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.
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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.
Keen drivers were rewarded with GT trim in 2014, bringing lowered suspension and a 202bhp version of the 1.6 THP engine. The same year also saw the arrival of the 148bhp 2.0 BlueHDi. If you can find one, it’s a good cruiser and a handy tow car. It was available with an optional automatic gearbox, too.
The 308 was facelifted in 2017 to bring it closer in spirit to the then new and stylish Peugeot 3008. It looks sharper but still nicely restrained. Inside, fit and finish rose a notch while satellite navigation became standard on all trims. Notable moves on the engine front were the replacement of the 1.6 BlueHDi diesel by a 128bhp 1.5 BlueHDi 130.
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