2019 Peugeot 308 vs Renault Megane

What's the difference?

I get it. You don't want a small car that everybody else has, like a Toyota Corolla, a Hyundai i30 or a Kia Cerato. You want something that represents the quirky-cool you a bit better, am I right? That's why you're here snooping around this Peugeot 308 Allure review.

Yes, the Peugeot 308 Allure is a small hatch like the i30, Corolla and Cerato, but it's made in France and so it's nowhere near as common as those other cars.

Well not here anyway; in France they're everywhere, and if you want to be different there then you'd get an i30. There might be something in that...

Ah, mon ami, we're not in France, but France is here in the form of the 308 Allure. Our test car was the petrol version (you can also have it in diesel guise).

So what, if anything, makes it different from its Japanese and Korean rivals? Is just being French reason enough to get one? Is it more expensive than those rivals? What about warranty and servicing? And is it good to drive?

More power, more wheelarches, more steering, more doors and more transmissions. Aside from possibly the doors part, it's all sounding pretty rosy for the new third generation of Renault's Megane R.S. hot hatch.

The current Clio R.S. has followed a similar formula to great effect, improving its overall sales figures drastically, but it's fair to say it's lost a certain je ne sais quoi for the purists who've grown to worship the brand.

Selling cars vs brand building is always a tricky balance for car companies, but the previous Megane R.S. is giving the new model a handy head start with Australia being its third biggest market in the world.

Wander down the pit lane at any track day or tarmac rally, and you're bound to come across a handful of previous models. Often more than any other hot hatch, which is a clear sign of approval from those in the know who work their cars hard.

Will the new model build on that legacy? We were among the first to drive the new R.S. on road and track to find out at its Australian launch this week.