Driven at the end of 2013 by the previous generation, the move upmarket of the Peugeot 308 takes on a new dimension with this third version launched in 2021. To the point of worrying a so-called premium compact like the BMW 1 Series? Answer in this comparison of gasoline versions of 130 hp.
Test cars: BMW 1 Series vs Peugeot 308
| BMW 1 Series 118i DKG7 Edition M Design | |
|---|---|
|
€ 35,490 no bonus |
| Peugeot 308 1.2 PureTech 130 EAT8 GT Pack | |
|
€ 34,600 no bonus |
In a cloud of smoke and strobe lights, we leave our time machine set to the year 2013. On this date, the Peugeot 308 and BMW 1 Series had very little in common … The French was a compact with a high roof, whose carnivorous muzzle and firm suspension did not fit well with its often HDi badged engines (more than 90% of sales!). For its part, the BMW 1 Series spun the perfect sporting metaphor: unique compact with rear-wheel drive, it housed melodious six-cylinders in a longitudinal position at the expense of interior space.
We are eight years later and, by a diametrically opposed path, our two acolytes have ended up looking alike. The third generation of BMW 1 Series thus shares its platform with the Mini cousins and accommodates three-cylinders driving its front wheels. The Peugeot 308 III, it has lengthened its hood and moved back its cabin (like the Series 1 first of the name!). It recovered the codes of the premium circle (neat general presentation, state-of-the-art technological equipment) and even offered itself the services of rechargeable hybridization (up to 225 hp accumulated here on trial). Between our two converts, the match is becoming clear today.
Price 308 PureTech 130 and BMW 118i
To face the cream of the compact, the Peugeot 308 has put on its best outfit: the GT Pack at € 34,600, the last rung of a ladder with five finishes. Matrix LED lights, 360 ° parking cameras, semi-autonomous driving system, massage seats, induction smartphone charger, all are included as standard. Conversely, the Series 1 Edition M Design does not even offer them in its options basket. The German must also resort to supplements to benefit from a hands-free key, adaptive cruise control, a Hi-Fi installation with ten speakers, heated front seats, 18-inch rims instead of 17 , or even more common equipment such as electrically folding mirrors or the simple dual-zone air conditioning function.
The price of the BMW is not however softer. At € 35,490 in base price, the 118i DKG7 Edition M Design is € 890 above the 308 PureTech 130 EAT8 GT Pack, but it becomes € 6,000 more expensive by adopting the missing equipment. And if the German retains the exclusivity of certain options (gesture controls, digital key on smartphone and motorized tailgate do not exist at Peugeot), it will have to justify its additional cost to the test of daily life. On the way !
To drive
In these intermediate petrol versions, our two rivals refuse any hybridization, even slight. A choice that does not wake up too much the ecological penalty (from 100 € in 2022) but can be seen from the first action of the Stop & Start system, connected to a simple reinforced starter rather than to an alternator-starter. In both cases, a slight jerk occurs shortly before the engine is cut, and its awakening lacks both delicacy and speed. The good availability of the three-cylinders and the smoothness of the automatic gearboxes then compensate. And it is here the Peugeot which marks the first point.
Steering more placid and manoeuvrable thanks to the small steering wheel, efficient 360 ° parking cameras (what progress compared to the previous generation!), The 308 appears easier at low speed and provides better comfort for the occupants. The Series 1 Edition M Design pays here its sport chassis lowered by 10 mm as standard, which reflects more sharply the retarders and manholes and is more justified on tortuous road.
Without having superior grip, the BMW is thus more playful in turns. It asserts a more precise steering, a more incisive front axle and a more mobile rear axle when letting go of the accelerator. Its anti-slip is also more versatile (Normal, Sport and Off modes, when the 308 only allows total disconnection under 50 km / h), adapting better to the wishes of each driver. Lovers of dynamic driving will however have to turn to more powerful engines, because these three-cylinders shine more by their flexibility than their frank character.
Despite different powers and transmissions (130 hp and 8-speed automatic gearbox at Peugeot, 136 hp and dual-clutch and 7-speed gearbox at BMW), our test cars show very similar performance, each delivered in its own way: the 118i relies on its great availability at low revs to evolve “on the torque” when the 308 prefers to downshift one or two reports when a need for power or in long highway ramps.
At 130 km / h stabilized, the Peugeot 308 also seduces with its careful soundproofing (and now at the level of the excellent Series 1) before complexing its rival in terms of driving assistance. Annoying on a winding road, the simple correction of Peugeot lane departure thus becomes relevant on the motorway. Coupled with adaptive cruise control, the system this time effectively maintains the car at a given position in its file, serving rest on long journeys such as cohabitation with two-wheelers in traffic jams. A function unavailable in Series 1, which is content with a distance-keeping cruise control (option at 460 €).
To live
If the Peugeot 308 renews its famous i-Cockpit with a small steering wheel (which still hides part of the counters in certain driving positions), it renews everything else. Its digital instrumentation adopts a 3D effect display and multiple layouts. Its manufacturing quality now follows that of the 1 Series, a fortiori in GT Pack level with topstitched dashboard, aluminum-style inserts and pretty upholstery mixing imitation leather and Alcantara. Finally, the AGR driver’s seat guarantees superior comfort (reread our 1000 km test), while the large and numerous storage spaces are inspired by the best SUVs.
The most significant development, however, concerns the infotainment system, which can be controlled from the beautiful 10-inch diagonal touch screen. Its advantage? An advanced level of customization, concerning the home pages (which now allow the room temperature to be adjusted without resorting to the air conditioning menu) as well as the new shortcuts positioned under the screen. By pressing and holding one of the buttons, you can program your favorite functions: from your favorite radio station to your favorite temperature. Too bad the passage from one menu to another requires a short delay and that the “ok Peugeot” voice command does not always understand the destinations dictated orally.
The switch to the BMW 1 Series shows just how much… the 308 has progressed. The materials and assemblies no longer show any real superiority, and it becomes essential to resort to options to match the approval of the Peugeot. We are thinking of the Advanced seats at 460 €, more enveloping and adjustable than the very flat original seats; to the lighting kit at 310 €, to multiply the mood lights inside and out; to leather upholstery at € 1,720, to avoid the simple fabric that is less valuable on a daily basis and then on resale.
The M Design Edition level still includes the Live Cockpit Navigation Pro as standard, combining the 10.25-inch digital instrumentation and the central touchscreen of the same size. Less spectacular at first glance, these displays reveal their ease of use. The less customizable counters are ultimately more readable, while the “old-fashioned” controls (physical buttons for ventilation, touch wheel for the infotainment system) require you to take your eyes off the road less while driving.
Let’s finish this chapter by mentioning the rear space, just correct in both cases. Yes the knee radius is sufficient to accommodate adults, the 308 suffers from a backrest that is too vertical and the Series 1, from a seat that is too firm. As for the central seats, they remain dedicated to troubleshooting (curved upholstery, central tunnel on the floor). Differentiating our compacts is not easier in terms of trunk, each with its little extra.
The Peugeot releases more volume (412 l against 380 l) but is satisfied with the minimum in terms of modularity. The BMW, it offers a flat loading area folded back, but its lifting floor separates the useful volume into two parts. For regular family use, it will therefore be better to turn to the Peugeot 308 SW. A wagon version absent from the Serie 1 family …
Find the match report and all the equipment, prices and technical sheets compared on the next page.
