Peugeot says the arrival of the Touring wagon, which will be joined by its 308CC before the end of the year, will turn things around for the French carmaker here. Photo Gallery
This year has been a difficult one for Peugeot.
The French company's sales are down by close to 20 per cent at a time when the rest of the car business, until this month, has been doing very nicely.
Peugeot puts its troubles down to the transition to the all-new compact 308 and says the arrival of the Touring wagon, which will be joined by its 308CC before the end of the year, will turn things around.
It also believes its new Expert and Partner vans, which landed as the same time as the Touring, will give it a much-needed boost on the commercial front.
“It's been a tough year for us. However, I think running out the 307 is well behind us and we can make up lost ground with the 308,” says Ken Thomas, national sales manager for Peugeot.
“We're going to capitalise on the strong reputation we have built in the small wagon market. It's an important launch for this brand. Its got great styling, technology and unique features, with up to seven seats and a full glass roof.”
The 308 Touring is more like an oversized hatchback than a tradition wagon, so in some ways it is similar to the new Holden Commodore Sportwagon. But the Peugeot is uniquely French, from its good looks to an emphasis on the diesel engine which is expected to draw the majority of sales.
The objective is to sell more than 1000 wagons before the end of the year, and closer to 1900 in 2009, as Peugeot aims to hit 9000 total sales for '08.
The Touring package is priced from $30,590, with a choice of two trim levels, four engines — two diesel, two petrol — and both automatic and manual gearboxes with front-wheel drive. The specification is pretty comprehensive, although ESP stability control is only an option on the basic CS model.
The Touring is based on the latest 308 mechanical package, which means fully independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes and a safety package including six airbags and anti-skid brakes with brake assist and a system which triggers the hazard lights in extreme braking.
The XS opens the action with air-con, cruise control, remote central locking and the full-length glass sunroof, while the XSE tips in ESP, rear parking radar, alloy wheels, and rain-sensing wipers. Leather seats and a multi-media sound system are optional.
The four-cylinder engines are 88 and 103 kiloWatt petrol motors, which Peugeot calls VTi and THP for the turbo, and 80 and 100 kiloWatt diesels. There is a six-speed manual for all engines, but the automatic is only a four-speed on the petrol engines, upgrading to a six on the diesels.
Peugeot does all its comparisons against the outgoing 307, talking up the increased rigidity of the new body as well as a bigger boot and more cabin space.
But the bottom line on a wagon is the seating and space. The Touring has 'theatre' seats, with tiered settings to improve visibility and reduce the chance of a car sick child, although the third-row lineup is only called 'occasional' and there are a huge number of storage choices.
“There are seven seats and they are plug-and-play. You can move them around and there are a huge number of combinations,” says Peugeot's Glenn Forester.
DRIVING:
The 308 Touring is everything you expect of a Peugeot. It looks good, is very comfortable, there is a lot of creative thinking, and it drives well.
The 2-litre petrol model gets along well and has a responsive gearbox, although the 1.6 is likely to struggle particularly with a family load. The 2-litre diesel is responsive and works well with either manual or automatic gearbox.
The diesel also shows Peugeot's class and experience, as it is extremely quiet at both start-up and highway cruising speeds.
The cabin is roomy for the class, the seats are comfy and supportive, and the equipment is everything you would want or need — apart from ESP on the base car.
The flexibility is excellent and you can mix-and-match the seats, or remove some completely, depending on your needs. It takes a bit of learning but is very worthwhile and advance over other compact wagons we have driven.
The panoramic sunroof is a nice touch and will definitely get people looking, but also has a proper sun-blocker for hot weather.
Peugeot deserves to do well with the Touring but needs to make more noise to get back on shopping lists in Australia, instead of relying on repeat business from existing owners.
FAST FACTS
Peugeot 308 Touring
On sale: now
Price: from $30,590 (XS 1.6 auto) to $38,390 (XSE HDi auto)
Engines: 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol, 1.6 and 2.0-litre turbodiesel
Power: 88kW/6000 revs(1.6 petrol), 103kW/6000 revs (2-litre petrol) 80kW/4000 revs (1.6-litre diesel), 100kW/4000 revs (2.0-litre diesel)
Torque: 160Nm/4250, 240Nm/5400, 240Nm/1750, 320Nm/2000 revs
Transmission: Six-speed manual, four and six-speed auto, front-wheel drive
Economy: 5.2-8.2 litres/100km
Emissions: 139-194 grams/kilometre CO2
