STEVE HOWARTH’S TEST DRIVE

COROLLA GR SPORT

OUR latest test car came with some racing pedigree and badging kudos as the Toyota Corolla we got our hands on was the GR Sport version.

Now at first I got really excited as GR stands for Gazoo Racing (the motorsport/performance arm of the Japanese manufacturer) and I have already sampled super-hot GR versions of the Yaris and Supra.

However, I then realized that Toyota think you can have too much of a good thing and so are not currently selling the full-blown Corolla GR with its 300bhp, turbocharged 1.6-litre three-cylinder engine and adjustable-torque-split all-wheel drive and limited-slip differentials in the UK.

Rather as BMW have their M Sport versions and Audi their Sportline models the GR Sport is a more road-friendly, less license losing version with sporty DNA and also comes as a ‘self-charging’ hybrid - the batteries are topped up when you hit the brakes and a small electric motor can then improve either efficiency or performance.

You can even drive the Corolla on battery power alone with a light right foot for short distances and there are eco, normal and sport driving modes to choose from.

The standard Corolla is already a great family car comfortable, well made, well equipped and quite frugal - the GR Sport adds more striking styling with a 2-litre petrol engine which, linked to that electric motor, means 181bhp, a highly respectable 0-62mph in 7.9sec and top speed of 112mph.

Toyota say the car will give a combined mpg figure of up to 54mpg and my real world experience backs that up as over a near 300 mile round trip to a motoring launch event in the south midlands I got just a shade under that figure, despite travelling for the majority of the journey at motorway speeds (M6 roadworks permitting).

So despite the name, the GR Sport doesn’t have any specific sport tuning apart from distinctive 18-inch alloy wheels. What it does have is that striking styling – unique front and rear bumper trim, GR Sport badging and inside supportive sports seats, a head-up display and large central infotainment touchscreen.

Other standard kit includes adaptive cruise control, reversing camera, heated front seats and a raft of the latest Toyota safety systems.

On the road the car is quite quick with steering that feels wellweighted, a sporty yet comfortable ride and that typical Toyota build quality that inspires a feeling of solidity and strength.

In 2-litre specification, as tested, the Corolla GR Sport comes in at £32,645. For that you get healthy equipment levels with items such as LED headlights, those 18-inch machined alloy wheels, that extra body styling and interior sporting touches plus head-up display as standard.

The Corolla range starts at £26,895 for the Icon trim non hybrid 1.8 petrol and goes up to £34,555 for the range-topping touring sports in Excel trim pitching the hybrid GR Sport towards the top of the range in terms of pricing.

So with the 2022 Corolla already a great drive adding some sporting credentials with the GR Sport version could be a way for you to really stand out on the high street.

More info at www.toyota.co.uk

PEUGEOT 308

OF all the French car makers I have always thought Peugeot produced the best looking vehicles… and so it is with their latest offering the new 308.

The car has loads of road presence with its dramatic slash front running lights and the latest corporate Peugeot front design plus plenty of angles and creases in the bodywork and distinctive ‘three claw’ rear lights - while inside the new 308 feels even more premium in line with the brand’s upmarket aspirations.

There’s lots to challenge opposition from the likes of the VW Golf and Ford Focus in the very tough and competitive market for familysized hatchbacks.

It is a car sector that has somewhat fallen out of favour with buyers wanting SUVs, but hatchbacks still account for lots of sales which is why Peugeot have reworked their best seller and our test version, the near range-topping Allure Premium 1.2L PureTech 130 auto is likely to be on buyers wish lists.

That is because it has a great standard kit list including sat nav, adaptive cruise control and rear view cameras plus three driving modes - sport, normal and eco – and in the latter Peugeot claim up to a shade over 52 mpg, which I can well believe as after a busy week of very mixed driving I handed the car back with still around 250 miles left in the tank. While the company say the car is ‘all new’ it still has the same EMP2 platform as the previous-generation model, plus many others in the Stellantis group, but that is by no means a bad thing as the layout is tried and tested.

Peugeot’s lane positioning and adaptive cruise control along with lane assist and a 10-inch digital dash plus 10.1-inch central touchscreen are standard, although the latter is a little fiddly to use on the move. Then there is their trademark i-Cockpit set up with the main dials and display above a small squared off steering wheel keeping them more in your line of sight when driving.

The standard eight speed auto box gives smooth shifts and that 128bhp 1.2 PureTech petrol engine is surprisingly quick in Sport mode with its turbocharged three cylinders giving a pleasingly sporty note with 0 to 60 in 9.7 seconds and a top speed of 130mph. I never fail to marvel at how much power engineers are now able to extract from diminutive power plants.

Peugeot has managed to achieve a sporty yet comfortable ride with plenty of grip and not much body roll while on those 17-inch ‘diamond cut’ alloy wheels the car copes well over rough roads. The 308 range starts from £24,635, but our Allure Premium trim model comes in at £28,000 plus £695 for that smart special pearlescent paint job.

All in all a great package from Peugeot and I am sure we will see lots of 308s on our roads for many years to come.

For more information go to www.peugeot.co.uk