Peugeot refreshes 308 range, GTi gone

PEUGEOT Australia has given its 308 small-car line-up an extensive refresh for 2020, one that axes the hi-po GTi flagship, drops diesel from the line-up completely and ushers in a new pricing structure with the range now kicking off from $31,490 driveaway.

At the bottom of the range, the Allure opens things up virtually unchanged for 2020 apart from its revised driveaway price of $31,490, marking a saving of $4422 compared to its 2019 predecessor.

Standard equipment and safety tech includes autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, reverse camera, parking sensors, touch screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, electronic park brake, keyless entry and start, chrome accents and 16-inch two-tone alloy wheels.

Under the bonnet still lays a turbocharged 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine producing 96kW of power and 230Nm of torque, all of which is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission.

This particular engine and transmission combination is shared across the range and has become the only offering in 2020 given Peugeot Australia has opted to axe the flagship GTi and its fire-breathing 200kW/330Nm turbocharged 1.6-litre powertrain as well as its six-speed manunal transmission.

Also gone is the torquey 2.0-litre turbo-diesel unit which used to chug out 110kW and an impressive 370Nm, residing exclusively under the bonnet of the Allure Touring Sportswagon – and the hatchback as an alternative to the aforementioned petrol engine.

As such the 2020 Allure Touring Sportswagon now perfectly mirrors its hatchback brethren – save for the wagon body – but commands a $2000 premium ($33,490 driveaway) in exchange for the extra space.

Following the GTi’s departure as the 308 range topper, the newly added 2020 GT-Line steps in priced from $36,490 driveaway, and only available in hatch form.

Powered by the same turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol unit as the Allure duo, the GT-Line borrows styling cues from the more potent (and discontinued) GT and GTi variants to distinguish itself from its lesser stablemates and also scores an array of extra goodies as standard.

A panoramic glass roof, full LED headlights, LED foglights, LED sequential scrolling front indicators, 18-inch ‘diamant’ black diamond cut wheels, sports styling kit, exhaust trim, exclusive red highlighted interior trim and steering wheel, GT-Line exterior badging, red illumination for the instruments in sport mode and a digital readout on the instrument cluster showing things like power and torque usage, boost pressure and a G-meter.

According to Peugeot Australia product manager Daniel Khan, the revised 308 range “adds value where it matters” and delivers “new models that hit the sweet spot in terms of visual appeal, performance and practicality”.

“With a complete suite of safety and convenience inclusions, the revised Peugeot 308 range is sure to garner the attention of customers that value style just as much as value,” he said.

Peugeot managed to sell 44 308s in the first quarter of this year, accounting for just 0.1 per cent of the sub-$40,000 small-car segment and marking a 53.2 per cent sales slip compared to the same period last year (94 sales).

2020 Peugeot 308 driveaway pricing