ON THE ROAD: PEUGEOT 308 2.0 HDI

It’s an old question, but…can we trust Peugeots?

In as far as reliability is concerned, I’ve never had any issues with these cars at all. While we don’t drive them for as long as owners, often you do get a sense for a car and our senses tell us that Peugeots are reasonably reliable.

Having a large parts network also helps, such that you’ll be able to get any part for your car within 24 hours. They also offer an amazing 5 year / 100 00km warranty, as well as a 5 year / 100 000km Maintenance Plan. To top it off, it’s cheaper than its most direct rivals!

Ok. The looks are quite modern. I like.

The 308 follows directly from the old 307, which means it still has some quirky looks, such as the bold, gaping front grille, large lights, large side mirrors and a new rear end to boot. Because this is the facelift, the new Peugeot lion emblem adorns the front end. Standard exterior items on our HDi model included some chrome touches, 17-inch wheels and automatic wipers. Switch the latter off when pulling into a carwash, otherwise some damage might occur when the hosepipes go off.

The HDi is a turbo diesel isn’t it?

Yes, and it’s one of the best out there, if not the very best.

High praise!

Indeed. What you get is a powerful (for its size and class) 2.0-litre (shared with Ford incidentally) engine that pulls like a bigger car, but at the same time can get you 1000km from its 60-litre tank. We drove it slow, fast, pushed it to top speed, crawled in morning taxi-infested township traffic, cruised on the freeway. Yet, the tank just plain refused to dry up. During one test we averaged 155km/h in a controlled test environment, and still managed to return 7 litres per 100km. In most instances one doesn’t even have to change down gears in order to overtake; you just step on it and off it goes! Admittedly the 6-speed gear lever isn’t the smoothest out there, as it jerks noticeably during changes.

Perhaps the fuel gauge wasn’t working properly?

Sure was. At some point we even dipped around 4.7 litres per 100km on average as we gave it the lightest of touches on the right foot. It turns out the 308 HDi is no fluke.

Does the drive match the engine?

Generally speaking, Peugeots are among the best-handlers in their segments, irrespective of the segment. The 308 HDi is the same. Of course it’s no RCZ, not by a longshot. However, one can feel a sense of performance now and again when cornering (even though steering can be uncommunicative). Under everyday conditions your passengers will not complain of any ride discomfort.

How about the specs then?

The car is very highly specced. Included in the price are power steering, electric windows all around, a trip computer, bi-zone automatic climate control and others. Connecting your smart cell phone to the car’s Bluetooth system is simple, and doesn’t require a university degree. Disappointingly, leather seats do not arrive standard.

It doesn’t sound bad overall.

As a matter of fact, the 308 HDi is very comprehensive, light on diesel fuel, well-priced in its segment and quite reliable. We wouldn’t hesitate putting it on our mid-sized diesel hatch shopping list.

QUICK STATS

PEUGEOT 308 HDi

ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder

POWER: 110kW / 150 PS at 3750rpm; 340Nm at 2000rpm

0 – 100KM/H: 9.9 seconds

GEARBOX: 6-speed manual

TOP SPEED: 210km/h

FUEL AVERAGE:  5.5 l/100km

CO2 e: 129 g/km

PRICE STANDARD: R272 900

NATURAL RIVALS: Citroen C4 eHDi, Ford Focus 2.0 TDCi, Honda Civic 2.2 CTDi, Renault Megane 1.9 dCi, Toyota Auris HSD, Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI

*PRICE RIVALS: BMW 116i, Chevrolet Cruze 2.0 D, MINI Cooper Coupe, Renault Clio RS Gordini, Toyota Auris XD, Volkswagen Polo GTI.

BABE-MAGNETIC FACTOR: Medium

*A price rival falls within R30 000 or so of the subject’s price on either side of its price spectrum for cars over R350 000, R20 000 for cars of between R250 000 and R350 000 and R10 000 for cars below R250 000.