The best small car? 2023 Peugeot 308 review: GT Premium hatch

The best small car? 2023 Peugeot 308 review: GT Premium hatch | Mazda3 rival seriously impresses!

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Күн бұрын

On paper, the 2023 Peugeot 308 is up against it in Australia, where in recent times the French brand has been far from popular and the Small Car segment has continued to shrink. But this new generation might just be in the business of bucking these two challenging trends.
In fact, the latest 308 is so good that it just might be the best small car money can buy right now. How we do we know that? CarsGuide Managing Editor Tim Nicholson has spent the past three months loving 'living' with its petrol-powered hatch flagship, the aptly named GT Premium.
But what exactly about the Mazda3 rival does he love? In this expert review, we deep-dive the 308 GT Premium from all fronts, including its pricing, features, safety, design, practicality and, of course, driving characteristics. As always, it's not perfect!
#Peugeot #308 #Review
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00:00 Intro
00:43 Design
02:06 Pricing and features
03:59 Practicality
09:31 Under the bonnet
10:31 Efficiency
11:04 Driving
15:45 Safety
16:14 Ownership
16:37 Verdict
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Read Tim's full review: carsgui.de/47JeeMU
Check out our Peugeot 308 hub: carsgui.de/3OyjjOY
Find more hatchbacks: carsgui.de/3kbB7SL
Visit our UrbanGuide: carsgui.de/2Jz14Ig
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Пікірлер: 91

@rwahlfeld 10 ай бұрын

Loving my 308 SW… after moving from a lumbering mid-size SUV. It will probably remain the rarest of vehicles in Australia, but it’s not dulled my enthusiasm for how comfortable and enjoyable it’s to live with everyday.

@yesterdaystech86 9 ай бұрын

Good to here I ordered one two days ago. There was a great deal in my country. Its avatar blue with entry trim and petrol engine but has agr seats, the faux leather interior and heated windscreen as extras Just loved the design and on test drive it felt very agile

@garnray8568 10 ай бұрын

It's one formidable car. It looks so good, it drives really well, interiors are utterly nice, better than anything the Germans make. In continental Europe, Peugeot is considered as mid premium, and going full premium. They have really levelled up big time since 2012-2013 , and it is time to be intellectually honest and admit it. I drove a Peugeot 3008 for two weeks, rented it in Italy, it was the best stuff I have ever driven. So premium, so impressive. Frankly, the 3008 GT is almost a luxury car, and I'm not even exgaggerating. On same level as the best stuff made by Merc or BMW, but for 50.000 less. I'm telling you: Peugeot have levelled up big time.

@allanbriggs807 8 ай бұрын

I had a 2012 308 - brilliant car. the 2.0L diesel had plenty of power - a great drivers car.

@dj331 8 ай бұрын

I went from a Golf MK8 to the new 308, the interior build quality is brilliant compared to the golf

@jamiep61 10 ай бұрын

I enjoyed watching the video review 😊

@planestrainsdogsncars4336 10 ай бұрын

The latest iteration of the 308 is not bad..although I'm a bit over those vertical day running lights. The latest iteration of Tim's fringe I'll have to get back to you about.😉

@WandererOfWorlds0 10 ай бұрын

Regarding fuel consumption: the figure will vary a lot depending on how much you hammer it. Mine sits at around 7 in the city and 6 outside the city. The driving style matters a lot.

@cjmasters3704 10 ай бұрын

Love this review!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏

@TheRWD82 4 ай бұрын

I just ordered a white GT with all the options.

@gregj7916 10 ай бұрын

I’m adaptable but this needs 40-60 more nm, I guess discounts are available, have seen 1 on the road here in Perth, Skoda sales must be keeping the Peugeot dealer here in business.

@modelrailwaynoob 8 ай бұрын

My 5008 GT Premium was in for a service and Peugeot gave me one of these. It was great fun for the day but too low for me.

@matthewsammut3253 10 ай бұрын

Love this review. You understand french idiosyncrasies

@Aro800 4 ай бұрын

Great review. No 5star ANCAP is a deal breaker unfortunately 😢

@PlaAwa 10 ай бұрын

nice design, nice colour. right up there with the mazda3 hatch (and volvo s/v90)

@PlaAwa 10 ай бұрын

you should've said 'opel astra L' instead of the volvo

@PlaAwa 10 ай бұрын

yeah true. sorry mate.

@PlaAwa 10 ай бұрын

no worries

@unrecognisable4185 8 ай бұрын

Whats it like when going up step hills ?

@vn9528 8 ай бұрын

How many hatches sell at this price range in Austraya. It's PHEV is very attractive but a rip-off. It's peugot's most profitable car but lowest on sales. Leaving all about car, nice video and very informative. Thank you mate.

@Clove_Parma 10 ай бұрын

Have to disagree re most beautiful small car, I think the Mazda 3 hatch is far more premium and stylish in design. This is a sexy car though I have to admit…

@ghislainel4830 6 ай бұрын

Rented it for a week, stunning!

@mvnorsel6354 10 ай бұрын

Owners will soon get used to the difficult bonnet opening😅.

@jasonr2670 10 ай бұрын

I really like the look, the interior ambience and the green paint colour. While everything is currently overpriced, I'd find it challenging to look beyond this given the average fuel economy and performance. I think I'd prefer to pay less and have more fun in a Polo GTI.

@BrateTebra123 10 ай бұрын

You will not have more fun in Polo trust me

@ApostolosPitsinos-fk4lr 9 ай бұрын

@@BrateTebra123he will

@BrateTebra123 9 ай бұрын

@@ApostolosPitsinos-fk4lr Noup, maybe if he said MX-5. It is even cheaper then the 308 and the GTI

@malekbayoun1025 10 ай бұрын

So sad, such a stylish hot hatch without the hot. As it lags the power and it's called a GT 😮😮😮

@markbiggart1265 Ай бұрын

Given you can pick up a 2023 ex demo GT for $38k - these are bargains and I would much rather have one vs a Mazda 3 or Golf 8

@brendankenny1332 10 ай бұрын

What size battery does it have??

@birreboi 10 ай бұрын

Huh?? It's not an EV. But Peugeot does have a plugin hybrid model of this 308 GT.

@mirkozlikovski9553 10 ай бұрын

if its hybrid and EV versions will be sold "down under", they have 12.4 kWh battery in PHEV version and in 48V μHEV version it most likely will get a 05 kWh battery... EV version has 54 kWh battery.

@OlyMar83 10 ай бұрын

Resale value, servicing costs, high price deal breakers… There’s a reason why the Corollas, ravs are so popular. They just tick the most boxes for buyers.

@gregrobins5615 4 ай бұрын

What boxes do they tick ?

@OlyMar83 4 ай бұрын

@@gregrobins5615 Resale value Maintenance costs Maintenance intervals Price point Fuel efficiency Overall running costs

@twosundays Ай бұрын

[x] Dull design @@gregrobins5615

@aacmove 10 ай бұрын

One day, in certain countries, a juggernaut will be referred to as a "small car"!

@gregrobins5615 6 ай бұрын

Great review on a great marque. Australians just don't seem to understand, Peugeot sell in over 160 countries worldwide in very good numbers. Just hope that your Hyundai/Kia won't catch on fire .

@donr62 10 ай бұрын

Does it come with reliability?

@bigchief2331 9 ай бұрын

Peugeot has been one of the most reliable and best built brands out there for some time now..

@donr62 9 ай бұрын

@@bigchief2331 🤣 you’re funny

@bigchief2331 9 ай бұрын

@@donr62 you’re living in the past

@donr62 9 ай бұрын

@@bigchief2331 my two friends with relatively new dud pugs would disagree but you do you.

@allanbriggs807 8 ай бұрын

No he's not. They are extremely reliable. Peugeot had a problem in the late 90's - early 2000's with quality control. The only other issue was the very early Puretech engines but that has been resolved. One thing I will say is that you need to find a mechanic who knows Peugeots. They are around. Our family has travelled over 10million kms in Peugeots - never had a major problem - that's from 403's right up to present 3008's.@@bigchief2331

@podge5555 10 ай бұрын

Mazda 3 is still the best looking car in this class, Corolla 2nd and then the 308. That olivine green is a delicious colour btw

@joaquinstabbington673 10 ай бұрын

Externally, I like the look of the Corolla (sedan) best, but as the driver, the external 'look' is lower on my list of preferences than the interior, so the Peugeot 308 is my winner. Mazda third...

@BrateTebra123 10 ай бұрын

Corolla second? Hahahhaaha 😄 🤣 😂

@PH-kl5qq 10 ай бұрын

Skoda kamiq has beat car charger

@brandon197sf 10 ай бұрын

50k, gutless and 11 litres per 100km. Ridiculous! Looks great though

@BrateTebra123 10 ай бұрын

11 liters? Are you crazy? I drive this engine in 208 and I get 5.5 liters. This car can't consume more then 6.5 liters it is just slightly bigger then 208

@anakinskywalker4113 10 ай бұрын

The small steering wheel which blocks out the dials could be a deal breaker for me. I just don’t like the ergonomics

@simon1430 10 ай бұрын

The steering wheel sits below the dials display. It won't block it. It's highly recommended that you test drive the car first to see if you like the positioning.

@anakinskywalker4113 10 ай бұрын

@@simon1430 I have test driven other Peugeot’s & because I am quite short 5ft 8ish in my driving position it obscures the dials.

@joaquinstabbington673 10 ай бұрын

@@anakinskywalker4113 I have loved the iCockpit since they first arrived, and I'm even shorter than you, but I can easily find seat/wheel adjustments to suits me! There is only one iCockpit in my stable thus far, but that number is likely to grow as time goes by (more likely the 508, though). The lack of a manual gearbox is what really irks me TBH.

@anakinskywalker4113 10 ай бұрын

@@joaquinstabbington673 each person to their own. I just can’t get a comfortable position that’s just me

@mirkozlikovski9553 10 ай бұрын

@@anakinskywalker4113 I'm 1.72 m, which I guess is something of your height and NO, IT DOESN'T... I owned two Peugeot cars, 5008 and 508 and it didn't obscure it in either of them (it did just slightly on prev. gen 208, I got as replacement car once for a day)... and neither it did to my spouse, who is 1.63 m tall! so, adjust your driving position... you either like to lay down behind the st.wheel, or you have st. wheel lifted "above your nose"... and both is dangerous... 😉

@zaamuro8408 10 ай бұрын

Damn those finger prints in the a-pillar

@corkeymonster 10 ай бұрын

B pillar.

@zaamuro8408 10 ай бұрын

@@corkeymonster thanks mate. Brain wasn't working

@garymeadows1771 10 ай бұрын

They look good that's all.

@TrueSkeptic77 10 ай бұрын

Thats not all, drives good, nippy engine and no problem what so ever.

@jacobsinger97 5 ай бұрын

😂😂😍

@sebastijankralj6185 3 ай бұрын

Mini cooper is small!

@sebastijankralj6185 3 ай бұрын

Best small car😂😂😂😂

@pradeepmagan6951 10 ай бұрын

To expensive and no separate aircon buttons

@club1fan552 8 ай бұрын

Couldn't disagree more with your appraisal. It's predecessor was not a "really good car." The Puretech (ie Purecrap) engine, the same as the one you are testing is an oil guzzler, a common issue with that motor. I should know, I have one. How does a litre of oil every 1,500 kms sound in a car with only 90,000 kms? That's right folks, with average kms every month you'll be topping up the oil. Easy to park? Err no. It's over 1.8 metres wide. My model has a bigger boot AND a spare compared to yours. Hardly a step forward in car design. Mechanics hate French cars, and European cars in general. You have to go back decades for really good French cars (Peugeot 404, 205 GTi, Renault 16 and Citroen DS). Aussies woke up to this fact decades ago and French cars sell in miniscule numbers in Oz. Do yourself a favour and buy a Mazda instead. I've got one of those too...only it's 50 years old and still going strong and consumes no engine oil. Nearly 50K for this piece of rubbish? Mon Dieu!

@allanbriggs807 8 ай бұрын

Very interesting comment. I live in Oz and just sold my 2012 308 HDi (2.0L diesel) 165,000kms - no issues. I agree re the early puretech engines although our mechanic (A European specialist) indicates that the later Puretech engines have improved substantially. The Peugeot diesel engines are out on their own. You just can't kill them. Unfortunately they are no more. I just purchased a 3008GT HDi (2.0L diesel) simply to get that diesel engine. 2022 is the last year of the 2.0l DIESEL) Just on mechanics. You need to get a European specialist mechanic - they are around and they are worth their weight in gold. Our family has owned Peugeots for about 65 years. Love them. Hopefully the 3008 is similar to all other Peugeots we have owned.

@club1fan552 8 ай бұрын

Thanks for your comment Mate. My mechanic is brilliant so I know he'll do whatever is possible. It could be an issue just with the petrols. I've noticed it's also dropping oil which is very retro...kind of like going back to the 60's. It also has a grabby clutch and brakes, awful gear change, rubbish visibility (A pillar), jittery rear end (torsion beam) and weird French ergonomics. Conversely it has heaps of power, great fuel economy, a huge boot, great cooling and heating and fantastic steering (with no torque steer). I still wouldn't buy another French car, or a turbo or a triple.@@allanbriggs807

@gregrobins5615 5 ай бұрын

"Australians woke up" you think ? They buy Hyundai which have had problems with engines catching fire for 15 years and plenty of recalls. How's the paintwork and gearboxes on recent Mazda going too ?

@club1fan552 5 ай бұрын

"Woke up" Ahh...yeah. Being on the road every day I see what's around and I've seen 2 of these in the 3 years this model has been on the market. One was parked in a car park which is the best place for a modern French car. @@gregrobins5615

@club1fan552 4 ай бұрын

@@gregrobins5615 Yes, they absolutely "woke up". I've only seen 2 of this recent model, and I'm on the road every day. One of them was parked in a car park, which is the best place for a French car, really.