New 308 redefines itself

Peugeot has laboured over the new 308 to create a significantly different offering from its former model. It is lighter and more fuel efficient, with emissions low enough to make it a serious contender in the fleet sector

Competing against some major competition in the C segment, such as the VW Golf and Ford Focus, Peugeot has put considerable effort into its new 308 hatch, released this January. It is lower, wider, and 140kg lighter compared to the predecessor model, thanks to the manufacturer’s Efficient Modular Platform 2. This new architecture makes use of innovative steels, composites and aluminium, as well as optimised design, making the car more agile and helping to keep emissions and fuel consumption down.

Of most interest to the fleet market will be the 1.6 HDi and e-HDi diesels, with 92bhpor 115bhp. The 92bhp car achieves 78.5mpg (combined) and emits 93g/km of carbon dioxide, when fitted with ultra low-rolling resistance tyres. This puts the car in the 13 per cent benefit-in-kind tax bracket and VED band A. The 115bhp version achieves 76.3mpg (combined) and 95g/km of CO2 (again
with low rolling resistance tyres), putting it in the 14 per cent BIK
band and also VED band A.

Of further financial interest, the new 308 has a strong predicted resale value, up nine per cent compared to the outgoing model, putting it ahead of several key rivals and the segment average. From spring 2014, Euro 6-compliant BlueHDi versions will come out, which will bring the CO2 emissions down drastically to 82g/km and an impressive fuel economy of 91.1mpg. With the efforts of the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) function and the Diesel Particulate Filter System with additive (DPF), the BlueHDi technology is said to reduce NOx by 90 per cent, and almost totally eliminates diesel particulates (99.9 per cent reduction).

SOLID PERFORMER
I test drove the Active 1.6 HDi 92. So how did the official mpg value of 74 translate in the real world? For the week that I had the car I averaged 59.3mpg, which involved a variety of fast and town roads. Far from the manufacturer’s figure, but good all the same. Performance wise, the new 308 is solid. It pulls of sharp and fast, it’s smooth as you move up the gears, it grips the road and handles well, even in vastly wet conditions. The cabin is nice and quiet, blocking out road and wind noise, and it is very comfortable.

A NEAT INTERIOR
Peugeot have tidied up the cockpit, eliminating the bulk of the dials by putting controls like the heating and stereo buttons within the 9.7-inch touch screen. Whilst this has the desired affect of making the cockpit look uncluttered and up-market, simple actions like adjusting the heating are more long-winded; you have to select the climate control screen first, bringing you away from the sat nav screen, or whichever screen you have up, and then adjust the temperature. Other features of what Peugeot calls the ‘i-Cockpit’ is a compact steering wheel and a raised instrument panel to read the information, such as speed, without taking the eyes from the road ahead, which is handy.

The interior at the front is spacious, but a little less for rear passengers. This, however, is compensated for by the 420-litre boot space, which is the largest in the segment.

The 308 has the option of coming with a Driver Assistance Pack. This includes
cruise control which also has a speed limiter function. It has an Emergency Collision Alert System, which is a visual and audible warning alerting the driver to brake to prevent the collision. In the event of an imminent collision, automatic braking is triggered to prevent the impact or reduce its consequences.

Another interesting safety feature is the blind spot monitoring, which works through an LED integrated in the exterior mirrors which warns the driver of the presence of a vehicle in the blind spot.

The full LED headlamps provide excellent visibility at night, and are said to reduce eye fatigue as the lighting is perceived as being close to daylight.
What’s more, they consume 50 per cent less energy than the halogen headlamps
and contribute to reducing the CO2 emissions.

Overall, Peugeot has done an excellent job with the new 308. It looks good, performs well, is competitively priced and has low running costs, which will get even lower once the next generation engines come in. It is an excellent example of how a radical platform redesign and a refined engine can create lower emissions, without the use of additional green technology.

For fleets, this could make it a serious contender amongst an incredibly strong C-segment offering.

Peugeot 308 Active HDi 92

ENGINE: 1560cc, four-cylinder diesel
CO2: 95g/km
MPG (combined): 74.3
VED: Band A, £0
BIK: 14%
PRICE (OTR): £17,895