Peugeot 308 GTi Is Too Discreet, UK Reviewer Finds Trunk Is Man-Sized

Carbuyer reviews are known for their quirky ways of proving the practicality of a vehicle. They show bananas and big bottles all the time, but it's been a while since somebody tried to fit inside the trunk of a car.

The 308 GTi can easily swallow a grown man because Peugeot designed the car to have tighter rear seats and a bigger luggage compartment.

While the French hot hatch looked extremely funky in the press photos that previewed its arrival, the real thing is very discreet. In fact, this press car is even more so than a Golf GTI. Sure, there's a stripe there and an alloy here, but some people might not notice you've spent £26,555 on a Peugeot. The interior is also Golf-like because it lacks the crazy orange accents of a Focus ST or yellow belts of a Megane RS.

The turbo engine used here is the automotive equivalent of margarine because you just can't believe it's not real butter. Instead of a 2.0-liter like everybody else uses, Peugeot stuck a 250 horsepower 1.6-liter under the hood. The upside is that this has made it much faster.

For £28,155, you can have the same engine with 270 PS, better tires, bigger brakes and a limited slip differential. You should do that!

We think that while everybody else is preoccupied with Nurburgring lap records, Peugeot has tried to make hot hatchbacks with comfortable suspension and good fuel economy. Considering that average customers are into their late 30s, that's actually smart thinking.