Much like a cat sitting by the door, the second generation Peugeot 308 (Ver. T9) is unsure of whether it wants to stay or leave. After its launch in 2015, the 2014 World Car of the Year has made several departures from the price lists and as many reappearances. It seems the South African buying public is still unsure of whether the agreeable hatchback has a place on our roads or not. As such, you won't currently find the 308 on the new car price lists but the used sector has a number of excellent deals.
If you're a fan of the French Marque (as I am), you will find the 308 to be great value for money with many of the reliability issues that plagued the brand at the turn of the millennium, gone and forgotten.
Related: Peugeot 308 GT Line Automatic - Video review
Here's what you would be taking note of when you go to test drive a used Peugeot 308.
1. Model lineup
There were several models available at various times during its tenure locally and it started with the Peugeot 308 1.2 PureTech Active. This model was fitted with a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 81 kW and 205 Nm torque. This combination was said to return 4.6 l/100km on the combined cycle. The Active is only available with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The next one up is the Peugeot 308 1.2 PureTech GT-Line which uses a similar 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged engine. In this trim, it makes 96 kW and 240 Nm with a claimed combined fuel consumption of 4.8 l/100km for the manual and 5.2 l/100km for the automatic.
The Peugeot 308 1.6 THP GT is next up and this one employs a 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces an impressive 151 kW and 285 Nm. Consider this one the "GTI-lite" as it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in only 7.5-seconds. Peugeot claims it will return 5.6 l/100km on the combined cycle and it is only available with a 6-speed manual.
A late arrival to the party was the Allure model which uses a similar 1.2-litre e-THP PureTech engine as the others with a slight variation in the power output. The Allure model fit in between the Active and GT models and produces 96 kW and 235 Nm torque. It has a claimed fuel consumption of 5.2 l/100km.
Related: Peugeot 308 Allure – The Sleek Sleeper
2. Unique design
The French have always been known for doing things a little differently to the rest of the world and with the 308 it's no different. Climb on board the Peugeot 308 and you will see that things are rather strange at first, but don't be alarmed and do not let that dissuade you from taking it for a drive.
You will notice that the steering wheel is rather small. Thanks to modern advances in electronic power steering, the amount of force required to turn the steering wheel is much lower than it was several decades ago. So why do we still need a big steering wheel? The answer is, we don't. Peugeot has freed up some interior space by making the steering wheel smaller than we're accustomed to, so small in fact that you will look over the steering wheel when looking at the i-Cockpit gauges and not through it. It seems a little strange at first but you quickly appreciate the go-kart-like feel of driving the 308.
But don't let the steering wheel distract you from the exemplary upholstery and fine materials used on the dashboard and door cards. The GT, in particular, is swathed in suede-like Alcantara trim and beautifully stitched.
Related: The Peugeot 308 GT-Line is astounding value for money
3. i-Cockpit
The strange design of the interior is dubbed i-Cockpit by Peugeot and is their take on a central command system for the vehicle. On the dashboard, you will be greeted by a 9.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that controls most of the vehicle settings, the dual-zone climate control and handles entertainment duties as well. Navigation was an optional extra so check to see if the model you're driving has been fitted with it. Placing all of these controls in the touchscreen unit allowed the designers to make the interior less cluttered than we're accustomed to with only minimal control and pushbuttons made available on the fascia and centre console.
You will also not that the tachometer (rev-counter) has a backwards sweep. Where traditionally the tachometer would have a clockwise sweep, in the 308 it is reversed and runs counter-clockwise, mirroring the speedometer. Unsettling at first, you soon start to appreciate the careful consideration of the interior design of the 308 - this is more art than car.
Related: Peugeot 308 GT Line Manual- Video Review
4. Warranties
All Peugeot 308s were covered by a 3-year / 100 000 km warranty and a 4-year / 60 000 km service plan. Many will be out of both warranty and service plan by this stage, be it for age or mileage, but don't let that dissuade you from buying one as the dealer network is still extensive and committed to making you feel like part of the family.
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