Peugeot 308 has officially introduce for the updated C-segment
hatchback. The car is being displayed in both cooking THP and hot GTi forms,
but it’s the former we’re looking at here.
Priced at RM 129,888 on-the-road without insurance,
the THP model retails around the same level as before, which came in at
RM 132,888 with insurance and the old goods and services tax (GST). Included in
the price is a five-year/120,000 km factory warranty and three years’ 24-hour
Peugeot Assistance.
On the outside, the changes amount to a repositioned
lion badge, which has moved from the bonnet and into the taller, more upright
grille, along with a sportier front bumper with larger, more prominent air
intakes. Full-LED headlights remain, but the triple-claw tail lights are now
always on, and while the striking 18-inch Saphir two-tone alloy wheels remain,
they now sport a darker black finish.
Inside, you’ll find an enhanced i-Cockpit
infotainment system, with a capacitive touchscreen (still measuring 9.7 inches)
and Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink connectivity. In terms of kit,
the THP model loses out on a panoramic glass roof, the massage function for the
seats and Alcantara seat trim (it’s still part-leather) of the pre-facelift
model, and the multi-info display is now of a lower resolution.
However, the car still gets keyless entry,
push-button start, dual-zone climate control, six speakers and a reverse
camera. Safety-wise, six airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, stability
control and hill start assist come as standard, but unfortunately, the previous
car’s Driver Assistance Pack, which added autonomous emergency braking and
adaptive cruise control, is missing here.
Under the bonnet, the familiar 1.6 litre THP
turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine is retained, but it gets a boost in
power from 152 PS to 167 PS at 6,000 rpm, although torque holds station at 240
Nm at 1,400 rpm. There’s still an Aisin-sourced six-speed automatic
transmission, and as such it doesn’t get the new electronic gearlever – that’s
only reserved for the eight-speeders offered in other markets.
