2018 Peugeot 308 Allure Review
Ever heard of ‘perception lag’?
It’s when the view of the general populous takes time to catch up with the actual reality of a situation. And here’s a textbook example – the second-generation Peugeot 308.
Launched in 2014 with an all-new platform and an all-new drivetrain, it shares only its three-numeral name with the ugly, overweight and uninteresting 308 hatch/wagon (2007-13) it superseded. While it’s been a smash hit overseas – indeed, Peugeot’s financial salvation following a brush with near-bankruptcy – and has a European Car of the Year award under its belt, the 308 range managed just 395 sales in Australia in 2018.
But a change of importer (now Inchcape, in conjunction with Subaru) and a renewed focus in this country gives the 308 a chance of achieving the popularity it deserves.
- Superb drivetrain
- Handsome styling
- Excellent front seat comfort
- Below-par rear-seat legroom
- Occasional ride glitches
- Criminally ignored
Is it right for me?
If you want a small hatchback that can seat five adults in genuine comfort, a Volkswagen Golf is what you should be looking at.
But if you want a stylish small hatch that’s incredibly efficient, fun-to-drive, relatively unique and genuinely charming, then the Peugeot 308 stands out in the small-car class. And if the hatch doesn’t quite fit the bill in terms of lounging rear-seat room, there’s always the roomier long-wheelbase 308 Touring wagon.
Can I afford it ?
The most popular 308 in Australia has long been the 308 Active (priced from $26,990, not including on-road costs), but this Allure version ($31,990) brings a substantial step up in equipment and visual sizzle for an additional five grand.
With solid white paint like our test car, the 308 Allure’s drive-away price is $35,875. But Peugeot is currently offering five years’ free servicing – worth $2505 according to the capped-price service program – meaning the test 308 Allure’s actual drive-away value is currently $33,370.
Options include either regular metallic paint ($590 for grey, blue, midnight blue or black) or premium paint ($1050 for Ultimate Red or Pearl White), $2500 worth of artfully pleated and stitched leather upholstery, and a 110kW/370Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine for another $4000.
What do you get for your money?
Even the entry-level 308 Active (the former entry model, the 308 Access, was discontinued in 2016) is well-stocked with the gear you expect in a modern small hatch.
Front and rear LED daytime running lights, front fog lights, 16-inch alloy wheels, a leather-bound steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, four auto up-down power windows, rear parking sensors, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), active lane-keep assistance, driver attention alert, speed sign recognition, sat-nav, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and an impressively crisp and strong stereo (with CD player!) are pretty much all you’ll need in a modern car.
In addition to the Active’s accoutrements, the Allure brings pretty 17-inch alloys (with excellent 225/45R17 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres), full LED headlights, a sports front bumper, keyless entry and start, active blind-spot monitoring, an electric park brake, auto-parking, front parking sensors, electrically folding door mirrors with welcome light, terrific sports seats with Alcantara trim inserts and lumbar adjustment on both, plus a rear seat ski port.
How much does it cost to maintain?
Currently nothing for the first five years (but worth $2505), with recommended servicing intervals every 12 months or 15,000km.
Peugeot’s main vehicle warranty covers the 308 for five years/unlimited kilometres, joined by a three-year paint warranty, 12-year corrosion warranty, and five years’ worth of free roadside assistance.
The Red Book’s three-year resale estimate for the 308 Allure hatch is 47.0 per cent. That’s some way below the small-hatch benchmark value retention of 63.3 per cent for a Mazda SP25 GT auto, but closer to a Golf 110TSI Highline’s 53.0 per cent.
Is it well built?
Peugeot’s interior plastics have come a long way this century, starting with the much-improved 307 (2001), and the current 308 continues the trend. Well-constructed cabin architecture, pleasing plastic surfaces, excellent trim quality and even panel gaps speak volumes for the huge strides Peugeot has taken in trying to turn around a reputation for unreliability earned during the 1990s and 2000s.
The 308’s new-generation EMP2 platform spearheaded this drive to achieve premium quality, with a claimed four million kilometres under its belt during development testing.
Perhaps more so than its older brand stablemates, the 308 maintains its solidly constructed, showroom-fresh feel admirably. About the only real sour note is the centre-front armrest. Its ratchety movement and brittleness are in complete contrast to the silkily smooth operation of the same cabin furniture in a Volkswagen Golf.
What are the Standout features?
The 308’s subtly muscular stance on the road, enhanced by the chunky swage line that flows into its rear hips and a really elegant profile. It’s a grower, this car – the longer you stare at it, the more beautiful it becomes. It’s a fitting ancestor to the pretty Pininfarina-penned 306 (1993-2001), as well as a definitive rejection of the gawky-faced ungainliness of the facelifted 307 (2004-07) and original 308.
And then there’s the 308’s 1.2-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder engine. Wonderfully refined yet also delightfully characterful, it puts every other small-car engine in the shade.
What does it have that others don't?
A definitive aura of left-field appeal about it, as well as being a statement against following the herd. French cars have long appealed to the more progressive members of society, and when they’re on song, they’re bloody marvellous. It’s when the French try to be German, toning down the quirkiness and flavour in an attempt not to offend anyone, that they produce mediocre appliances. The current 308 is the antithesis of that thinking.
How practical is it?
The 308 Allure gets front and rear parking sensors, as well a rear-view camera, which work brilliantly in confined city spaces. It’s also only 4253mm long, which is an advantage when scouring for scant street parking spots.
The 308’s low cowl and impressive forward and side vision make it a really easy car to see out of, even though its (height-adjustable) front seats are set sportily low. And with a maximum braked towing weight of 1200kg, that superb little turbo three-pot proves it has enough torquey muscle to handle pulling an ambitious lifestyle.
Is it comfortable?
The smaller-wheeled 308 Active has a more absorbent ride than the sportier-looking Allure but there’s still a decent amount of compliance and control, especially compared to the ride of most other small hatches (though not VW’s benchmark Golf). Combined with the superb adjustability and support of the 308 Allure’s front buckets (with infinite dial adjustment for the backrests in order to properly finesse your driving position), it’s a car in which you can spend more hours behind the wheel without wishing you were at home cleaning the bathroom with a toothbrush.
But the Allure’s 17-inch wheels occasionally become spooked by big potholes, breaking the perception of calm, and the 308’s torsion-beam rear suspension can become a little agitated over larger bumps, both on straight roads and mid-corner. It’s nothing alarming - just something that isn’t as prominent in the base 308.
The Allure’s rear seat is also Alcantara-clad, with pretty decent comfort for smaller people, but suffers from a lack of under-thigh support and legroom for full-sized adults. It’s only a major concern if you consistently carry larger teenagers back there. Otherwise, the front-seat comfort is among the best-in-class.
Easy in, easy out?
Up front, absolutely. Wide-opening doors with proper grab handles, a compact steering wheel and easily navigable seat side bolsters make the 308 Allure an easy car to live with.
For adults, the rear seat isn’t so amenable. With the front seats cranked to their lowest height, rear passengers need to slot their feet under the seat bases to find some toe room. And when getting out, you need to extract your feet vertically before climbing over the rear sill and exiting past the broad rear doors. It’s fine for children and small adults but takes some dexterity for larger folk – unlike the long-wheelbase wagon with its amply generous rear seat room.
Space and versatility?
As mentioned in ‘Is it comfortable?’, the 308 isn’t about the vast acreage of its cabin space – more the look and feel of its build materials, and the quality of its driving experience. But it does possess a great boot – 435 litres, with 60/40 split backrests that fold onto the rear seat cushion, extending its cargo volume to 1274 litres – and there’s loads of space up front.
Both sports front buckets are height-adjustable and can be cranked really low if you’re tall and need the headroom. And the ability to set the front backrests to any position you choose can’t be discounted. There are also proper grab handles on the doors, and a not-so-flash centre-front armrest that conceals a decent bin beneath it.
Like its French contemporaries, where the 308 does fall down is in the area of cabin storage. Only one front cupholder, awkwardly placed beneath where the centre armrest extends to, is behind the times in 2019, even though you can flip it out of the way to increase storage. And the door pockets – while quite large – have no dedicated placement for water- or drink-bottle storage. You simply lay them down.
Same in the rear with smaller 600ml bottles, though the Allure does get a centre armrest with built-in cupholders. And because the fuse box resides in the glovebox in right-hand-drive Peugeot-Citroens, there isn’t enough room in there to fit the owners’ manual. Instead, it sits in the left door pocket.
There is a neat tray ahead of the gearlever to place your phone, though, with a USB slot and 12-volt outlet just above it. And the Allure also gets a rear 12-volt socket.
What's the engine like?
Flush from winning yet another International Engine of the Year award (1.0- to 1.4-litre class), Peugeot’s 1.2-litre turbo-petrol triple remains an absolute delight. This engine hasn’t aged a day since it was launched, and while 96kW might seem an unremarkable output, the turbo-triple’s genius lies in its generous 230Nm from 1750rpm.
Peugeot used to offer a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder in upper-spec 308s – a joint-venture engine designed with BMW and used in the Mk2 New Mini – but the smaller 1.2 proved almost as quick, much more economical and considerably more refined. Indeed, alongside even the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four in a Golf, the 308’s turbo-triple sets the benchmark on every front.
How much fuel does it consume?
The official combined consumption of the 308 Allure is one of the lowest in the small-car class – just 5.1L/100km for the Allure on 17-inch wheels (5.0L/100km for the Active) – and unlike many rivals, it’s as relatively efficient as this comparative sticker number suggests in the real world. Over two weeks’ of varied driving during Christmas holidays traffic and heat, we averaged mid-eights without ever driving for economy’s sake.
Based on the official number, feeding the 308’s tank with 53 litres of 95-octane premium achieves a theoretical range of 1039km. There’s also a 110kW/370Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel option for anyone covering big distances and in need of greater fuel range. The diesel will theoretically do 1293km on its 53-litre tank, based on an official combined fuel average of just 4.1L/100km.
Is it enjoyable to drive?
Here’s where the 308 comes into its own. It may not have the overall dynamic polish of the plush-riding Volkswagen Golf but the Peugeot has verve and chassis poise on its side. This is an engaging and encouraging car to drive on twisty roads, backed by the confidence of its four-square stance and the vast purchase of its premium-quality Michelin tyres.
Not everyone is going to love the 308’s ‘i-Cockpit’ driving position, combining a small, low-set steering wheel with an instrument pack sited in a ‘head-up’ position above it. But you quickly warm to the wieldiness of the 308’s sporty little wheel, and the pleasure in punting this car around, both in town and out on the open road.
Like its many revered forebears – think 404, 504, 505 and 405 – the 308 loves a run, eating up distance with an effortless nonchalance. Backed by the torquey suaveness of its superb engine, the 308 Allure drives like a proper premium hatch.
Does it perform as you expect?
The superb torque and effortless driveability of Peugeot’s turbo triple makes it scarcely believable that its capacity is just 1199cc. Few would believe so much polish and performance could be extracted from such humble on-paper specs.
It combines the intriguing beat of a three-cylinder engine with an easy keenness to rev and suave refinement. You can absolutely cane the 308’s delightful engine without any level of intrusion. In fact, it’s as enjoyable pushing this engine to its limits as it is making almost no effort in maintaining speed up hills or wafting along on its turbocharged chub.
Channelling all this polished performance – we’ve consistently seen 9.1sec from 0-100km/h, beating Peugeot’s claim – is an excellent six-speed automatic transmission with an idle-stop system. And if you press the ‘S’ button (for ‘Sport’) near the staggered-gate shift lever, the 308 amps up both gearshift speed and throttle response, making the most of every fulfilling fragment of grunt.
Certainly the 308’s impressively trim weight – just 1150kg – helps make the most of this fine engine, but it also aids efficiency, as well as agility. And that’s the foundation of the 308’s likeability. It performs beyond expectation and delivers genuine pleasure in the way it goes about its business.
Add to that the current model’s reputation for affordable, trouble-free motoring and it’s a little surprising that more people aren’t driving a current 308. But those that do find never-ending appreciation in its svelte styling, a great stance, proper interior design flair, and one of the most charming engines of our time.
2019 Peugeot 308 Allure price and specifications
Price: $31,990 (before on-road costs)
Engine: 1.2-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder
Power: 96kW at 5500rpm
Torque: 230Nm at 1700rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Fuel use: 5.1L/100km