Peugeot 308 2015 Review

Peugeot 308 Active
Road Test

The Bathurst 1000 has been run and won for another season and for the third year in a row motoring.com.au correspondent Bruce Newton selected a model from Australia's biggest selling segment, small cars, to make the return trek to Mount Panorama from Melbourne. This time it was the Peugeot 308 that got the call-up. Could the 2014 European Car of the Year prove a winner on typical Aussie roads?

The last couple of years I have established a bit of a tradition for myself by driving a small car from Melbourne to Australia's biggest race at Bathurst.

First time out it was the latest Golf VII, in 2014 it was the new third-generation Mazda3. Last October I completed the return journey in the latest Peugeot 308 five-door hatchback.

Now you might think this exercise has taken a turn from the mainstream to the weird, especially as the selected model was the Active, which combines a direct injection 1.2-litre turbo-petrol e-THP engine with a six-speed auto.

And the 308 is hardly a big seller in Australia either, certainly not up there in Mazda or VW territory. But it is very much a mainstream car and is one of the most popular small cars in Europe, where it claimed the 2014 car of the year title. Its drivetrain also reflects the downsizing trend spreading across much of the auto industry.

Price wise the 308 Active is not the cheapest choice in the class, lining up closely against the Golf. But it does come well equipped with six airbags, tyre pressure monitoring, rear park assist, an electrochromatic rear-view mirror, Bluetooth, dual-zone climate control, head-up display and 16-inch alloys being the big ticket items.

Anyway, apart from all those relevant considerations, did you know that Peugeot has a successful history in Australia's big race? No, nor did I until I went and checked in Wikipedia and found that Peugeot 403s were class winners in 1960 and 1961 in the first two Armstrong 500 mile races run at Phillip Island. There is even debate to this day whether a Pug won that very first race outright.

Then the French marque was represented again in 1963 by two 404s, the first year after the race shifted to Bathurst. It wasn't until the 1990s that Peugeots raced in the 1000km Bathurst epic, with 405 and 406 Super tourers popping up a few times. But separate to that a Peter Brock-led team of 405s raced in the 12-hour. In 2013 two factory-backed RCZ coupes were class winners in the reborn 12-hour.

Talking of reborn, compared to its predecessor that also has the 308 moniker, this is pretty much an all-new car underpinned by the latest PSA group EMP2 modular architecture and a new-generation drivetrain.

And that's where we'll start, because on the surface the little engine with 96kW and 230Nm shapes as the car's weakness.

But that is simply not the case. The new 308 is light (1150kg as an auto) by the standards of modern small cars and that helps the engine shine. It has a gruff yet pleasing idle that resolves into a smooth beat when the throttle is pressed. Response is immediate and surprisingly strong. Overtaking is never a challenge, nor conquering hills.

Its immediate response and well-tuned integration with the Aisin six-speed auto made it a really fun engine on a winding road, while on the Hume Freeway it sat happy at 110km/h with the revs running at 2200rpm.

It backs up character and spirt with economy. Over our 1742km trip the average fuel consumption came out at just 5.8L/100km on 95 RON PULP (and with the aid of idle-stop). That is a terrific result, undercutting both the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol Golf (6.1) and the 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated Mazda3 (6.3).

The 308's front-wheel drive chassis, which has a 120mm longer wheelbase than its predecessor, combines MacPherson struts and a torsion beam and proves to be a great accomplice for the engine.

This is a Peugeot as they all should be, combining a terrifically comfortable ride with decisive body control. Add in quick electric-assist steering and the 308 Active is a fun drive that makes a lap around the block, let alone a multi-day drive, really entertaining.

Put it this way, I had no hesitation taking the long way home through the Strathbogie Ranges on some familiar winding roads where I knew the 308 would be a load of fun.

The biggest driving downer was the amount of road noise generated on coarse surfaces by the 16-inch rubber. The cruise control's tendency to run away down hills also an annoyance.

The 308's interior is more of a mixed bag than the driving experience. The minimalist presentation eschews a plethora of buttons for a harmonious flow, quality trim materials and a large 9.7-inch colour touchscreen. That's good. But it can be a pain drilling down into the menu for functions such as radio presets.

The steering wheel is leather trimmed, small, flat-bottomed and says much about about the sporting standard Peugeot is wanting this car to set. But it's also part of the company's addiction to a driving position where you sit with the wheel in your lap. I just cannot come to terms with it, which for me means part of the speedo is blocked out by the rim.

On the positive side the windows are massive so visibility is excellent, while the cloth-trimmed driver's seat is big, supportive and comfortable.

Other Peugeot signatures include the analogue speedo which climbs in odd numbered increments and the tacho needle that swings counter clockwise. More prosaically, this car misses out on flappy paddles for manual shifting, leaving the lever to suffice.

Fitting luggage and various bits and pieces in the 308 for the Bathurst epic proved no challenge. Even my mountain bike fitted in with the front wheel removed. There were even sizable bottle holders in the doors, something European car designers have in the past not always shown much interest in.

In fact, it was fair to say that just a few years ago Peugeot wasn't showing that much interest in cars at all. The 307 and old 308 were hardly inspiring examples of a breed that over the years has engendered massive loyalty in Australia through cars like the 504, 205 and 306.

This 308 is a return to that sort of form. I enjoyed it more to drive than either the Golf or Mazda3, although just maybe the VW's marginally superior feel and quality still makes it the better car overall.

Either way it's a close run race. And that's a win for Peugeot right there.

2016 Peugeot 308 Active pricing and specifications:
Price: $26,890 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 96kW/230Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.1L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 117g/km (ADR combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP)

Also consider:
>> Ford Focus (from $23,390 plus ORCs)
>> Mazda Mazda3 (from $20,490 plus ORCs)
>> Volkswagen Golf (from $22,490 plus ORCs)