Peugeot 308

Peugeot went back to the drawing board after its bland 307. The result, says John Simister, is a hatchback with a style, suppleness – and scent – all of its own

The 308: an unexpectedly good car

Specifications

Model: Peugeot 308 1.6 VTi 120
Price: from £14,095
Engine: 1,598cc, four cylinders, 16 valves, 120bhp at 6,000rpm, 120lb ft at 4,250rpm
Transmission: five-speed gearbox, front-wheel drive
Performance: 122mph, 0-62mph in 10.8sec, 42.2mpg official average
CO2: 159g/km

What did you think of the Peugeot 307, the French company's argument for not buying a Ford Focus or a Volkswagen Golf? Pretty bland and forgettable, wasn't it? A car as a practical consumer durable with the soul excised, a car that shows what happens when a French carmaker tries to be a German one.

Now, the 307 has gone. In its place is the 308, a car that looks in production form as the 307 might have done in the first, we-can't-possibly-make-a-car-like-that concept sketches. The 307 dulled the senses; the 308 stimulates them. Not always favourably, but always a response.

We'll go through the senses. Sight: this is a car with a Jay Leno chin. Sound: it's quiet in there, with high-quality clicks from the switches and no rattles. Taste: the cabin is very tasteful. Touch: the dashboard's surface is soft and yielding (more than any rival's) and the textures feel expensive. Smell: I'm just about to drive a 308 for the first time and it smells familiar. It must be the "fragrance" phial fitted to the ventilation system. But what is that smell?

Got it: Dolly Mixtures. Among the six smells on offer, two are called Exotic Vanilla and Sweet Air and none refers to cubic, striped sweets. I am sure, though, that one of these is what my nose is sensing. I think I'd prefer more conventional new-car smells, thanks.

Under its skin the 308 is effectively a 307 with the wheels set wider apart. The underpinnings include a torsion-beam rear axle; the 307 was the first Peugeot to be fitted with this simple rear suspension, and the first Peugeot to lose what had been the company's characteristic dynamic footprint. This was a driving feel that encompassed suppleness and precision, a sensation that the wheels accommodated bumps but held firm against the side forces of cornering. Precise, consistent, informative steering and responsive handling were key parts of the mix, and Peugeot did it better than most of its rivals. All the cars had it. The 307 did not. Nor does the 207 supermini. So I approach the 308 with conflicting thoughts. I'm hoping it will be good, but I'm not expecting it to be anything special once it's moving.

The interior is special, though. The engineers worked out how to reduce the size of the heating and ventilation unit so it could fit behind UK design leader Keith Ryder's unusually low, sloping dashboard.

The low facia creates an air of space that is all too rare in a modern, thick-pillared, high-bonnet car. The front seats have chamfered upper corners and thinner backrests, so rear-seat occupants also have a sense of space. A clever rear shelf lets them get things out of the boot without having to go outside.

Five round, chrome-ringed vents echo the round dials, and sat-nav comes in a retractable screen. The driving position can be set sportily low if that is what you like, and so far it's all looking very promising.

The bubble of well-being does not burst once you're moving. A wider, lower build and stiffer body allow softer suspension than in the 307 without causing the body to lean too much in corners, and the 308 has regained that well-oiled, "roll-along" feeling over bumps that a Peugeot should have.

The 308 also has proper Peugeot steering, powered by a conventional hydraulic pump, albeit electrically powered, rather than the nasty all-electric system used in the 207. So it's smooth, consistent, precise and feels properly connected to the road. All four engines I tried felt good, too, with a keen response, commendable smoothness and no nasty resonances. The best is the the 1.6-litre petrol unit with a turbocharger, direct injection and 150bhp; co-developed with BMW and related to the engine of the current Mini Cooper S, it pulls with diesel strength at low speeds, powerful petrol strength at high speeds and has hardly any of the response lag that can trouble a turbo engine.

The non-turbo, 120bhp derivative of this engine is also a pleasure to drive, but I suspect the entry-level 1.4-litre version will feel feeble judging from my experience with it in the Mini One. There are diesels, too: two 1.6s of 90 and 110bhp and a 2.0 with 136bhp, the more powerful engines with particulate filters. Obviously, the 2.0 feels the most vigorous but the engine's weight spoils the light, easy agility and precision that marks the smaller-engined 308s.

The 1.6-litre diesels will prove the most popular 308s, and their pace is entirely adequate. They also have Michelin energy saver tyres, which reduce CO2 emissions by about 4g/km, placing the 90bhp diesel 308 into the £35 annual car-tax band with its 120g/km. This is the first time a car's certified emissions have been affected by the properties of a consumable item. So if an owner replaces the tyres with a different type, as is likely, should the car then be liable for a higher tax rate? In practice, it won't be, because the "official" CO2 rating will remain that declared at registration, but it's a point to ponder.

There are two 308 "looks" with different degrees of facial assertiveness and tail-end bumper sculpting. Bizarrely, the Sport model's bumper doesn't have the mock aerodynamic diffuser – a treat reserved for the top SE and GT models. Beware of the light-coloured dashboard option, incidentally, because it reflects horribly in the windscreen. The low-spec models, with 15in steel wheels, are called Urban and S, and start at £12,595 for the five-door; three-door, estate and coupé-cabriolet models will follow.

This sounds expensive; the massive £20,045 for the top 2.0 HDI GT even more so. The 308 is an unexpectedly good car and a sign that the company has rediscovered how a Peugeot should feel. In some ways, it's the most appealing car in its class. But will people really part with all that money?

The rivals

Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec 115 from £14,372

The best to drive of all these cars, but it's expensive and looks dull from the outside, and even duller on the inside. A facelift is coming soon.

Vauxhall Astra 1.6 from £13,350

Better value here and striking styling, but the cabin feels jagged next to the 308's, the steering feels artificial and the engine less energetic with 105bhp.

Volkswagen Golf 1.6 FSI from £14,527

It's a Volkswagen so it's expensive, but the 115bhp engine has efficient direct injection like the 308, it's good to drive and has by far the most timeless looks.