THE PEUGEOT 308 GTi is the sporty version of the regular 308 hatchback.
You can tell from the looks: in this hot guise it sits 11mm lower to the ground and is 10mm wider between the wheels, which helps improve the handling.
Emphasising the sportiness is a double front grille with red gloss trim, swollen wheel arches, side skirts, two exhaust pipes and subtle GTi badging.
Oh, and those lovely 19-inch alloy wheels shod with Michelin Super Sport tyres – the front featuring 380mm discs with red Peugeot Sport brake calipers, and the rear with 268mm discs.
And although this car does look sporty it is still quite understated and dignified looking. Not a go faster stripe or massive rear spoiler in sight.
The interior is very well put together and features Peugeot’s minimal and clean iCockpit with easy to use touchscreen infotainment system and a raised instrument cluster designed to improve safety by bringing essential driving information closer to the driver’s eye level.
The cabin is finished in lovely tactile materials like slick gloss black inserts, plush perforated leather, soft Alcantara and smooth chrome. The metal gear shift feels lovely in hand as does that small flat-bottomed leather steering wheel.
This test car came with the expensive optional glass roof, which is nice but unnecessary as it adds weight (and when it comes to hot hatches and performance, added weight is the enemy).
Back seat space is adequate and boot space is good at 470 litres with the seats up, which is larger than that of the Golf GTI and SEAT Leon Cupra 290 but smaller than the Honda Civic Type R.
This test car is the 270hp version, which is driven by the same engine and gearbox found in the RCZ R – the potent Peugeot Sport 1.6-litre THP S&S (Stop & Start) petrol unit and six-speed manual transmission.
It also features the same Torsen helical limited-slip differential as the 208 GTi and RCZ R, which aids stability and traction when cornering, meaning you can utilise full power earlier and improve your corner entry or exit speed. If you are into that sort of thing.
The chassis of this car is particularly well honed and the car is very surefooted, surprisingly so. It handled bumpy twisty country roads with confidence and was a hoot to drive with Sport mode engaged – yet when cruising along the motorway the car was quite comfortable, refined even.
Yes, the suspension is a little firm and you can feel the road bumps but the car is fitted with low profile sports tyres, so that is to be expected. And it is worth putting up with this for the driving experience.
Oh, did I mention this car is quick? Like, really quick – and it has plenty of low down torque to help you get away from the start line before the others even noticed the lights have turned green. It does the 0-100km/h sprint in just 6.0 seconds, which is just 0.3 seconds off the Civic Type R.
However, to me, this car is almost too composed and lacked a little bit of the fun factor. The steering felt a little light with not much feedback and the transmission is a little bland.
Not bad, just not exactly slick. And at this price, these things matter, especially when the competition is so good.
Is this the right car for you?
If you are a lover of fast French cars then this has to be on your shopping list. If you are looking for a fast hot hatch that has a premium-looking cabin with lots of added extras – like massage seats and space for passengers and cargo – but one that doesn’t scream ‘boy racer’ then this car is for you.
This 270hp Peugeot 308 GTi costs €40,175 plus delivery but the 250hp versions costs from €37,175.
In this spec, it is €280 a year to tax and the official combined fuel economy is 6.0-litres/100km (47mpg).
If however, your budget won’t stretch to €40k but you still want a potent hot hatch then take a look at the brilliant SEAT Leon Cupra 290, which starts at €36,560 and as its name suggests has 20hp more than the 308 GTi.
If you have a few grand more to spend and want something just as subtle looking but with more power, prodigious levels of grip and more overall competence then have a look at the Volkswagen Golf R, which starts at €43,285.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say