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Peugeot 308 Allure PureTech 130 review

Date: 15 September 2017 | Author: Debbie Wood

Standard equipment:

Air-con, heated door mirrors, Bluetooth, LED daytime running lights, DAB radio, rear parking sensors, Apple CarPlay, sat-nav, 16in alloy wheels

Often overlooked in what is a very busy sector, the 308 has sometimes struggled to grab company car drivers' attention.

It's a real shame because Peugeot's C segment hatch has many talents to shout about and is more than a match for its Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf rivals.

The second generation was launched in 2014 and was starting to look its age ? is a midlife facelift enough to reignite the 308's flame here in the UK?

What's new?

From the outside you'll struggle to notice any real difference with this latest version, with only subtle tweaks to the grille, headlights and rear bumper having been introduced. Inside, the cabin has been upgraded to the new i-Cockpit design, Peugeot's latest interior arrangement, which features a compact steering wheel (it may take some getting used to) and a 9.7in touchscreen that now incorporates Apple CarPlay and other smartphone integration functions.

Interior

Overall, the 308's uncluttered and refined interior is a real selling point, while space inside is still plentiful for a family of four, alongside the car's large 470-litre boot.

Safety kit gets a big boost in this latest round of updates too, with technology filtering down from the excellent new 3008 SUV. Standout additions include adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and speed limit recognition, which now recognises the speed signs on HGVs.

Generous equipment

The 308 has always been good value for money and this latest version is no different. Standard equipment has been enhanced across the range and here in the UK the hatchback is available in a five-trim line-up; Active, Allure, GT Line, GT and GTi.

Every 308 comes very well equipped, with sat-nav, rear parking sensors and the aforementioned Apple CarPlay all offered as standard. We tested the mid-spec Allure, expected to be a popular choice among company car drivers, which adds a leather look to the seats, a large panoramic sunroof, 17in alloy wheels and front parking sensors ? well worth the £1,300 price hike in our book.

Main 4

The new safety features are well executed and easy to use, while the touchscreen system is simple and intuitive (although rivals offer more advanced systems with better screen resolutions).

Although the interior feels a little bland, the materials used are of excellent quality throughout and thanks to the large panoramic sunroof on our car, the cabin feels light and airy too.

Petrol power

There's a range of petrol and diesel engines available in the new 308 hatch, including a popular 120hp 1.6-litre diesel that still accounts for a large chunk of fleet sales. However, we're testing the 1.2-litre PureTech petrol here, which is growing in popularity thanks to some big award wins over the past few years.

It is available with either 110 or 130hp; we're testing the latter and it's an excellent all-round engine that feels refined and pretty powerful on the road. The 0-62mph sprint is achieved in a very respectable 10.3 seconds ? not exactly sporty (you'll want the GTi for thrills), but you'll rarely feel short changed in terms of power.

Despite the 308 Allure's rather sensible demeanor, there's still some fun to be had in the country lanes, with enough grip to tackle corners with confidence, a lack of body roll and enough low-down torque to gain speeds quickly.

Boot

Although the handling is not quite as sharp as some of its German rivals, the suspension is impressive, smoothing out bumpy surfaces with ease, while the engine cruises well on motorways and the car feels nippy around the city streets too.

Running costs-wise this engine is among the best in its class, with a combined official fuel economy of 61.4mpg and CO₂ emissions of 107g/km. Residual values let the hatchback down a little, though; our car retains 26% of its value after three years and 60,000 miles, less than the Focus and Astra and almost 10% down on the comparable Golf, which is why this 308 is fractionally more expensive than its rivals per mile in terms of whole-life costs.

Stylish, practical and excellently equipped, the 308 is one of the leading medium family hatchbacks and although quality is a little off the pace compared with the Germans, the Peugeot is a very credible rival and should be up there with the best as a key contender in choice lists.