Essentials

Peugeot 308

BlueHDi GT Premium

Price: £33,090

Engine: 1 5-litre 4cyl turbodiesel

Power/torque: 128bhp/300Nm Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, front-wheel drive 0-62/top spd: 10 6 seconds/130mph Economy: 54 1mpg CO2: 121g/km ONSALE of the diesel engine can be a little annoying. On more dynamic roads, there’s plenty of grip to be had, but the 308 never encourages you to play

The third and final tweak that the driving modes control is the automatic gearbox. Select Normal and the changes are slow and slurred, while in Eco they’re even more laboured However, Sport delivers a much sharper shift, not holding on to gears for too long either.

Despite a weight gain over the previous model, the 308 diesel is still 318kg lighter than the PHEV variant, although the diesel felt a little less settled on the road Our car came in range-topping GT Premium trim (although without the electrically operated and heated front seats), which is fitted with 18-inch wheels as standard

On rough roads, the surprisingly firm suspension has a habit of jiggling you about a bit and the tyres transmit a lot of road noise to the cabin On the motorway, however, we found the 308