2009 Peugeot 308 Reviews

The Peugeot 308 is a small-medium French car that’s well regarded for style and comfort. It has never reached the sales heights of the likes of models in its class from Hyundai, Mazda and Toyota and so on. But those who like driving something out of the ordinary should put a 308 somewhere on their short list.

The choice car buyers have today would have been unbelievable even just a few years ago. No one could have envisaged the number of makes and models now on offer in our market. Buyers now have the choice of a vast number of locally produced and imported cars, among them the Peugeot 308. The French carmaker launched the

As much as they've tried, and tried they have, French cars haven't made much progress in this market, which must be galling to them given that their German rivals are going gangbusters.The Peugeot 308, for instance, was launched with the claim that it was as well built as its cross-border rivals, and drove as well as they did too. The company was trying to make up for the shortcomings of the 307, which had been slammed for its looks and lack of dynamics. To start with the 308 was aligned with the more attractive 207 and 407 models, given the same dynamic styling that made the other models their appeal.The 308 was marginally larger than the 307, being longer and wider, with a wider track for a bigger footprint to aid the on-road stability. It was also heavier, which didn't help the performance. Inside, it had decent head and legroom, and comfortable seats, but the boot was smaller than the 307's and most of its rivals.Underneath it was similar to its predecessor, with MacPherson Strut front suspension and torsion beams at the rear. There was a good choice of engines, with two petrol and diesel engines. The transmission choices, depending on the model, were five-speed manual and auto, and six-speed manual and auto. Standard equipment included dual climate controlled air-conditioning, cruise control, trip computer, power front windows and MP3 connection. A full-sized spare wheel is also standard.IN THE SHOPThe lack of complaints about the 308 received at Carsguide suggest it is doing the job for its owners, although it is too early to give it a conclusive tick of approval. Prospective buyers need to be aware that the 308, like all European cars, tends to consume brakes faster than cars from other parts of the world. Expect to be replacing pads, and perhaps also discs, every 50,000 km or so. Maintenance is also crucial so look for proof of servicing when inspecting a car prior to purchase.UNDER THE PUMPFuel economy was a strong point of the 308, with the small petrol engine using only 7.7 L/100 km and the smallest turbo-diesel engine using only 5.1 L/100 km.IN A CRASHFive stars was the best stamp available to carmakers from ANCAP and the 308 received it. It was fully equipped with front, head and side airbags, there were ABS brakes, and on all models but the base XS there was also electronic stability control.AT A GLANCEPrice new: $27,990 to $38,990Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cylinder petrol, 88 kW/160 Nm; 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol, 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel, 80 kW/140 Nm; 110 kW/240 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel, 100 kW/320 NmTransmission: 4-speed auto, 5-speed man, 6-speed auto. 6-speed man; FWDEconomy: 7.7 L/100 km (1.6), 8.2 L/100 km (1.6T), 5.1 L/100 km (1.6TD), 6.8 L/100 km (2.0TD)Body: 5-door hatch, 4-door wagonVariants: XS, XSE, XTE, XTSSafety: 5-star ANCAPVERDICTMore refined, roomy cabin and more stylish looks, but is pricey.

Byron Bay was the apt launch venue for the Peugeot 308CC this week. You can just picture the vehicle slowly promenading topless through the trendy shopping scene or by the beach with gorgeous, tanned blonde passengers in their oversized D&G sunglasses and their skimpy tops.But Peugeot Automobiles Australia marketing manager Richard Grant insists the new 308-based coupe cabriolet has more macho styling that will attract more male buyers aged over 40. Sure, it features some bulging panels and sporty rear diffusers, but it retains the 308 grille and headlights which have a more feminine look.Yet it also features the same spirited engines and driving dynamics of the 308 hatch and Touring.Platform and room At 1587kg kerb weight, the turbo manual is 44kg heavier than the 307CC and 185kg heavier than the XSE turbo manual hatch. However, with a slightly lower suspension setting and stiffer chassis it is every bit the driving equal of its main rival, the VW Eos.A big improvement is the amount of boot space, up 15 per cent on the 307CC, yet there is also a full-size spare under the cargo floor. Rear passenger room is still very limited, even though Peugeot has paid more attention to the +2 aspect with rear air vents and nicely contoured seats.Variants and equipment It comes in five model variants in CC and CC S trim with two power output versions of the turbo petrol 1.6-litre engine and the two-litre HDi diesel.Standard in the CC models are cruise control, stability control, rain-sensing wipers and rear parking sensors. The CC S adds leather trim (a $2900 option in the CC), electric heated front seats, tyre pressure monitors, 18-inch alloys, front parking sensors, Xenon headlights with washers, and Airwave and windstop ($1200 option in the CC).The Airwave is simply a heater which blows air on to the back of the neck of the front seat passenger and driver. The amount of air, heat and direction can be adjusted to suit conditions and the height of the occupant. It's a nice touch that you would expect in pricier models, and opens up the vehicle to be driven top-down through the cooler months of the year. However, the heater fan is a little noisy being so close to your head. The windstop can be hidden away in the boot and there it should stay as it's really not needed to reduce wind noise with the top down. It's rather quiet for a convertible.Another nice touch is the programmable remote key which can also lock the tiny glovebox and centre console so you can leave valuables behind even with the top down.Peugeot also boasts a five-star rating for passenger protection in Euro NCAP with its inclusion of six airbags, including twin side airbags in front plus pop-up roll over protection in the rear head restraints.The steel folding roof deploys in about 20 seconds using five hydraulic actuators and can be raised or lowered at speeds up to 12km/h. Unlike some of its competitors, it doesn't creak or groan when in the coupe position.SalesPeugeot Automobiles Australia general manager and director Ken Thomas believes they will sell about 300 this year; 165 petrol and 135 diesel with 220 CC and 80 CC S. In 2010 he predicts sales of 600 with 280 petrol and 320 diesel and about a third CC S.Driving The first glitch I noticed in the CC S with electric front seats is that if a passenger gets in the rear, the seat slides all the way forward, but then you have to stand outside the car and press the button to slowly roll the seat back before you can fit in behind the steering wheel. It's a common occurrence with electric front seats in coupes and it's annoying, especially if it's raining or cold and you have to wait those few seconds before getting in.Inside is a comfortable and friendly environment in the cabin, despite its quirky Frenchness. There is a fair amount of glare from the dashboard in direct sun and the white instruments are impossible to read on a sunny day. Obviously there are not a lot of sunny days in France.It also has short footwell for short French people. However, the steering column has good reach adjustment, so it's possible to find a good seating position unless you are a really tall supermodel.Peugeot has done a lot of work on noise, vibration and harshness to deliver a car that is very quiet until it hits coarse-chip bitumen and then the tyre noise and rear wheel arch drum become intrusive.Out on the road, it thrives on the juicy turbo petrol engine and meaty diesel powerplant. Handling is pin-sharp with good feedback from the steering wheel and no scuttle shake or rack rattle that plagues many other convertibles.However, corrugations did provide a bit of steering column shudder, but we're talking big corrugations around Nimbin where the council seems to have a very laidback hippy attitude to road maintenance.The French have done a nice job of updating their CC in line with the advances made in the 308 platform. It remains to be seen how many are captivated by its driving dynamics.Peugeot 308CC Prices (not including dealer and statutory charges): 308CC 6-speed manual, turbo petrol $48,990 308CC 4-speed auto, petrol $50,990 308CC 6-speed auto, diesel $52,990 308CC S 4-speed auto, petrol $57,990 308CC S 6-speed auto, diesel $59,990Engines: 4-cylinder 1.6 turbo petrol and 2.0 HDi turbo dieselPower: 110kW @ 5800rpm (1.6) and 103kW @ 6000rpm (1.6), 100kW @ 4000rpm (HDi)Torque: 240Nm @ 1400rpm (1.6), 320Nm @ 2000rpm (HDi)Economy: (combined l /100km): 7.5 (110k), 8.1 (103kW), 7 (HDi)Emissions: (g/km): 177 (110kW), 192 (103kW), 185 (HDi), Euro 4Transmission: 6-speed man and 4-speed auto (1.6), 6 auto (HDi)

The 308 CC (coupe-cabriolet), with a folding hard top that deploys in 20 seconds, will be revealed at the Paris Motor Show in September.Peugeot Automobiles Australia PR manager Mathew McAuley said it would likely be released here in the first quarter of next year. “It's too early to say what specs will be offered locally,” he said.The four-seater 308 CC will come with a new two-litre diesel engine producing 104kW of power and a six-speed manual.It has a wider front and rear track than the 308 hatch with larger diameter disc brakes and electronic stability program.The CC version also will feature air vents which muster warm air around the occupants' neck, like Mercedes-Benz's “air scarf” in the SLK. Peugeot calls theirs an “Airwave” system.It will include rear roll-over protection bars, automatic remote-control locking of interior storage compartments, rear seat access which electrically slides the front seats forwards, deadlocking of doors and selective unlocking and LED courtesy lighting in the door mirrors.