Mini 5D Hatch vs Peugeot 308
What's the difference?

Mini 5D Hatch

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2020 price

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Peugeot 308

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2023 price

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Summary

2020 Mini 5D Hatch

2023 Peugeot 308

By Andrew Chesterton

By Laura Berry

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Turbo 4, 1.6L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Premium Unleaded/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

6.0L/100km (combined)

1.4L/100km (combined)

Energy consumption

20.7 kWh/100km

Electric range

60 km

Battery capacity

12.40 kWh

Seating

Likes

Potent engine
Tons of grip
Funky cabin ambience

Sinister exterior styling
Lavish interior
Superb to drive

Dislikes

Ride can be harsh
Jittery drive experience
Cabin tech overly user friendly

Long charging time
High price compared to petrol variant
You could have a fully electric car for less money

2020 Mini 5D Hatch Summary

That the 2020 Mini Clubman John Cooper Works is the most powerful Mini to have landed in Australia isn’t all that surprising. After all, parent company BMW has squeezed the thumping four-cylinder engine from the M135i under its bonnet, and that thing creates a snarling beast of any vehicle it finds a home in.

What is a surprise, though, is that having now driven this angry, crackling, snarling hot hatch, what with its burbling exhaust and properly rapid acceleration, is that it took Mini this long to get around to doing it.

So does the engine upgrade now put the Clubman JCW on the same pedestal as the best European hot hatches? There's only one way to find out.

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2023 Peugeot 308 Summary

Ah, now you can have your Peugeot 308 and plug it into a power point as well. Yes, the new petrol version of the 308 arrived late last year and now the 308 GT Sport Hatch plug-in hybrid is here, too.

We've just driven the 308 GT Sport plug-in hybrid (PHEV) at its Australian launch and we can now answer all of your questions, such as how much it costs over a regular petrol 308, what's its electric range, what features come standard, what's it like to drive and is there a fully electric Peugeot coming soon?

Ready? Let's go.

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Deep dive comparison

2020 Mini 5D Hatch 2023 Peugeot 308

Verdict

The Mini Clubman JCW is quirky in a lot of the right ways, and now has a hard-charging engine to up the adrenalin factor. If you were already sold on the idea of joining the Clubman club, this one will steal your heart more than any other.

Verdict

The 308 GT Sport plug-in hybrid is a beautifully designed small hatch that is comfortable, enjoyable and easy to drive. The electric motor gives this hatch good acceleration and the equally impressive handling makes for a fun car to drive too. There's good storage, a decent boot and room for even tall people like me in those back seats.

There are two clear drawbacks, however: the price is steep compared to the petrol version; and you'll need to plug the vehicle into a power supply each night if you drive the car daily and want to achieve the 2.4L/100km fuel economy we did in this test.

Last, but probably the most important thing you'll read is that Peugeot will bring fully electric cars to Australia from the second half of 2023, from SUVs to (hopefully) the battery electric version of this very 308 hatch.

If it was my money, I'd hold on - you're going to have your next car for quite a long time so it's worth waiting for the fully electric versions.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Mini 5D Hatch vs Peugeot 308 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Mini 5D Hatch vs Peugeot 308
What's the difference?