Photo: Kolesa.ru
A few weeks ago, we showed you some detailed spyshots of the all-new Peugeot 308, likely to be a 2022 model. It's a rising star of the European compact car scene, and we thought it was a bit interesting, especially in the context of the Chrysler venture.
However, the Russian website Kolesa has removed the layers of camo to potentially reveal another boring hatchback. The two renderings are a combination of elements from current Peugeot models but are somehow less than the sum of the parts.
The front is obviously inspired by the bigger 508, which is sold as a liftback four-door coupe and shooting brake. Meanwhile, the rear also borrows ideas from models such as the 208 subcompact hatch and 3008 crossover. But the bit in the middle is what really bothers us - no curves, no hips.
We expected the new Peugeot 308 to be a bit more like a coupe, along the lines of the Mazda3 hatch or the classic Alfa Romeo Brera. But that probably wouldn't make a good car.
Compact hatchbacks are all about leases and company car fleets. Remove the thin veneer of technology and design and you're left with something built to a cost. Often, 5 mpg and an inch of legroom is the difference between the segment leader and a loser. Rumor has it that fellow French carmaker Renault will drop the Megane to focus on crossovers, while Citroen has done just that with its new C4.
The thing that made the outgoing 308 interesting for us was the GTi model, the only model in this segment to feature a small 1.6-liter turbo engine. But Peugeot has discontinued it due to high emissions. The next "performance" version will likely be fully electric or a plug-in hybrid like the Golf GTE.
The two main engines for the new 308 are likely to be the 1.5L diesel and 1.2L turbo with outputs in the 90-150 horsepower range. An EV will be offered almost from launch.
The front is obviously inspired by the bigger 508, which is sold as a liftback four-door coupe and shooting brake. Meanwhile, the rear also borrows ideas from models such as the 208 subcompact hatch and 3008 crossover. But the bit in the middle is what really bothers us - no curves, no hips.
We expected the new Peugeot 308 to be a bit more like a coupe, along the lines of the Mazda3 hatch or the classic Alfa Romeo Brera. But that probably wouldn't make a good car.
Compact hatchbacks are all about leases and company car fleets. Remove the thin veneer of technology and design and you're left with something built to a cost. Often, 5 mpg and an inch of legroom is the difference between the segment leader and a loser. Rumor has it that fellow French carmaker Renault will drop the Megane to focus on crossovers, while Citroen has done just that with its new C4.
The thing that made the outgoing 308 interesting for us was the GTi model, the only model in this segment to feature a small 1.6-liter turbo engine. But Peugeot has discontinued it due to high emissions. The next "performance" version will likely be fully electric or a plug-in hybrid like the Golf GTE.
The two main engines for the new 308 are likely to be the 1.5L diesel and 1.2L turbo with outputs in the 90-150 horsepower range. An EV will be offered almost from launch.
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