Peugeot 308 GT 2015 Review

The Peugeot 308 GT may be missing one very important letter in its name – consider this an entrée before the GTi arrives – but golly gee it's a fun car, and so sexy it hurts.

There's a sense of elegant ease manifest in almost every element of the vehicle. It's noticeable the first time you plonk down in the captain's chair, and it makes you eager to return. Not only is the interior utterly gorgeous and surprisingly sophisticated – so much so that it makes some German brands look quaint – the car is also engaging to drive.

It's not the fastest hot hatch in straight line or the quickest through a corner but it's satisfying in a way that few others in this genre are, able to make even the most mundane journeys feel special.

And there's a phrase for it in French, "je ne sais quoi". Roughly translated, it means "something inexpressible".

But first the vital statistics.

Power is supplied by a 151kW version of the Peugeot/Citroen 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine, which is paired exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission. Although it generates 285Nm, significantly less than its rivals, the car motivates with gusto, accelerating from 0-100km/h in a claimed 7.5 seconds.

On the Victorian roads it was tested on, the plucky Pug felt a smidge faster and part of that is due to the engine's tractability. Peak torque is available between 1750-4500rpm and this provides the 308 GT with loads of mid-gear stomp, perfect for punching out of corners.

An automatic version is available, but there's a catch – you'll have to adopt a less powerful and slower (but more frugal) turbo-diesel engine [Ed: look out for our comparison soon]. And it's $1000 more at $42,990. The diesel 308 GT is not as involving when driven briskly as the petrol model, whose slick-shifting six-speed manual cog-swapper is beautifully weighted. But at least Peugeot has made a sporty automatic available.

Where traffic lights, buses, and gridlock are common, the diesel is the preferred mode of transport but both versions are easy to live with, fitted as standard with an excellent infotainment system, engine idle stop-start and even seat massage functions for the driver.

Despite firmer suspension than regular 308s, ride comfort hasn't been compromised and although there were a few audible bangs over deeper gouges in the road, they were heard more than felt. It's a quiet cruiser too, imparting a greater sense of luxury than many of its peers.

Handling dynamics are well sorted: I really liked the direct steering and the itty-bitty steering wheel is one of the best in the biz. It feels fantastic with its leather finish and the micro size makes the car feel more willing to turn.

The 308 GT is very tidy through corners, tracking doggedly through the turns thanks to grippy Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyres. There's also less body roll than garden-variety models and it rides a little lower too, by around 10mm.

The brakes are solid, larger in diameter by 26mm at the front, and the 330mm discs are clamped by upgraded calipers which afford confidence-inspiring deceleration on the open road.

But the chassis is not perfect. It pitches gracelessly under heavy acceleration, the bum squatting noticeably when gunned off the line.

There's a sport mode that sharpens throttle response, steering and turns the dials red, which is a nice touch. It also beefs up the engine sound electronically, which I liked. But not everyone in the office did.

While the Peugeot 308 GT is an engaging, fun-to-drive car with plenty of character thanks to a lively engine and a diligent chassis, it's the aesthetics that really knocked my socks off.

At first I wasn't sure what to make of the understated exterior but by the time I'd spent a couple of weeks with the GT it won me over. There's no huge rear wing, no hectic front splitter nor even a mad bonnet scoop, but the 18-inch wheels are tasteful, while the dual exhausts add visual width and a ground hugging stance tightens up the overall look. It's a chunky hot hatch.

But the wow-factor really slaps you in the face with vehemence upon stepping inside the car. The cabin is more opulent than an Audi S3, sportier than a Volkswagen Golf GTI, and with the sort of elegant technology integration usually only seen in Hollywood blockbusters.

Yep, Peugeot's interior designers have nailed this one.

The red/black theme with red stitching everywhere works a treat, spread across the stylish and supportive leather and suede seats, steering wheel, and especially the door inserts and handles which look and feel incredibly luxurious.

The lack of buttons and controls is refreshing and remarkably appealing. It makes BMW's simplified cockpit look busy and the dearth of controls means there's more space for artistic expression, which is exactly where Peugeot has gone troppo. The view from the driver's seat is breathtaking – this is easily one of the most attractive cars I've ever stepped into.

It feels purposeful and makes for a more focused drive because there's not a million and one things to fiddle with, just five buttons on the central control panel and a volume dial. Everything else is done via the tastefully integrated touchscreen.

This touchscreen system works very well for the most part, although rapid temperature adjustment was tricky; I struggled to quickly get the temp where I wanted it and the permanent buttons on the side are hard to read at times.

The rest is great. Satellite navigation is good, Bluetooth is simple, trip info, audio fiddling and even a calculator are easy to mess with.

Directly in front of the driver is a raised instrument panel featuring teardrop-shaped dials with the tachometer running counter clockwise. I'm not a huge fan of the anti-clockwise rev counter but it looks trendy.

The rest of the dash is a clean, flowing design with minimal flourishes. It curves and meanders gracefully and will have fashionistas swooning. Even the air vents look amazing, although they have small range of adjustment which is annoying.

Like many French cars incidental storage is a letdown. The door cubbies are good, but one tiny cup holder for front occupants to share is too few and virtually useless for anything other than a small plum or narrow can of fizzy pop. There's a spot for your smart phone but precious little else. Peugeot needs to work on this in my view.

Boot space on the other hand is good, with 435 expanding to 1274 litres with the back seats folded down.

Rear seat room is par for the course, with decent leg room and there was plenty of space for my three-year-old daughter's baby seat. There are two top-tether and ISOFIX attachments.

Oddly, the GT models miss out on an automatic parking system, radar cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring that are standard on the 308 Allure Premium models.

Fast, engaging and with achingly beautiful interior design, the 308 GT is the thinking person's hot hatch. It melds glamour, technology, sophistication and performance into a tasty package the likes of which hasn't yet been seen in this segment.