Review: Peugeot 308 (2014)

Peugeot 308 (2014): At A Glance

• New prices start from £23,014, brokers can source from £16,206
• Contract hire deals from £205.70 per month
• Insurance Groups are between 9–29
• On average it achieves 72% of the official MPG figure

Peugeot 308 (2014): What's It Like Inside?

• Boot space is 470–1309 litres
• Euro NCAP rating of five stars

Dimensions
Length	4253 mm
Width	2043 mm
Height	1457 mm
Wheelbase	2620 mm
Full specifications

The interior of the new 308 is a perfect example of minimalist design. Peugeot has avoided the button-heavy look with a decluttered design and the result is a modern and distinctive cabin that's very different from the competition.

The reason Peugeot has been able to do away with lots of switches is down to its clever touchscreen system. It's an impressive 9.7-inches and looks like a tablet, neatly integrated between the air vents in the dash.

It doesn't take too long to work out where the various functions are and the screen itself has a high resolution with a bright colour display. It can sometimes be frustrating, for instance if you jump in the car and quickly want to turn the air conditioning temperature up for short journey, you have to go to the right screen and then tap the plus button. However, on the whole it makes a lot of sense and adds to the modern feel of the 308.

The quality of the interior is impressive too with a solid feel to the switches and a nice 'thud' when you close the doors. We're less keen on the metal finish to the gear lever on higher spec models but the same finish works well on the air vents and steering wheel.

The small steering wheel echoes the 208 and it too has a quality feel to it. The instrument dials are placed high on the dash top - the idea being that they're easier to see at a glance. The problem is that, depending on your height and driving position - the dials can be obscured by the steering wheel.

There's decent room for rear passengers and the back seats, like those in the front, are comfortable which is particularly noticeable on long journeys. The boot is practical too with 470 litres which is far more than a Volkswagen Golf which has 380 litres.

Standard equipment:

Access models come with air conditioning, remote central door locking, cruise control with speed limiter, DAB digital radio, LED daylight running lights and Bluetooth connectivity.

Active adds dual zone air conditioning, electric handbrake, rear parking sensors, integrated 9.7-inch touchscreen and satellite navigation.

Allure comes with full LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, a reversing camera and front parking sensors.

Feline is the top-of-the-range model and has a panoramic Cielo glass roof, Alcantara trimmed sports seats and the Driver Assistance Pack with Dynamic Cruise Control, Emergency Collision Alert and Emergency Collision Braking System.

What's the Peugeot 308 (2014) like to drive?

• Engines range from 1.2 Puretech 82 to 2.0 BlueHDi 180 Automatic
• Readers report Real MPG to be between 31–72 mpg

Thanks to the use of lightweight materials, the 308 weighs a considerable 140kg less than its predecessor. It also uses a new chassis which it shares with the acclaimed Citroen C4 Picasso.

Add in a lower centre of gravity along with new suspension and it's no surprise that the 308 is a revelation compared to its predecessor. It's impressive through corners with a nice weight to the steering, feeling surefooted even in the wet.

Other hatchbacks may be more fun to drive but the 308 feels composed and it's a very easy car to drive. A further highlight is the excellent ride quality which irons out uneven roads and rough surfaces with ease. In town the 308 is easy to manouevre into tight spots although rear visibility isn't great due to the narrow rear window - fortunately parking sensors are standard on all but the entry-level Access trim.

On the motorway it's a very relaxed car with little road or wind noise. That's helped by good sound insulation and an aerodynamic design which means little wind drag. The only criticism of the 308 is the rather clunky manual gearchange which isn't as slick as you'd expect given how good the rest of the car is.

There's a good choice of engines in the 308 and the good news is that all of them are economical and cheap to run. The HDi diesels will for many be the default choice and the 1.6 HDi is particularly good. It's not the quickest of engines but is quiet and ideal for relaxed driving.

The BlueHDi version of the 1.6-litre is the most economical engine in the 308 range with an incredible claimed 91.1mpg. CO2 emissions are just 82g/km which is remarkable given it has 120PS. A 2.0 HDi with 150PS is offered and is also available with a six-speed automatic.

The entry-level petrol is a 1.2 VTi with 82PS while the sportiest is the 1.6 THP. But the engine that really stands out is the new 1.2 e-THP petrol. This is a three-cylinder Puretech engine that punches well above its small size thanks to the fact it's turbocharged. There are two versions available - one with 110PS and a more powerful 130PS - and both get start/stop as standard. The more powerful 130PS gets a six-speed gearbox but both have plenty of torque and pull well from low revs.

It's very refined for a three-cylinder engine. In fact in everyday driving you'd be hard pressed to tell, such is its quiet nature. It's still nippy though and enjoyable to drive while it's not out of its depth on the motorway either. Economy is strong with an official 64.2mpg for the 110PS versions and CO2 of just 104g/km for both mean cheap VED. If you're interested in an HDi model we'd suggest trying the 1.2 e-THP engine as a comparison. It suits the 308 perfectly.

Engine	MPG	0-62	CO2
1.2 Puretec 130 Automatic	63 mpg	9.1 s	117 g/km
1.2 Puretech 110	57–71 mpg	10.1–11.8 s	95–115 g/km
1.2 Puretech 130	54–63 mpg	9.6–10.3 s	104–112 g/km
1.2 Puretech 130 Automatic	54–63 mpg	9.1–9.8 s	106–123 g/km
1.2 Puretech 130 EAT8	52–54 mpg	9.1–9.8 s	119–124 g/km
1.2 Puretech 82	57 mpg	13.3 s	114 g/km
1.5 BlueHDi 100	76 mpg	-	98 g/km
1.5 BlueHDi 130	76–81 mpg	9.8–10.2 s	96–100 g/km
1.5 BlueHDi 130 EAT6	76 mpg	9.4 s	98–102 g/km
1.5 BlueHDi 130 EAT8	76–79 mpg	9.4 s	94–98 g/km
1.6 BlueHDi 100	79 mpg	11.3 s	94 g/km
1.6 BlueHDi 120	74–91 mpg	9.7–10.3 s	82–98 g/km
1.6 BlueHDi 120 Automatic	72–79 mpg	9.5–10.2 s	92–101 g/km
1.6 e-HDi 115	74–76 mpg	10.2–11.9 s	95–100 g/km
1.6 HDi 115	74–76 mpg	10.2–11.9 s	95–100 g/km
1.6 HDi 92	79 mpg	11.3 s	93–95 g/km
1.6 THP 125	50–52 mpg	10.4–10.7 s	125–129 g/km
1.6 THP 156	49 mpg	8.4 s	129–134 g/km
1.6 THP 205	50 mpg	7.5 s	130 g/km
1.6 THP 225	50 mpg	7.4 s	132 g/km
2.0 BlueHDi	71–74 mpg	8.6–8.9 s	99–108 g/km
2.0 BlueHDi 150	72 mpg	8.9 s	102–103 g/km
2.0 BlueHDi 150 Automatic	69 mpg	8.6 s	108 g/km
2.0 BlueHDi 180 Automatic	64–71 mpg	8.4–8.6 s	103–130 g/km
2.0 BlueHDi Automatic	69–71 mpg	8.6 s	107–111 g/km

Real MPG average for a Peugeot 308 (2014)

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

What have we been asked about the Peugeot 308 (2014)?

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