Peugeot 308 GTi long-term test review: final report

The steering itself is also a little hit and miss and the most obvious area where Peugeot could improve the GTi’s offering. There’s little feedback, and while the weighting is good for medium-speed driving, it becomes over-assisted at motorway speeds.

Living in the London suburbs means the 308’s ride was regularly tested over many an unforgiving speed bump, but it fared well. Despite the 19in alloy wheels and Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres, the 308 GTi proved largely stable and supple. As an aside, those alloys and high London kerbs don’t mix.

Out on the open road or on track (as we did on one occasion at Anglesey), the GTi’s handling wasn’t quite as rapier-like in its responses as that of a Focus ST or a Renault Mégane RS, but it had a grown-up feel that made it an easy, fast companion.

That maturity continued inside, with a minimalist, calming interior. I was rarely restless on long journeys thanks to comfortable seats, and I like the staid black finish. But the absence of buttons on the dashboard means you have to deal with the glitchy infotainment system, which has a small but highly irritating delay in reacting to inputs on its 9.7in touchscreen. Moving around the system isn’t as intuitive as it is in, say, a Volkswagen Group equivalent. Still, the second-gen system, which has arrived in the new 3008, has been praised for addressing these issues.

My other grumble is the driving position. However I adjusted it, I just couldn’t get on with it. To have my seat and steering wheel in a comfortable position, I had to crane my neck to see the instrument panel. And it wasn’t just me; the only person in the office who seemed unfazed by it was our editorial director Jim Holder, who really is very tall.

At least the cabin had ample space. Two 6ft-tall friends could sit one behind the other without getting cramp, although they did note a shortage of head room in the back. Front and rear access was good, too, particularly for putting in and taking out a child seat and the associated niece. The cavernous boot proved as practical as it gets in this class, too, beating both the Golf and Focus for size by some margin, with a 470-litre capacity versus 380 and 316 litres for the Golf and Focus respectively.

Other quirks and quibbles? I liked the massage seat functions. I liked the Sport button, a nice addition that tweaks throttle mapping and adds a synthesised exhaust note. I didn’t like that plastic was coming off the floor mats within the first six months.

So would I choose one again? No. It doesn’t quite cut it for me as the hot hatch of choice. But I did enjoy every minute with this well-rounded car. What it lacks in grin-inducing zest, it makes up for with speedy, practical and understated motoring.