Driven: Peugeot 308 Allure Review
After a week testing out Peugeot’s flagship car, the 308, here is what we thought of this great family car.
What is the Peugeot 308 Allure all About?
The Peugeot 308 is available in 6 different trim variants. The model we had on test was the Peugeot 308 Allure THP 110. The Allure is the middle of the range model that has additional features such as 17″ Rubis alloy wheels, front fog lights, full LED headlights with fully integrated LED daytime running lights, reversing camera and front parking sensors.
This 308 on test was powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine that creates 110bhp and 205Nm of torque. That power goes through a 6 speed manual gearbox to the front wheels, gets the car from 0-60mph in 11.8 seconds and will do a top speed of 117mph. Most importantly this 1.2-litre engine will allow 61mpg combined and will only create 107g/km of CO2. This 1.2-litre engine is a great example of how innovation in the motoring world can improve engines by continually making them more efficient.
What’s it like to drive?
The first thing that caught me about the driving experience of the Peugeot 308 was that it didn’t feel like a 1.2-litre engine at all, I actually had to go and check the paperwork to confirm the engine size. The car feels to be significantly more powerful and more responsive than I would expect for an engine of this size. The 308 does have a nice friendly hatchback feel, but this doesn’t mean that the car was stale or boring to drive, there are a number of small elements that help create a sense of fun whilst driving the car. Peugeot have shrunk the steering wheel which gives the car a bit of a go cart effect and helps the car feel more manoeuvrable around town. The gearbox setup works really well with the small engine and throwing the lower ratio gears around is just another fun thing to do in this car, gives the impression that the car is smaller than it actually is, and provides a more responsive drive than you would expect.
As well as having fun in the 308 it also has a fairly mature side to it. The way the car rides on the road is very comfortable and relaxing, and even on those larger 17″ alloys there was no problems taking on the potholes of the UK’s roads. This Peugeot, with its 1.2-litre engine, is a great compromise between power and performance.
Interior
Peugeot have done a lot of tidying up inside the 308, and so the interior now looks very clean cut. They have removed all of the central console buttons and digitised them into one single user interface. The new interface does look pretty funky and works well, but there were a few times where I found myself wanting the interface to work a bit faster.
As already mentioned, Peugeot have shrunk the steering wheel and put in fully digitalised driver instruments, which means that you don’t have to lower your eyes away from the road very much at all to get the information you might be looking for.
The rest of the interior is relatively standard, although it does still have some nice touches and design points that give it that special feel, such as the chrome start button, nicely disguised electric handbrake and aluminium highlights all around the interior.
There is enough room to get three adults in the back, or for a slightly more comfortable journey two adults and a child. The boot space is very good, and a great usable space for your everyday needs.
Experience
The 308 gives a great driving experience, the car feels calm on the road, and importantly inside the car is spacious and practical. There are a handful of genius touches on the car that really improve the overall experience but are often over looked as small features; the full LED headlights that give you perfect clarity at night, the low centre of gravity helping to keep the car true to the road and the engine that pulls very well but only produces 107 g/km of C02.
All of these points rolled into one package make a great machine for rolling round in in our busy and complicated lives. Cars like these literally take away some of the pressures and make things a bit easier.
Verdict
The Peugeot 308 Allure, although not the top of the range edition, is actually a great compromise between price and functionality. There aren’t any other practical options I would like to see fitted on the car that are available in the higher trim levels and the car comes in at quite an affordable price. Overall the car is unstoppable, it has a great mpg, it feels like it has plenty of power, the turning circle and agility of the car is great, and the practicalities of the car are perfect. The car just feels like a great modern package for those out there looking for a practical everyday car, with a bit of fun rolled in too.
Video Highlights
https://youtu.be/qs2R1jcE4bs
Specification
Peugeot 308 Allure
- Price: £19,145
- Engine: 1.2-Litre Turbocharged
- Power: 110bhp
- Torque: 205Nm
- Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
- 0-62mph: 11.8 Seconds
- Top speed: 117mph
- Economy: 61mpg
- CO2: 107g/km
Author: Paul Hadley
Driven: Peugeot 308 Allure Review
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