Where consumer magazines and websites sometimes get lost in the fog of 0-60mph times and other performance figures, BusinessCar likes to dwell on performance-related numbers such as whole-
life costs.

Drilling down into the figures for the Peugeot 308 through our trusty partner KwikCarcost has been informative.

The first surprise is that the forecast CPM figures for the 1.6 BlueHDi Active 120hp beat the admittedly pricier but more residually robust and similarly eco-focused VW Golf 1.6 TDI Bluemotion 110hp, with a 43.1 pence per mile over three years and 60,000 miles trumping the German car’s 43.5ppm. They are the closest rivals in CO2 emissions too, at 82g/km versus 85g/km (both sit in the 16% benefit-in-kind band).

The diesel 308 doesn’t just do well against other rival vehicles though. The petrol/electric Toyota Auris Hybrid 1.8 136hp Icon comes in at 41.5ppm despite the tax breaks (it boasts 13% BIK), but the pick of the bunch we viewed was the Kia Ceed 1.6 CRDi 126hp Eco Dynamics, which despite the highest BIK (18%) has the lowest total depreciation here (£12,515) and the smallest price for similar kit (£18,640 P11D), leading to a 41.4ppm. Still, the Peugeot is firmly in the ball park on costs in a way it has not always been known for