Overview

PEUGEOT’S latest 308 GT small segment hatch is a mild hybrid using the same three pot 1.2-litre turbocharged engine with integrated electric traction motor as about half a dozen other Pugs sold here.

It is listed from the not insignificant $48,990 excluding on-road costs against warm competition from the Hyundai i30 N-Line (from $36,250) Honda Civic e:HEV L (from $49,900), and Toyota Corolla SX (from $35,260), to name a few.

Peugeot Australia is pitching its sole 308 offering as a premium hatch “that blends performance and polish and is designed for those who expect more from their everyday drive”.

That may well be, but convincing punters to stump up thousands extra for something similar to what other brands offer may be a hard sell to say the least…

On the mechanical side the 308 GT’s powertrain is good for 107kW of power and 230Nm of torque combined driving the front wheels by a newly designed six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Utilising regenerative braking, energy from slowing and stopping is recovered to charge the battery, which in turn adds to driving range enabling the potential for more than 50 per cent of the drive time to be in 100 per cent zero-vehicle emission electric mode, (depending on driver inputs and driving conditions).

The model is suspended on a front strut and rear beam axle with coil springs and rides on Peugeot’s ubiquitous EMP2 platform. Overall performance and dynamics are aided by the relatively light tare weight of 1344kg which also helps fuel economy (95RON premium unleaded or higher) rated at a claimed combined 4.2 litres per 100km.

The combined fuel consumption is said to be an improvement of 20.7 per cent lower than the previous purely combustion engine with combined CO2 emissions at 95g/km representing an improvement of 20.8 per cent.

Key features on the Peugeot 308 GT Hybrid include Matrix LED headlights and bold grille design. The test vehicle was in a striking blue hue called Obsession Blue and is unequivocally the colour to choose.

Inside is a rendition of Peugeot’s i-Cockpit with a configurable 10.0-inch digital driving display and 10.0-inch high-definition capacitive central touchscreen “for an ergonomic, technological and intuitive driving experience”.

The dash has customisable i-Toggles that are shortcuts to provide quick access to items such as radio stations, frequently used contacts, vehicle settings and more.

The small Pug hatch features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, with wireless smartphone charging.

Also included is a high level of safety specification centred on ADAS and 360-degree HD cameras, adaptive cruise control, active lane following assist (semi-autonomous driving), long-range blind-spot detection, and more.

It rolls on 18-inch alloy wheels, is equipped with a panoramic opening glass sunroof, Alcantara upholstery, leather clad sports steering wheel with heating, an intuitive Air Quality System (AQS) with high-efficiency filter, and premium Focal Hi-Fi system.

Also present is dual-zone climate control and four USB sockets.

Peugeot Australia backs its vehicles with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Driving Impressions

There are no complaints about the Peugeot 308 GT hybrid’s looks because it’s a stunner from every angle, particularly the aggressive front that attracts attention on the street which is always a sure sign of a good styling effort.

Its premiumness is carried through inside which is luxurious, functional and stylish all at once topped off by the requisite Peugeot “tiny wheel” that fits snugly into your hands.

The sporty seats are clad in a suede Alcantara material with all four providing adequate side support through generous bolsters and a firm squab designed to mitigate fatigue over a long drive.

The sensibly laid out angular dash is screen-centric but not completely over-the-top as is the case elsewhere. The Pug has a wide landscape-oriented screen in the middle of the dash and a second one for the driver’s console.

They deliver a range of functions, readouts and controls aided by a bank of buttons under the centre screen and elsewhere surrounding the cockpit.

A reasonable amount of room is provided inside for four, five at a pinch with a large load space down the back minimally encroached by the car’s electrics and other stuff under the floor.

All interior dimensions are adequate for average to large stature Aussies even with a sunroof pinching some headroom.

It’s an easy car to drive with logically placed controls including the pedals, door handles, gear selector, and other major controls. But a lot of reliance is placed on screen-based menus, of which we are not fans.

As expected, the Pug rides and handles sweetly with an ultimate understeer characteristic when you push hard through turns. Stay within the bounds of “normal” driving and it’s not an issue but is nothing like the earlier GTi hatches which had a sharper dynamic edge.

That said, the test car steered with precision, exhibited no bump steer when powering over rough roads, responded quickly to inputs and provided strong braking and plenty of grip from the Michelin rubber.

Minimal noise intrusion was evident apart from the grumbling three pot when you plant the right foot.

Engine performance is surprisingly good given its output which pales into insignificance compared with other sporty hatches in the segment that cost around the same… Hyundai’s i30 N springing to mind.

But the Pug won’t let you down as it propels the relatively lightweight hatch with some sass when you need it as both ICE and electric engines combine to get things moving fast (ish).

It has decent response across the entire speed range and can get out of the blocks rapidly in Sport mode otherwise it’s somewhat lackadaisical off the mark.

We couldn’t get within cooee of the claimed combined fuel consumption figure, averaging more than 6.0L/100km during our mixed-conditions test drive.

We had the usual ADAS gripes about the car deciding how it was going to be driven but worked around the imposts for a less stressful and more in-control driving experience.

The overall impression we were left with was of an attractively styled, premium-looking hatchback with decent performance and impressive dynamics that is priced way too high which explains its miserable sales tally.

Now what ever happened to those you-beaut Peugeot GTi models of yore… the quick and engaging ones with soul? Let’s hope they make a return at some point.