PERFECTLY timed during an era of rising fuel costs and conscious carbon emissions, Peugeot’s 308 Touring is once again pitched as an upmarket alternative to thirsty SUVs and boxy MPVs. It is big – and clever – from the inside, yet small and maneuverable from the outside, while ticking all the right boxes for many families. So we threw in five noisy adults, two large and impatient dogs and some luggage into the range-topping XSE HDi to see how it copes with modern life. Powered by an unassuming 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine teamed with a slick six-speed automatic, this fully laden outing proved an effortless task for the Pug. We were impressed.
Peugeot 307 Touring
Released: October 2003
Ended: August 2008
Family Tree: 308JOINING a growing market segment of small cars to offer seven seats (such as Holden’s European-built Zafira), the 307 Touring offered clever interior packaging and seating flexibility without the sheer bulkiness and fuel appetite of a full-size SUV. Power came from an eight-valve 2.0-litre turbo-diesel producing 66kW and 205Nm (matched exclusively to a five-speed manual transmission) or a 16-valve 2.0-litre petrol unit offering 100kW and 190Nm, with either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual. May 2005 saw a welcome revision with new-generation turbo-diesel engines. The 1.6- and 2.0-litre engines (the latter exclusive to the Touring) were cleaner and offered more performance as well as improved fuel economy. In October 2005, the 307 gained revised interior and exterior styling (including Peugeot’s signature gaping bumper-level air intake), more standard equipment and the availability of two automatic HDi models.
Road Test
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