Peugeot 308 vs Mazda 2

What's the difference?

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.

While Mazda's insistence that the Mazda2 is a 'first-car' could be very limited by the incomes of most teenagers or early-20s city-dwellers, the starting price being close enough to $20,000 for a dynamically enjoyable and convenient small car isn't to be scoffed at.

The new styling of the Mazda2 is well executed, and as an alternative to small SUVs (which continue to become more popular) it's a sensible option, especially considering its efficiency and ease of use.

The lower specifications in the range are probably the best in terms of value, as even the features on the higher grades aren't groundbreaking, and the Pure SP definitely exudes the most style cred.