The first Peugeot 308 was launched in June 2007,
replacing the 307, and was available as a hatchback, estate and a coupé-cabriolet. It regularly sold over 250,000 units per year globally.
But the 308, like many other French cars suffered from reliability problems, a legacy that lives on in many people’s minds today.
PSA the owner of Peugeot, Citroen, DS, have over the past few years worked overtime to overcome the problems they once had, and now being part of the Stellantis Group (Fiat, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Vauxhall, Opel etc) they certainly have made massive improvements in every department.
The car I had on test recently was a 308 Allure Premium, powered by a 1199cc 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that produces 130hp. This is coupled to a very smooth 8-speed efficient automatic gearbox, and goes from 0-100kph in 9.7 seconds. Not bad for a 1.2 litre car.
The car was painted in Olivine Green, a colour that certainly grew on me during the time I had it, and was a real eye-catcher wherever I parked it.
The all-new 308 has certainly grown up to be a handsome looking car, the styling is superb from every angle.
It now wears the new Peugeot badges, which ooze modernity and are a big step away from the cumbersome chrome badges we’d grown accustomed to. The Peugeot logo dates back to 1847, which makes it the oldest car emblem. The lion, as the brands symbol, was designed when the steel business of the Peugeot family needed a logo. It was a heraldic symbol of the commune the Peugeot family came from, and serves as a reminder to this day.
The interior of the new 308 shimmers with quality, it’s more like an expensive German car, than a French hatchback.
The 308 is jammed packed full of goodies and above “standard” specification, so at UK OTR £28,020 it does look good value.
During the week I had the 308 I enjoyed every minute of driving it, and on average 55mpg (4.27 litres/100km) which I thought wasn’t a bad result.
