Peugeot Reviews

It's easy to give The Tick to the new Peugeot 308.After a series of dismal and uninspiring arrivals over recent years - some of them downright ugly - the compact hatch proves that the French brand can still do good cars.I wonder why they are not all as good as the new 308, but that question would take more than a single CarsGuide edition to answer. In any case, the 308 looks good, drives well, has a frugal three-cylinder engine and has the plush look and feel of a Volkswagen Golf.It's won a European Car of the Year award, picked up five stars in Euro NCAP safety testing and drives well for the class and price.The price is still nowhere near sharp enough for what amounts to a "challenger" brandNo, there is no reversing camera, some members of the CarsGuide crew are uninspired by the engine and the price is still nowhere near sharp enough for what amounts to a "challenger" brand in a class where the Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla are the sales benchmarks and the Golf is the car to love.I'm also not convinced about the i-Cockpit driver layout, which provides an excellent steering wheel but an instrument binnacle that is always partly obscured by the top of the rim.It's the same in a number of new Peugeots and I don't like any of them, despite Peugeot's belief that it is leading in a new direction.I first drove the 308 in France last year and believe it could have been a CarsGuide COTY contender with a better price, more refinement on arrival and that rear-view camera.Now I'm sliding into a 308 on roads I know, still with the new-age three-cylinder engine but better equipped with a six-speed automatic gearbox and an Allure package that brings a 9.7-inch touchscreen, cruise control, alloys and parking radar. On the safety front there is a six-airbag package, tyre-pressure monitoring and the usual stability control.It's a tasty package but the Peugeot people in France don't understand the reality of price pressures in Australia, where $30,490 is too much for this car and even the $21,990 starter price is too costly when you can buy many of its rivals for less than $20,000 on the road.Still, I can see and feel the quality in the car. There might be some hard plastic surfaces but the seats are truly excellent and so is the wheel, the ride is plush and it's quiet at any speed.It takes some learning to get the best from the baby triple, which makes a useful 96kW but is tweaked mostly for economy. The six-speed auto is always looking for the highest gear but you can hit the Sport button for sharper response or resort to manual changes - where the "correct" race-style change means pushing forward to downshift and pulling back for an upshift - if you really want to go.There is a lot to like and not much to complain aboutThe syncopation of a three-cylinder engine is unusual at first but I've known them since the original Daihatsu Charade in the 1980s through to the latest BMW i8 hybrid and quite like the sound and feel.Moving through the cabin, the 308 has good space, there is a big boot and the fuel economy is very good.

Peugeot is one of those brands that go under the radar for most Australians, it's one to which they rarely give any thought of owning, but for comfort and refined road manners the French brand is hard to beat.The 407 was Peugeot's medium-sized offering and came in coupe, sedan and wagon body styles, with a choice of peppy petrol engines and economical diesels.Its lines were elegant, languidly flowing from tip to tail in a wonderful balance of form and function.The coupe was able to accommodate four in comfort, but the more family friendly sedan and wagon had the capacity to transport five.The cabin was spacious, nicely laid-out with comfortable seats and was sublimely quietThere were three equipment levels, the SR budget model, the ST and the SV.All had an impressive range of comfort and convenience features, particularly the higher spec models.The cabin was spacious, nicely laid-out with comfortable seats and was sublimely quiet. The main criticism was a blind spot created by the heavy A-pillars that at times impeded the driver's view.The 407's 2.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine was a free-revving unit that had sufficient performance for most situations, although at times it had to work hard to get there.For those wanting more than the 2.2-litre engine could muster there was the 3.0-litre V6, which answered the call of most seeking performance.But it's the diesels that were the most popular with 407 buyers, particularly the 2.0-litre turbodiesel, which boasted strong mid-range torque for smooth, flexible driveability, impressive performance, and admirable economy.The 407's suspension was supremely comfortableWith more than 400Nm of torque, the twin-turbo V6 diesel was a powerhouse with an attractive blend of performance and driveability.While there was a six-speed manual gearbox available in the front-wheel 407, the vast majority were sold with automatic transmissions. Early models had a four-speed, but it was later updated to a six-speed across the range.On the road the 407's suspension was supremely comfortable, but at the cost of some handling precision. Anyone wanting the sportiness of a German prestige model should probably look elsewhere for their jollys.Being French the Peugeot needs some getting used to for anyone moving into the brand for the first time. Some people find it quirky, and oddly disconnected, while others find the quirkiness interesting and fun, and the driving experience comfortable and refined.Anyone stepping out of a German car would probably be very disappointed with the somewhat vague ride and handling.Being European the 407 comes with issues that affect most European brands, expensive parts and service spring immediately to mind.The 407 doesn't have any major flaws to noteAnyone thinking of buying a 407 should get on good terms with a mechanic experienced in working on Peugeots. They are usually able to service your car for significantly less than a dealer would, and they should be able to source parts at more affordable prices.For peace of mind it's also worth having a mechanic with specialist Peugeot knowledge check your chosen car for you before purchase.The 407 doesn't have any major flaws to note, but is subject to the occasional and frustrating failures of electrical components, particularly ignition coils.The 407 is relatively complex and needs the attention of someone who is familiar with the brandIt's also important to check for a service record, the 407 is relatively complex and needs the attention of someone who is familiar with the brand.The engines have timing belts, which need changing at specified intervals. On the 2.2-litre petrol engine it needs changing every 80,000km or four years, on the other engines the change interval is 180,000km or nine years.Peugeot recalled the 407 in 2011 for a fault related to the engine vacuum pump that could affect the braking performance.There was also a recall in 2010 to check the clearance between the wiring harness and the cooling fan that could result in damage to the harness.

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering, would you buy one?This 308 is the latest and greatest small hatchback from French manufacturer Peugeot. It's totally new from the tyres up - new platform, chassis, powertrains, styling inside and out, super efficient, lighter, safer.308 pricing kicks off at $21,990 for the petrol manual base model. The Allure drive car is $30,490.Heaps of them including VW Golf, Citroen C4, Ford Focus, Mazda3, Renault Megane, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla and plenty more from all points of the compass.The test car had Peugeot's new three pot 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine with direct fuel injection and variable valve timing hooked up to a conventional six speed auto from Japanese manufacturer Aisin driving the front wheels. It's good for 96kW/230 Nm output.Really well. Certainly better than expected and really, this is all the engine you need in a 308. You can barely hear it running and it has plenty of grunt for all driving applications. It's a good example of Peugeot's new 'smaller is better' engine philosophyYep, 5.1L/100km not a problem - prefers premium unleaded, but right now that's fairly cheap.No rating available, but we suspect it would get five stars due to Euro6 credentials, engine stop/start, slippery aerodynamics, low rolling resistance and friction reduction in the powertrain. Weighs a lot less than before too.Five stars.Yes, seats are comfy and the ride is a good compromise between sporty and comfort. Has plenty of kit to enhance travel time, even a particle filter in the aircon.Really good. Not a sporty hatch by any stretch, but the drive feel is engaging and dynamics are competent. You won't get into any trouble. The engine's good off the mark and through the rev range and though it sometimes rushes to a high gear, the triple plugs away and gets the 308 going pronto. Love the small wheel and the tight turning circle. Responsive steering too.Yes, at $21,990 its a Euro bargain. The $30 grand plus price of the test car not so much.

Craig Duff road tests and reviews the 2015 Peugeot 308 GT with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

The recent revival of interest in Peugeot in Australia following the launch of the European Car of the Year, the Peugeot 308, has apparently drawn attention to the rest of the French marque's range. Cars to benefit from this new focus on Peugeot here include one of the most popular of all, the small-medium 206 that's

Not everyone, it would seem, wants a compact SUV on their drive.Sales of these 'quasi-fourbies' are through the roof but if you look at sales of the new Peugeot 308 Allure Touring (wagon) there may be life left in the traditional small family wagon.They've waxed and waned on the whim of consumers and right now, they're waning.But the new Pug wagon, with a classy, almost Audi look, could be a game changer or at least make people think twice when they shop for a set of 'sensible' new wheels.This is a totally new generation 308 that's been out in Europe for a year winning European Car of the Year along the way.The whole range has appeal with smaller capacity, more efficient engines being adopted across the board - except for the 308 diesel Touring we drove.It's the range topper at $37,490 and gets a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine with 110kW/370Nm output driving the front wheels through a conventional six-speed auto with paddle shift. The engine in some form or other has been around for a while and can be found in other models (and brands).Competitors are numerous and impressive coming out of Japan, Europe and Korea.But the Pug is latest cab off the rank and as a result, enjoys a serious leg-up on a number of fronts. The Bluetooth phone and audio/multimedia system for example is as good as anything else on the market in terms of voice reproduction and ease of syncing. And it's among the safest new cars available right now.Peugeot was able to slice off 140kg (down to 1420kg) from the latest 308 Touring compared with the previous model through better materials and design.Their green tinge is more than skin deep with exemplary fuel economy from all models, petrol and diesel. This one does 5.0L/100km standing on its head.We actually cracked deep into the 4s at one stage - something you don't see too often.But you still have to unlock the filler cap with the ignition key to fuel it up. That's a pain.And another negative is the difficult removal and replacement of the rear cargo blind. We gave up and left it rolling around in the load space, which is large with the rear seats up as well as down. When down, the load space is large enough to sleep two adults, a reflection of the size of the vehicle.The rears are what Peugeot calls Magic Flat seats which means one touch up or down for the whole kit and kaboodle.It scores plenty of useful kit from a luxury and a safety point of view. There's cruise with speed limiter, electric power steering, hill assist, electric park brake, front and rear parking sensors and reversing camera, 9.7-inch multimedia screen, satnav, multiple wheel controls though some are on annoying satellite wands, dual zone climate control, aircon glove box, pollen filter, heads up display, digital speedo, multi trip computer, alloy roof rails, rain sensing wipers and auto headlights to name a few.Leather is optional but unnecessary as far as we are concerned because the cloth seats are great.We like the style of the new 308 inside and out with the former exhibiting a rather minimalist look dominated by the speedo/tacho pod and similar shaped control panel. And get this, there's a CD player tucked away under the second panel.This is where the new 308 really shines, the diesel Touring in particular. It has excellent performance with a slightly sporty edge - complemented by an impressive ride/handling package that takes Peugeot back to the good old days when they went around corners like a sporty car and yet offered the comfort of a luxury model.The feel comes from a fairly rudimentary strut front and beam axle rear set-up. Must be in the springs/dampers.The 308 Touring has a quality feel missing on the previous model - the one with that awful 'gaping maw' front styling. All touch points are soft and the switches click positively when you use them.It has a clever mix of new technology and tried and true engineering as well as passing stringent Euro 6 emissions regulations.

Joshua Dowling road tests and reviews the 2014 Peugeot RCZ R, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

One is a Continental favourite, the other a perennial top-seller down under.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the Peugeot 308 with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

The very French Peugeot 307 is stylish machine, though it retains a fair touch of conservatism in its shape to try and make it a timeless design. That has succeeded, the 307 reached us downunder way back in December 2001 and still looks fashionable enough today. The Europeans frequently use Peugeot 307s as family