If you’re in the market for a used family hatchback offered with a choice of efficient engines, and benefiting from a decent chassis and good equipment, all available at a decent spread of prices to suit your specific depth of pocket, you’ve come to the right place.
Lauded as European Car of the Year at its launch in 2014, the Peugeot 308 has continued to be exactly that for thousands of used car buyers who have chosen it over rivals including the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.
Indeed, at that same launch, there was talk that Peugeot had finally sprung a family hatch that was the equal of the class-leading Golf. It hadn’t, of course. It’s taken VW seven generations of continual improvement to get the Golf to where it is today, and there’s no way Peugeot was going to emulate that record of achievement in one giant leap.
Click here to buy your next used 308 from Autocar
Nevertheless, the 308 was, and remains, an impressive effort. Like the Golf, it’s the quietly assured one in the sector, relying on its restrained good looks, classy interior (with a novel dashboard and steering wheel arrangement that quickly grows on you) and its general refinement to win you over.
And then there are the engines. Naturally, early on when oil burners weren’t the villains of the piece, the 1.6 HDi 120 diesel was the big seller and a hit with fleets. It’s good value today, with a 2015 example with 50,000 miles weighing in at £6400.
It easily outnumbers the 1.2 PureTech 110 and 130 and the powerful 1.6 THP petrols. Regarding these, the turbocharged 110 and 130 units in particular are sweet and efficient affairs, and our pick if your mileage is average.
There were four trims ranging from entry-level Access to Feline, but we rate mid-spec Allure. All have a 9.7in touchscreen media system. It’s not the smoothest around, even following the 2017 facelift, and there are reports that it’s not that reliable, so check everything works.
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