Confirmed for Australian launch during the first quarter of 2022 as a five-door hatchback that will be followed by the SW wagon a few months later, this review covers the hybrid and petrol engines.
Truth be told, Peugeot has long benchmarked Volkswagen’s Golf on materials and quality, but this model sets its sights even higher.
The cockpit is, without a doubt, a classy place to spend time. The layered dashtop cascades forward like a wave, overhanging lovely aluminum or fabric sections, accented with welcoming LED lighting (from second-tier Allure trim level).
GT and GT Premium trims also bring a digital driver’s binnacle with a 3D effect, while the standard 10-inch touchscreen is underscored from Allure trim up by a bank of ‘i-Toggle’ shortcut switches, which you can customize with your favorite functions, responding with a buzz of haptic feedback.
On the hybrid, I pulled in the Energy function, to keep an eye on the drive system’s operations. The graphics are nice enough but not in the wondrous league of a Mercedes.
Australia is expected to get only the higher-powered 95kW combustion engine and eight-speed automatic transmission at launch. In Europe, two plug-in hybrid derivatives (badged 180 or 225 after their joint petrol-electric power outputs in metric horsepower, which respectively equate to 132kW and 165kW) are offered, with Australia seeming more likely to get the beefier of the two.
These combine a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an 81kW electric motor sandwiched between the EAT8 automatic transmission. The new 308 is front-wheel-drive only and rides on McPherson struts upfront with a torsion-beam rear suspension.
This story is from the November 2021 edition of Wheels Australia Magazine.
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This story is from the November 2021 edition of Wheels Australia Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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