wireless device charging and smartphone mirroring as standard.EnginesPowerFromPeugeot 308 1.2T Puretech Active Premium*129bhp£24,635Peugeot 308 1.5 BlueHDI Active Premium129bhp£26,035Peugeot 308 1.6 Hybrid 180Allure177bhp£33,035Peugeot 308 1.6 Hybrid 225 GT221bhp£37,235*Engine variant tested
