1.6 BlueHDi 120 Allure Start+Stop 5dr Estate

Pleasant and Sensible & 100 Reliable

My 2-year update to the original review below: Remains 100% reliable (not so much as a bulb to replace). Serves as my everyday commute (18 miles each way) + general weekend use and several cross-Europe jaunts. Economy remains great.

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ORIGINAL REVIEW :

I’ll stick to just the main points about living with the 308, and some of the items that you won’t learn by reading test reviews or taking a test drive.

The obvious unusual feature of the car is the small steering wheel and the dials that are viewed above the wheel (not through it) – Peugeot’s so-called heads-up (not actually projecting anything onto the screen like a real HUD; it is simply keeping the dials higher, closer to the screen and where your eyes should be looking). I was midway through the test drive before I even noticed this; simple summary: it’s no big deal and not at all distracting or weird.
The other big feature is the i-Connect system with the tactile central screen through which the air con, hi-fi and nav and various other things are controlled and monitored. This kind of belies Peugeot’s objective for the heads-up, since (for example), instead of reaching (without taking eyes from the road) for heating controls etc, you now have to take your eyes off the road more often to navigate and operate the screen functions.
That said, the system is very intuitive to use, with icons always visible to jump immediately to the other main functions (for example from navigation to aircon). None of the menu paths are convoluted or complex. Overall, simple to operate (given the many functions that it manages) and quick to get to what you want.
The ‘sports’ seats (Allure model) are hugely comfortable. Our usual north-France to Italy in a day jaunt was done in great comfort (unlike the outgoing Mazda 6, which had both driver and passenger squirming with numb b*m after 3-4 hours). Space for the driver is great (first car that I (6’2) don’t need the seat pushed fully back).
The driver foot well is cramped, and my size-12 feet are limited for space on the pedals when wearing wide soles (boots, trainers). The footrest to the side of the clutch is far wider than necessary and is the main cause of the limited foot well space; it is also too close to the seat (cannot stretch my leg fully).
The lack of general stash space is terrible; door bin is large but there is very little else that is really useable.
The aluminium gear knob. Looks very spiffy, it does. However, it gets very cold to the touch in freezing cold weather and (worse) hot to the point of being untouchable when the car is left in the sun. Stupid, stupid, stupid…….
On the subject of stupid, the traffic alert function on the Nav system. The Nav is good (and the system English voice pronunciation of foreign road names will provide hours of amusement). However, activating the traffic alert for your general area (even if you restrict it to just 10 mile radius) will give a constant stream of alerts for half of the country. Meaning that the various functions managed by the screen (nav, temperature control, audio, etc) cannot be used for whole minutes whilst you are being ‘spammed’ with alerts for 300 miles away. Keep the parameters restricted just to alerts on your programmed route.
I have to say that these are niggles – i.e. minor, given how pleasant and relaxing the car is to drive. On the test drive I was initially disappointed with how slow the car was to get up to speed. Until my wife pointed out that I was doing 95mph, not 70mph. The car is VERY smooth and quiet and thus deceptively fast (at least compared to the aforementioned Mazda, a 180HP 2.2L that was no slouch). I initially kept finding myself doing 10-15 mph above the speed that I believed I was at. Wiffling down the EU autoroutes at 90-100mph is a very calm and quiet experience. Overall, the engine is a gem.
As is the hi-fi. The one item that I was really going to miss on the Mazda was the Bose sound system; however, the standard 6-speaker system in the 308 is actually rather good. As a bonus, it connects effortlessly to my Android phone via Bluetooth and (using Spotify app on the phone) the i-Connect system shows artist, album and track name on the screen and the little dial on the steering wheel will perform track advance/back and pause/play. Accessing phone contacts and auto-dialing via i-Connect is also simple.
Driving it has been a pleasure and so far not a single fault or sign of trouble. Economy is excellent, and averages around 65mpg.
Overall, it a fairly dull car to look at, and isn't going to set your heart alight with glee to rip up the road. But it is hugely relaxing to drive and running costs seem very good.

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