kennylee
Joined: 25 Jul 2007
Posts: 348
Location: Cheras
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 Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:43 am Post subject: PEUGEOT 308 |
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Following the death of Peugeot 307, we can conclude that it was a successful car – with 3 million copies sold in 6 years and always at the top 3 of its segment in Europe – but it wasn't as successful as Peugeot hoped for. The firm originally aimed at beating Volkswagen Golf with the 307. It didn't quite do that because it was simply not as good as Golf V. Peugeot 307 was supposed to be a versatile car, but its MPV-style tall body did not bring any merits to interior space but only compromising handling and ride quality. To driving enthusiasts, it was a disappointment after the memorable 306. Fortunately, now its position is substituted by a better car, 308.
At the first glance, you might be displeased that the new 308 employs an evolution of the 307 platform. Everything is predictable: it rides on the same wheelbase, the same MacPherson struts as front suspensions and semi-independent torsion beam at the rear. The steering is assisted by electro-hydraulic, which means the hydraulic pump is driven by electric motor, while the servo circuit is purely hydraulic. The body is longer (+74mm), much wider (+85mm) and much much heavier (+162kg for the 1.6-liter model) than the old car. On the positive side, the roof now stands 1498mm above the ground, some 12mm lower than before, if still tall by class standard. Don't worry, as the car is also wider than the norm (at 1815mm versus 1759mm of Golf), the negative effect of higher center of gravity is virtually non-existent. The new chassis is also 10 percent stiffer than 307. Drag coefficient is slightly lower at 0.30-0.31, depending on engine and tire width.
Peugeot's recent designs have been expressive to the extent of exaggerating. 308 is no exception. With a big mouth, pronounced nose and aggressive eyes, it looks interestingly like the lion in its logo - what a contrast to the conservative 307 ! However, I would prefer the handsome yet restrained styling of 306. Peugeot should understand that they are not designing a sports car but a family car. It should please as many people as possible and retain high residual values after a period of time. Look at Volkswagen Golf and you will understand what "design with disciplines" means.
While the look of 308 is not in everybody's taste, the interior is on the contrary. This year there are 2 French cars' interior really make us wow, one is Renault Laguna III, another is this one. The 308's cabin is not only tastefully shaped and decorated with chromed details, but also made of soft-touch plastics and assembled with the solidity previously only available to Volkswagen. The overall sense of quality even exceeds that of the Golf and just everybody else at the moment. In addition to the full length panoramic glass roof – a classy feature of Peugeot since 206 – the cabin feels airy and upmarket. In terms of space, the 308 has abundance of them up front. Rear space is decent rather than class-leading, but the slimmer front backrests free up some vital legroom for the rear passengers. Moreover, the high roof allows the rear seat to be mounted higher than the front, thus the rear passengers should feel roomier than actual.
Open the bonnet, lying there is BMW's 1.6-liter 16V VVT Valvetronic engine or its non-Valvetronic but direct-injected and turbocharged version. They produce 120 horsepower and 150 horsepower respectively. To cope with the hefty car, our choice is the turbo engine, of course, because it produces plenty of mid-range torque to overcome the 1327 kg kerb weight. In contrast, the naturally aspirated version needs to be revved hard and therefore noisier most of the time. You can forget the base BMW 1.4-liter 95hp VVT engine. It's better to leave it for Mini One. That said, all of the BMW engines are leagues ahead of the previous generation of PSA engines. They are more punchy, refined and efficient simultaneously, vola !
Diesel lovers could choose from PSA's own engines, including 90hp 1.6HDi, 110hp 1.6HDi and 136hp 2.0HDi, but there is little reasons to choose them instead of the petrol. Even the top diesel won't deliver the same level of smoothness, quietness and performance as the petrol 1.6 Turbo. The only upside is better fuel economy, but even the petrol's 39.7 mpg is not bad !
As 308 is a heavy car, unless you tick the 1.6 Turbo engine, it is not going to trouble Golf and Focus for performance. But just as you wonder where its extra weight comes from, it responds with excellent noise insulation, a quiet and supple ride. This is the most comfortable car in the class. It reminds us the best tradition of French cars. It skips the genes of 307 and recaptures the absorbent ride quality of 306. The suspension setting is softer than the Germanic school of Golf and Focus (especially the Ford), therefore it doesn't control its body roll as tight, but the 308 is still a very competent driving machine. Its steering is communicative, perfectly weighted and accurate. This allows it to slice through corners precisely and confidently.
How Peugeot managed this high level of integrity between handling and ride comfort is unimaginable, especially considering it doesn't have the sophisticated rear suspensions as its rivals. Perhaps Peugeot has really recaptured its magical technique of suspension tuning. The fact that the recent 407, 207 and this car display excellent handling and ride does not just happen by chance. There must be some clever people and philosophy behind the scene.
Car by car, we can say the 308 1.6THP deserves higher praise than its rivals. Its good engine, high-quality cabin, excellent comfort and refinement, superb ride quality and fine handling send warning signals to Golf and Focus. Its weaknesses are the extra weight (somewhat politically incorrect these years), weaker performance on other engines and the exaggerating looks. A Golf still looks more desirable and dependable, but the Peugeot should be a nightmare to Focus. |
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