Agent 008

The new "three" from Peugeot opened the "008" series in the model range of the French brand. But numbers often mean absolutely nothing, especially when it comes to designations of new car generations. This happened with this Peugeot model as well - technically, almost nothing new. However, the car's appearance was noticeably refreshed, an impressive list of additional equipment appeared, and the new 1.6-liter engine has already gained fame as the best in Europe. The presentation of the "308" helped us figure out how and with what the new hatchback will seduce its buyers.

Soon a Peugeot plant will be built in Kaluga, so the Russian representative office of the company has developed, one might say, trusting relations with local authorities. Probably that is why the Kaluga region was chosen as the venue for the Russian "press drive". I found no other explanation, since the French car had to "plunge" into road conditions that its creators probably never imagined.

"Kizuna" in French

Not long ago we wrote about the second-generation Mazda6 sedan. So, the Japanese had the concept of "Kizuna", which they used to denote the emotional connection between their new car and its future driver. Behind the new Japanese word for Europe, which the predecessor did not have, there is actually just a slightly modernized platform of the previous "six", as well as new body panels and equipment.

The same happened with the Peugeot 308. The basis of the new model is "Platform 2", which was developed for the 307. Only the number of attachment points of the subframe to the body increased. The semi-independent rear suspension with a torsion beam remained the same, and the front one hardly changed - the same MacPherson struts. The manufacturer only slightly "played" with the settings. And there is no "kizuna" - after all, it's Europe, there is no one to fool.

However, the attachment points, combined with decent aerodynamics (drag coefficient (Cd) is 0.29), a body lowered by 12 millimeters, and an increased track of the front (by 30 millimeters) and rear (by 16 millimeters) wheels, provided better handling and stability of the car on the road.

Gamzyuki

During the test, we had the opportunity to drive three 308s in different trim levels. The first was the "base" one. The route lay from Moscow to a settlement with the comical name Gamzyuki, near which there was a certain Safari Park, recommended to the organizers of the "press drive" by local officials with the words: "It's good there, we often go there." That the Kaluga elite does not get to this park in a Peugeot is absolutely clear. The approach to it will be a problem not only for a passenger car - the road is unpaved and resembles railway tracks with frequently laid sleepers under them, but without rails. And potholes...

Having driven over such a surface in three 308s, the opinions of journalists regarding the car's behavior were divided. Some said the suspension was no good, while we, who were driving the cheapest version of the hatchback, on the contrary, were very pleased with it.

It turned out that it was all about the wheels. In the "base" version, the Peugeot 308 is equipped with 15-inch wheels with high-profile tires. With them, the car behaves simply magnificently on bumps even with four adults in the cabin. It rides smoothly and "swallows" bumps without making unnecessary noises. Such softness and adequate behavior on the road is rare among comparable-priced rivals in the golf class.

In a more expensive trim, the wheel size increases by one inch, and in the top trim - by two. The tire profile decreases accordingly, so it seems that the shock absorbers lack travel, and much more vibration is transmitted to the body. Those who are not afraid of such inconveniences can even order 18-inch wheels - the largest offered for the 308.

The predecessor - the Peugeot 307 - was distinguished by good handling and ride smoothness, leaving many competitors in its class behind. The new generation model has become even better, as proven by the asphalted, so to speak, roads of the Kaluga region. The 308 drove through winding sections with minimal body roll and was always predictable. With increasing speed, the steering effort increased, making the steering more understandable and sharper.

Autopsy

The Peugeot of the third series has increased in length by 74 millimeters, and only due to the front and rear overhangs. This "backfired" when parking near curbs, as the likelihood of catching them with the long bumpers increased.

The hatchback became wider by 85 millimeters, which had a positive effect on the cabin capacity. Four adults will sit without any constraint, and rear passengers have somewhere to put their legs - in the recesses in the front seats.

Getting into the car in the cheapest trim, it seemed to me that in Peugeot they decided not only not to change the "three" technically, but also left the interior unchanged. Only the center console, dashboard, and round air vent deflectors reminded of its novelty, otherwise - a car of the past decade. Even the list of equipment remained almost the same as that of the 307.

With these thoughts, I was driving to Gamzyuki. Having reached the final point, I managed to get into a car with the richest equipment, and it was sheer delight. It is hard to imagine that this is the same car, and not, for example, a "Zaporozhets" and a "Mercedes". The interiors of French hatchbacks in different configurations differ just as much. Of course, the effect was largely enhanced by the light interior, seats upholstered in light leather, white instrument panel dials, a navigation system (now available in Russia!) with a color 7-inch retractable monitor and a 30-gigabyte hard drive.

I was also impressed by the set of options available to buyers of the 308, thanks to which the French hatchback "puts in its place" most of its competitors, often even more expensive and prestigious ones.

One for all

The Peugeot 308 is supplied to Russia with only one engine with a volume of 1.6 liters. This power unit was developed jointly with BMW, but is produced at Peugeot plants. We already got acquainted with its atmospheric version and the four-speed automatic transmission AL4 on the 207 model, and this time we tested other combinations of gearboxes and variants of the same engine.

1.6 "on the stick"

The base 308 is equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 120 horsepower and a five-speed manual transmission. I wanted to test it first. We left Moscow in a heavily loaded car (four people in the cabin plus luggage), so at first the "engine-gearbox" tandem left not the most pleasant impression. The car accelerated sluggishly, and to make our Peugeot go fast on uphill sections, we had to rev the engine almost to the "cutoff". And only the gearbox did not disappoint - gears engaged clearly and with little effort.

Everything changed when the opportunity arose to get rid of the "extra" passengers. Having shed weight, the Peugeot 308 hatchback literally came alive and began to behave much more briskly. The sound insulation of the engine compartment and the entire car as a whole turned out to be much better than on the 207 model. At high revs, the sounds made by the engine almost do not enter the cabin, and external noises are clearly audible only in its rear part.

1.6 turbo "on automatic"

The turbocharged 1.6 develops 150 horsepower, but only with a manual gearbox. And with the four-speed automatic AL4 (known from models 407, 307, 207, and 206), the 140-horsepower version of the same engine is paired.

The transmission itself is better than the "robots" on Toyota Auris or Honda Civic hatchbacks, but worse than many modern 6-speed adaptive "gearboxes". However, the turbocharged engine allows you to forget about the "morally" outdated "automatic". And it's not about the 20 horsepower difference with the "naturally aspirated" engine, but about the 240 Nm of maximum torque, which is achieved almost "at idle" - at just 1400 rpm. This allows the Peugeot 308 to practically not notice steep climbs or passengers in the cabin, and to accelerate confidently. But at speeds over 100 kilometers per hour, the "pep" of the Peugeot 308 gradually fades, and the "automatic" reminds you that, like, the fourth gear is already engaged and there's nowhere to go further.

Bad start?

The price of the French hatchback starts from 498 thousand rubles for the "Confort Pack" trim. In this version, you will have to pay extra not only for ESP and fog lights, but even for rear electric windows and heated front seats.

The most expensive "Premium Pack" will cost 705 thousand rubles, but to make it a truly rich car with a navigation system, a full set of airbags, and a leather interior, you will have to pay another two hundred thousand rubles or more.

However, if you carefully study the "price lists", it turns out that the Peugeot 308 is not more expensive than its competitors - Toyota Auris, Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and others (with similar equipment and engines). At the same time, the new hatchback is good in handling, comfortable on bad roads, and if desired, it can be equipped no worse than a car of a higher class.

It is not yet clear whether the 308 with diesel engines will be sold in Russia, but everything is heading towards that. Citroen already supplies C-Crosser SUVs with 2.2 HDi engines, and at the end of the year it will be the turn of the Peugeot 4007. And many competitors of the Peugeot 308 already offer diesels to their customers, so the French certainly have an incentive.

Technical characteristics of Peugeot 308 1.6 MT

Technical characteristics of Peugeot 308 1.6 THP AT

Peugeot 308 trims in Russia

Lenta.Ru thanks Peugeot Citroen Rus for organizing the test drive.