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 Peugeot 308 somewhere on their short list.
Despite its styling flair the 308’s designers didn’t forget about function.
It has a good-sized rear seat for its class and sensible luggage space.
Indeed, European owners regard cars in the Peugeot 308 class as family transport.
In Australia they tend to be bought by singles or those with pre-teen kids.
The aforementioned comments refer to the five-door hatchback and station wagon.
Obviously the 308 CC (convertible coupe) with its folding hardtop is obviously not as spacious in the rear seat.
Then again, we’ve seen more than one Aussie 308 CC with smiling little faces in the back.
The 308 replaced the Peugeot 307 in February, 2008.
It was an improvement on the 307 in driving enjoyment as Peugeot enthusiasts had been critical of the 307’s handling almost from day one.
Push it hard and the first generation 308 isn’t too keen on what is happening, however it will keep you out of trouble.
The original 308 came with a choice between a pair of turbo-diesels, with capacities of 1.6 and 2.0 litres, producing 88 and 100kW respectively.
More importantly, they manage top torque figures of 240 and 320Nm.
Peugeot has had a strong push on diesels Downunder for many years and the older oil burners are well regarded.
There was also a pair of 1.6-litre petrol engines designed in partnership with BMW.
One is a turbo unit (designed in conjunction with BMW), with 110kW and 240Nm at a very low 1400 rpm — so there’s no shortage of urge.
The other is a non-turbo with 88kW.
No marks for guessing which we prefer?
The second-generation Peugeot 308, launched in Australia in October, 2014 was a blank-sheet development and answered all complaints about the model it replaced.
It had an all-new platform that made it lighter than the outgoing model by as much as 140kg.
Even more importantly it well and truly returned to the comfort and chassis dynamics of Peugeots of the past.
The gen-two 308 is lower and sleeker than the model it replaced, yet clever design means it has retained the same cabin space.
Peugeot 308 is offered as a five-door hatch and five-door Touring wagon.
New engines were developed, the most interesting being a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol unit producing 96kW of power.
A turbo-diesel displacing 2.0 litres is a four-cylinder and puts out 110kW.
Six-speed manual and automatic transmissions sit beside each of the engines.
Additional models were added early in 2015.
The most exciting is the 308 GT with 150kW four-cylinder turbo-petrol and 133kW turbo-diesel engines, lowered sports suspension and uprated body styling.
The third generation Peugeot 308 was launched in March, 2021 and arrived here in mid-2022 with a Plug-In petrol/electric hybrid (PHEV) added later.
These models are very rare on the used-car market.
Peugeot has been established in Australia for many years and there are in dealers in city, suburban and country towns.
Spare parts are priced higher than for typical Asian models in this car class, but not outrageously so.
We have heard no real complaints about availability.
This Pug is not the sort of car you can work on yourself if you want to do more than basic maintenance.
Insurance tends to be moderate in price with the GTi, which really isn’t a hot-shot model, seldom being penalised for added performance.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Peugeot 308s are generally well built, though not to the standard of Asian cars.
A professional inspection is a must, but by all means carry out your own checks to the best of your knowledge.
The interior should be neat and tidy with nothing coming loose, or making noises on bumpy roads during testing.
Older turbo-diesels may be slow to fire up, but if this is too bad have a qualified mechanic check it out.
Turbo-petrol engine engines fire up faster than the turbo-diesel, but see the above note about a professional check.
A manual gearbox should be smooth in operation. If it’s getting on in years and/or kilometres it may be slow and noisy on down changes — third to second is usually the first
to go.
Look for signs of crash repairs, such as mismatched paint, ripples in the panels when viewed along their length, and tiny spots of paint on glass, badges and similar unpainted areas.
HOW MUCH?
Expect to pay from $4000 to $7000 for a 2010-2013 Peugeot 308 XS; $8000 to $13,000 for a 2015 Active or a 2011 Cabriolet; $10,000 to $15,000 for a 2014 Allure; $12,000 to $18,000 for a 2015 Allure Blue; $14,000 to $20,000 for a 2015 Allure Premium; $16,000 to $23,000 for a 2015 GT or a 2018 Allure; $20,000 to $28,000 for a 2018 Allure Touring; and $25,000 to $33,000 for a Gti Special Edition.
CAR BUYING TIPS
Take a friend with you when shopping for a used car.
That way they can keep the chattering sales person at bay while you check out the car without interruptions.
Used car prices have generally increased during the period of new car stock shortages.
Start looking at adverts for used vehicles several months before you intend buying.
That way you can get a feel for the price being asked and whether they are rising and falling, as dealers need to clear stock due to overcrowding.
Keep an eye on adverts for new cars that say there are specials on particular models.
This can lead to a lot of traded-ins taking up too much space in yards and they will be discounted to get rid of them.
Keep an eye open for ads of unpopular cars, as there can vary greatly in price.
Owners struggling to find a buyers may be forced to grit their teeth and drop their asking price.
If checking a used car at a dealership look at other cars on the lot.
This can provide an insight into the quality of the vehicles in which the dealer specialises.
If buying privately ask for proof of ownership and make sure the insurance covers you for taking a test drive.
Take a slow walk around any car you’re considering, looking for obvious defects.
It amuses us how many people dive into tiny details, only to discover later a major ding somewhere on the other side of the car.
Ideally any road test of a car you’re getting serious about should be done with the engine stone cold. Early morning is best.
If you’re serious about buying a vehicle, tell the seller you would like to take it for a good long test drive.
If they insist on coming that’s understandable, but try to avoid them “selling” the car to you.
Put bluntly, ask them to shut up,
In their later years, cars with a reputation for being long lived and trouble free sometimes attract buyers who have no intention of ever servicing them.
The next owner may suffer as a result.
RECALLS
To browse recalls on all vehicles go to the ACCC at: www.productsafety.gov.au/products/transport/cars/