Although the Peugeot 308 has already passed our test several times, the stronger and sportier version of the GT eluded us. And that needed to be fixed!
Appearance
There's no way to start other than saying that the big mouths of Peugeots are gone and thank goodness for that. The new 308 has a very nice front end , which also has a slightly aggressive undertone in the GT version. Adherents of this French brand have to get used to a different style, which is not as easily identifiable as the previous one at first glance, but perhaps it is all the more beautiful . The GT version is distinguished by a number of small and differently colored accessories , such as black mirror covers or silver rails. The wheels are also very nice, I especially like the design with stripes on the spokes and it shows that this Frenchman has some sporting ambitions.
Interior
The first look at the interior is already perfect. Everything is nice here, as befits a sporty station wagon – decorative threshold strips , a leather-covered dashboard, beautifully shaped air conditioning vents and a small shaped steering wheel with a flattened lower part (the manufacturers won't let it go and they won't). But most of all, just looking at the amazing sofa puts me in a good mood. They will definitely fit great, and yes! Just set them to the optimal position, i.e. apart from the height , because even in the lowest position you sit higher than is appropriate for sporty tuned models. But the wreath is a little bit in the display between the alarm clocks. Usually, similar elements are found so that they are viewed through the wreath, but in Peugeot they tried it differently . Well, I quickly got used to it. As well as the much more logical radio control on the steering wheel. After the ergonomic glitch in the 508 type, I can't find any significant mistakes worthy of criticism in the smaller 308 . Perhaps only the push-button handbrake , which is becoming more popular in an increasing number of car manufacturers. I still don't get it and it still bothers me. And I must not forget the head of the shift lever . Yes, it has a nice shape and holds well , but unfortunately it is made of metal . You will find out what a disadvantage this is during all the sunny days. Another thing that is significantly better than the 508 type is the shape of the pockets in the door panels. You won't lose your things in them.
The large panoramic roof window is great, which illuminates the interior perfectly. Especially since the ceiling is black . I like that, the car looks cozier , but if it doesn't have a sunroof, it's often dark inside. Peugeot avoided this mistake. The luggage space is generous , but that's how it should be for a station wagon. However, mobile handles located in the rail are very good, to which you can easily attach transported items. A very clever solution that I quite like. As well as a hinged space in the armrest , where you can place, for example, skis. Even today it is still not a matter of course.
Drive
What catches your eye the most is the tachometer , on which the pointer moves counter-clockwise . Sure, it's a French car and this just belongs to the French, but that doesn't mean it's an advantage. I'm used to watching the tachometer rather peripherally , especially if I'm driving briskly. However, when moving in the opposite direction, I always have the impression that the car still has a large enough space to dial in, but this is not the case. However, it is easy to get used to such a small thing. And when I say easy, I mean it, because otherwise the alarms are very clear and graphically nice . Of course, there is also acoustic signaling of unfastened safety belts . But it has a catch. Its tone is not just an annoying beep, but on the contrary a quite pleasant melody reminiscent of a reggae band I once saw in the Paris metro. It doesn't even motivate me to fasten the belt , but I usually don't even think about such things, because I always have it on while driving. But then there are those times when you unlock your garage or garden gate and then you just need to drive the few meters inside. And during them, it is better to listen to a distinctive melody than a disgusting whistling. So bravo Peugeot, finally someone thought that signaling should only be warning , not annoying.
The brakes surprise me at first. Their onset in normal mode is quite venomous and unexpected , but in that unpleasant way, when nothing happens after the initial step on the pedal, and then, as you gradually bring your foot to the floor, suddenly there is more effect than you want. But the problem suddenly disappears when the car is switched to sports mode , very sensitive commands can be sent to all discs at once. The whole Sport mode is so good that the car should be set like this all the time. The steering is also much more sensitive and the sound is much more audible , even though it is mainly made up of the speakers in the car's interior. However, those in the districts and in the city can convey to your ears the impression of a powerful engine very realistically, so I turned off the sports mode only on the highway. The backlight of the alarm clocks will also change to red and on the display between them you have an indicator of power , torque and pressure of the turbocharger . And thank God, consumption data will also disappear, because they would probably force you to take your foot off the gas more often, which would be quite a shame.
The engine is quite powerful , which turns out to be the main advantage of the car. At first glance, it's just a small station wagon from Peugeot. And small station wagons from Peugeot have small petrol engines of 1200 and people usually drive them slowly. Most people will just be surprised by your presence in the left lane of the highway and won't be willing to dodge you. But when they dodge, you'll be amazed at how quickly the getie can burn. It's just that you'll be bored enough on the highway, and you'll turn off the Sports mode, because the sounds imitating a sports engine are not as pleasant to listen to as on a normal road. At least you have a radar cruise control , so you can overcome those long boring kilometers quickly and easily and then go on a nice circuit again.
Conclusion
So what about the Peugeot 308 GT? Well, it's definitely not a perfect car , but that doesn't mean you should avoid it. On the contrary, there are many little things that amused me all week. And then the driving characteristics can definitely be marked as a plus. It's actually a good car and definitely one of the best Peugeots I've driven recently.
Basic price (1.2 PureTech Access) CZK 340,000
Base price (GT) CZK 577,500
The price of the tested model is CZK 669,500
Photo: David Rajdl ( http://rajdlstudio.com )
