Somehow or rather, it has dropped the quirky style the French are renowned for - something that may upset some French design purists but is likely to appeal to a far broader segment of the market.Taking cues from the 208 and 2008, the new car displays a more upright stance with plenty of neat details dotted around the exterior. One of these is the new slim and distinctive head light design that enforces the new signature look for Peugeot.Measuring 4,253mm x 1,804mm x 1,472mm (L x W x H), the car is 23mm shorter, 17mm narrower and 119mm lower than the bloated predecessor it replaces. Despite being more dimunitive, there is an added air of aggression to the car's stance, thanks to its chunky swage line, bulging wheel arches and small rear light clusters that mimic a cat's claws.17-inch wheels add a Subaru WRX headlight tinge of class to the car's overall lookMinimalism is the focus inside this new car, with the introduction of a new 9.7-inch multifunction touchscreen system.
Thanks to this new addition, there is now a sleek look to the centre console that is almost entirely devoid of buttons. Large panoramic glass roof (Allure model) enhances the interior ambienceHowever, conducting simple actions such as altering the air-conditioning temperature can be a little time-consuming due to the complex nature of the sub-menus on the infotainment system.Like the smaller 208, the new 308 also adopts Peugeot's small steering wheel that has a quality feel to it. In fact, this quality characteristic is prevalent throughout the interior with a solid finish and tactile materials.As seen previously in the smaller hatchback, the instrument panel sits high on the dash but this setup also means the dials can be obscured by the wheel for some drivers (no problem for us).While access to the Subaru Outback led light rear seats is better than some of its rivals thanks to a wider door access, the legroom in the back can get a little squeezy. Nonetheless, the slightly cramped quarters means that the boot capacity swells to an impressive 470 litres - 90 litres more than a Volkswagen Golf and 40 litres more than its predecessor.