Peugeot 308 1.6-litre e-HDi first drive review

Underwhelming outside, but undeniably impressive once in. The 308 is not unpleasant to look at – at least not to these eyes, and certainly not awkwardly misjudged like the 208 – but it seems like a blob of conformity where a svelte slab of distinction might have been more appropriate. Think Mercedes-Benz A-Class, but with fewer clever angles, and a touch too much glasswork in the body-to-window ratio. Perhaps the designer responsible for the interior ought to be enlisted to help with the facelift because, silly name aside, the dashboard is a humdinger. Yes, the instrument cluster still pokes over the steering wheel, but a different driving position ensures that there’s now a much smaller margin for conflict than there was in the 208. From there, the minimalist arrangement practically sprawls into cleverness. As promised, most of the 308‘s buttons have been swept onto the touchscreen. Those that are left are neatly and nattily delineated and even the redundant CD slot is splendidly framed. The integrated aesthetic alone is sufficient to land Ford and VW a telling blow, but it is enhanced further by a logical touchscreen that divides sub functions into seven understandable buttons, and doesn’t overly clutter the subsequent screens.

Sure, there are niggles. Some of the trim material turns brittle where it shouldn’t, the display’s processor could do with another core, and the volume knob rotates like a cheap microwave timer when it should expensively pirouette. However, by the time you acknowledge this, you’ll likely already be on side. The same probably won’t be said for rear passengers, who pay the price for the 308’s compactness. There was room for yours truly, but, unlike Ford and VW, Peugeot will come unstuck when there’s more than 5ft 8in to accommodate. Nevertheless, an general bump in perceived quality is initially carried on to the road. The 308 is well mannered and manageable out of the blocks, a 10.4m turning circle makes it highly manoeuvrable, and the diesel lump’s clatter is well disguised by a new soundproofing element. The low-speed ride, on our test model’s smaller 16-inch alloys, is congenial, too. it takes imperfections in a leggy, lazy stride that speaks to a uniquely French attitude to comfort and, aside from some wind noise, it relaxes into an easy motorway cruise. Keep your ambitions within the narrow range of the 1.6-litre HDi’s potential and the 308 ambles rather affably. Turn it up a notch, though, as one would unthinkingly and organically do in a Focus or Golf, and it tends to bridle at the extra effort. The fact that the oil burner’s 199lb ft is immediately overwhelmed ought to be rectified by the improved output of its forthcoming 2.0-litre replacement, but its dynamic foibles could be more troublesome. At their heart is the steering. Metered out by the tiny wheel, the change of direction is intended to be light-footed, but because there’s no real hint of bite, substance or progressive weight to the rack’s resistance, there are too few clues as to the tyres’ whereabouts. This uncertainty unfairly inhibits the 308’s cornering ability because, on its rather doughy suspension, the body tends towards an early onset of roll. It will find a decent, adhesive balance thereafter (even on low-resistance rubber), but driver confidence is liable to have already ebbed away. Were this to occur exclusively at silly speeds, it would hardly be an issue worth mentioning, but there is too much of it present at the brisk, competent clip where its rivals often excel. And for us, that inevitably dilutes the appeal of what is otherwise a fresh and interesting package.

Well, Peugeot is going to push hard to make you think about it. Pricing is yet to be announced, as is the final spec of the RHD cars headed to the UK. But you can expect the range to feature the familiar trim lines, and early estimates suggest the entry point to the line-up will start at around £14,600.Overall, it must be said, you would be buying a far superior car. Respectable to look at, great to sit in, cheap to run and adequate to drive would successfully tick-off many buyers’ hatchback most-wanted list, and, with our UK verdict obviously still pending, we’d duly expect the 308 to enhance the firm’s mainstream reputation. However, a top-three finish in a crucial, trendsetting class is currently beyond the car – especially in the likely highly popular version we sampled. There is just too little space in the back, too much oomph missing from the engine and an all-too obvious shortfall in pizzazz on the handling front for it to seriously shine.