2023 Peugeot 308 GT Premium hatch review

Peugeot has long held an outsider position in the Australian new car market. You want a small hatch, you’re probably going to go for a Volkswagen Golf over a Peugeot 308. You want a mid-size SUV, you’ll probably choose a Mazda CX-5 over a Peugeot 3008.

But there’s no doubt the brand wants to capture some attention with the new 2023 Peugeot 308 small hatchback. I’ve always thought Peugeots are a bit of a compromise and a style-over-function choice in the market, so it'll have to overcome those preconceptions to earn a good mark.

We'll get it out of the way early — pricing is expensive for a small hatch. The range begins at $43,990 for the GT hatchback and you’ll pay $5000 more to upgrade to the one I have on test, the GT Premium variant. You can also have a wagon version of the GT Premium for an extra $1500.

However, Peugeot has packed it to the rafters with cool kit. In addition to the entry-level’s highlights such as the 10.0-inch infotainment screen, 10.0-inch digital cluster, adaptive cruise control, leatherette and Alcantara upholstery, the GT Premium scores full-grain nappa leather seating, a 360-degree camera, 10-speaker Focal sound system, power-adjust driver's seat, massage and heating function for the front seats, and a panoramic sunroof.

There’s no doubt the 2023 Peugeot 308 is an absolute looker. At first you’re wowed by the sharp and meaningful styling on the front end, but the good looks continue along to the rear end and then inside the cabin too.

I’m a particular fan of the expansive grille that stretches into the matrix LED headlights, while the new Peugeot badging is seen front and centre with a model designation positioned just above.

Along the side you’ll see Ferrari-reminiscent quarter panel shields, a set of matte black 18-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry points on the doorhandles, and then you get some neat accentuated crease lines that lead to the LED tail-lights.

For now, the sole powertrain in the range is a 96kW/230Nm turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine that powers the front wheels. There is no option for a manual gearbox, only an eight-speed automatic.

We know a plug-in hybrid flagship version of this car will launch later this year, but for now, let’s go take a look at what this one’s like.

The first thing you’re hit by when jumping inside the cabin is a great new car smell. It's not often you get inside a small car with full-grain leather — none of this fake leatherette stuff you typically find at this end of the market.

If you were a fan of the exterior design, the interior continues the futuristic look with a high-set dashboard line, sharp styling lines around the centre console, and two new 10.0-inch displays for the cluster and infotainment. But it’s not all good news inside the cabin, and we’ll get to that in a minute.

In the GT Premium specification, you get nappa leather seats that feel suitably premium underhand, but a colleague of mine noted the stitching design feels a bit funny on your back while you’re driving. Overall the seats are comfortable to sit in and have a great shape, while the driver has electric seat adjustment to change position. The front seats also have massage and heating functions.

Storage around the cabin is good, with two cupholders in the centre console, a wireless charge slot for your phone under the screen, and a double-door centre console bin. The door cards have enough space for a drink bottle and are felt-lined to keep your bits and pieces from rattling around.

On to the slight negatives of the Pug’s cabin. Granted, I’m 194cm tall, but the space in the driver’s seat is not the most ergonomic. I feel quite tucked-in by the transmission tunnel, and the whacky i-Cockpit (low steering wheel) is not my favourite piece of design. It means you’ve got the steering wheel lower than you’d ordinarily like in order to see the instrument cluster.

The second row is quite tight by hatchback standards with a very cramped space behind my own driving position. My knees sit hard up against the seatback, but the most annoying thing is the lack of space for feet. On the plus side, you’ve got air vents out back and two USB-C outlets.

Further back there's the 384L boot. That’s not too bad by hatchback standards, but it is down on the entry-level model that fits in 412L of stuff. The seats don't fold entirely flat and there's a step up as you load items further back on top of the second row.

The Peugeot’s 10.0-inch screen looks slick in its design, and is easy to operate thanks to a series of customisable shortcuts along the bottom of the screen.

Though the car has handy satellite navigation that can tell you fuel prices and weather information, I ran wireless CarPlay during my time (it also runs wireless Android Auto). For the most part this operated without interruption, though there were a few instances where the audio would cut out and I'd have to re-pair the phone to get the software working again.

One of the coolest parts of the Peugeot's cabin is the use of 3D graphics inside the 10.0-inch instrument cluster. It's a better integration than I've seen in cars such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Some people have complained of the effect online, but handily it can be turned off in the infotainment system.

The infotainment display can show various screens with different information, including things like fuel information and map screens.

The Peugeot 308 range has not been crash-tested locally by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program.

In saying that, the equivalent European crash-testing body Euro NCAP has tested the 2023 Peugeot 308. In this test the 308 scored well for child occupant safety (84 per cent), but fell down in terms of adult occupant protection (76 per cent).

There's a solid array of active safety measures inside the Peugeot 308 including autonomous emergency braking with low-light pedestrian and cyclist detection, active lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and speed sign recognition. It also features rear cross-traffic alert.

The Peugeot's active safety measures work with the driver rather than get in the way and annoy. There were no instances of false positives for the autonomous emergency braking system and the reverse camera is high quality.

Peugeot offers a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty alongside all of its new cars, including the 2023 Peugeot 308. There's also five-year roadside assistance coverage included.

The most cost-effective way to service the Peugeot 308 is to pre-pay. Peugeot offers three-year coverage for $1000, or five years for $1800. Service intervals are meant to be every 12 months or 15,000km.

The 308 will attract a $1654.30 annual insurance premium based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Peugeot claims the new 308 returns a combined fuel consumption rating of 5.3L/100km. Over the course of a week, and with a few included freeway runs, I managed a 7.8L/100km consumption figure. This is a fair amount more than Peugeot's claim, and it's not like I was flooring the thing everywhere either.

There's no getting round the fact that the 2023 Peugeot 308 is underpowered. But it's not a deal-breaker, and every other aspect of its driving experience is wonderful.

But let's get the bad bit out of the way first. With just 96kW/230Nm sent through the front wheels, the Peugeot 308 does feel undercooked, especially when you remember how much it costs. You need to rev the engine out to extract full potential, and that can annoy when accelerating up to speed to join freeways. This problem is magnified when you've loaded it up with people or luggage.

Around town it's less of a problem, and the eight-speed auto transmission responds well to changing speeds and throttle inputs. It does take longer than you'd expect for it to change gears, but the experience is at least smooth. There are some instances of the transmission fumbling a drive off after the car's start/stop system disengages, but it just means you have to wait slightly longer.

The handling profile is fantastic, with a light steering feel resulting in a darty front end that loves to sniff out corners and tackle them at speed. The Peugeot 308 reminds us that you can still have a load of fun in cars that don't have a lot of power and aren't designated performance cars.

Similarly, the ride comfort is supremely compliant over all forms of bumps and interruptions. Sustained road imperfections are absorbed without letting any jitteriness through to the cabin, while larger bumps don't impact the car's stride.

There's an overriding sense of refinement to every aspect of the Peugeot 308's driving experience. It's comfortable, there's no intrusive road noise, and the engine (albeit underpowered) is smooth and quiet.

I’ll admit I wasn’t too impressed with the Peugeot 308 on paper. Not only is it an expensive option within its small car segment, but it also has less power than you’d like to see for the price you’ll pay.

But it’s a car that grows on you quickly once you spend time with it. It’s extremely well equipped, well built, and it exudes style where its rivals don’t. Add in a well-resolved driving experience and it starts to properly shine.

Provided you’re happy to pay extra for your small hatchback, the Peugeot 308 is a fantastic and truly premium option, and should continue to make you feel good about your initial buying decision.