Inside & Out:
The 308's swept back looks have always made it stand out from the crowd, and the additions to the exterior for the GT THP model make it that bit sharper. It gets a black lower front bumper skirt and rear diffuser, a rear spoiler, twin chrome exhausts and a sporty front panel identical to that of the
308 CC. Subtle, but just enough to turn it from humble into hot hatch.
Internal additions include sports seats, a leather steering wheel, aluminium pedals and gloss black areas. It's not over the top, but the standard Peugeot 308's interior is well built and robust. The upper dash plastics are of superior, soft-touch quality to the lower ones, but even the cheaper materials are solid enough.
Ride & Handling:
In typical Peugeot style, the 308 GT has good body control and grips well during cornering. The stiff suspension makes for quite a firm ride, though, so the Pug has a tendency to crash over bumps and is generally a little uncomfortable on all but the smoothest of roads.
The steering is sharp and responsive, but we found ourselves very aware of the 308's weight on the road. At 1,412kg, it's quite a heavy car, and doesn't feel as light on its feet as the majority of rivals - or the wonderfully agile Peugeot hatchbacks of old.
Equipment, economy and value for money: Three stars
In GT THP guise, the Peugeot 308 starts at £22,445, which seems a little pricey for what isn't exactly a class-leading hot hatch. It's not an extortionate figure, but when an accomplished rival like the RenaultSport Mégane costs about another £1,200 - and offers much more power, far superior performance and is generally more desirable - it's hard to make a case for the Peugeot.
What the 308 GT has in its favour is pleasingly low running costs. It emits 159g/km of CO
2 and offers a claimed average of 40.8mpg. There's also an impressive amount of kit for the money, which includes 18-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth and half leather sports seats.
Engine & Transmission:
The 200bhp turbocharged engine from
Peugeot's handsome RCZ is more than potent enough to turn the 308 into a credible hot hatch. It's never going to be up there with the likes of
Ford's Focus RS or the
RenaultSport Mégane, but the 308 GT is swift enough to be a giggle and still practical enough to use regularly - which is what a good hot hatch should be.
Peugeot quotes 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds and 140mph flat out. It's the willingness with which the 308 accelerates that's most impressive, though. The throttle needs little encouragement to get the Pug moving at a reasonable lick and peak torque of 203lb.ft comes on song at only 1,700rpm.
Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:
In GT THP guise, the Peugeot 308 starts at £22,445, which seems a little pricey for what isn't exactly a class-leading hot hatch. It's not an extortionate figure, but when an accomplished rival like the RenaultSport Mégane costs about another £1,200 - and offers much more power, far superior performance and is generally more desirable - it's hard to make a case for the Peugeot.
What the 308 GT has in its favour is pleasingly low running costs. It emits 159g/km of CO
2 and offers a claimed average of 40.8mpg. There's also an impressive amount of kit for the money, which includes 18-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth and half leather sports seats.
