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Peugeot 308 1.2 (A) vs Volkswagen Golf 1.2 (A)
27 Jul 2016|136,064 views
Imagine this - you've put in some hard work and got your long-awaited promotion. As such, you're considering upgrading your Japanese daily to a European as a reward.
And because car ownership in Singapore is so expensive, you'd want one that incurs lower road tax costs and is economical to run.
Plus, it would make perfect practical sense to get one that's compact enough for city driving convenience, yet spacious enough for a family of four.
It's moments like these that cars like the artful Peugeot 308 1.2 and the market-leading Volkswagen Golf 1.2 come to shine. Can the Golf remain top dog or does the 308 bag the win this time round?
Exterior
Taking the fight to the Germans, the 308 is a serious departure from the marque's quirky designs of old, showing that it has done some growing up and is ready to hang around the big boys.
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Peugeot's new cars, like the 308, now display a more upright stance with plenty of neat details laid around the exterior. One of our favourites is the car's new slim and distinctive headlamps.
Designers of the Golf haven't done as much on the drawing board but that's not to say the Golf isn't a pleasant car to stare at.
It's sharp lines, charming fascia and distinctive side profile have worked for years and won't lose its crowd-pleasing beauty anytime soon.
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The 308 does, however, sport a more 'upmarket' set of 17-inch rims as compared to its rival's mundane 16-inchers and does hint at being the more expensive car.
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Interior
On the inside, the 308 continues to outshine the Golf in terms of flair.
Design of the 308's cockpit isn't just more modern but also more interesting, because of its unsual instrument panel and tablet-like 9.7-inch multi-function touchscreen system, which leaves the the centre console almost entirely devoid of buttons and knobs.
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But the bane of this contemporary design is that conducting simple actions such as altering the air-conditioning temperature isn't as user-friendly as the Golf's dated but easy-to-use manual air-con controls.
Although the Golf's cabin design and build isn't as flashy or of quality as the 308, it's the more practical of the two for the driver, considering that the 308's instrument panel also isn't the easiest to absorb information from while driving.
But, buying the Golf over the 308 means that you'd have to adjust your music from the infotainment system itself due to the former's bare-bones steering.
As an occupant, especially at the back, the Golf does also present more space than the 308, but whoever's sitting in the middle may not appreciate the Golf's obstructive floor protusion. In this regard, the 308's plushier seats are comfier and also provide more support.
 |  |
Where cargo is concerned, the Golf's 380-litre trunk loses points to the 308's considerably larger 470-litre one. In this area, the 308 has managed to present itself as the more family-friendly car due to its superior trunk capacity and plushy seats.
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The Drive
On the road, the 308's takes 10.7 seconds to get from 0-100km/h. The Golf is quicker, mustering a timing of 10.2 seconds to complete the sprint.
But while paper figures say otherwise, on the road, the 308 does behave like the punchier car. Its turbocharged 1.2-litre tri-pot engine makes 129bhp and sends 230Nm of torque to the front tyres - that's 21bhp and 55Nm of torque more than the Golf's turbocharged 1.2-litre four-pot unit.
Apart from being more powerful, the 308's powerplant also produces a rorty note, customary of three-cylinder engines, which makes for a livelier driving experience.
On the other hand, those who prefer a quieter, more refined experience will be happy to go with the German.
Making up lost points from the cabin contest, the Golf's powertrain, comprising Volkswagen's proprietary seven-speed DSG autobox, is the more linear of the two - thanks to a broad powerband that helps with a smoother acceleration.
Because the of the Golf's 1,229kg kerb weight, it gets around corners in a more planted fashion than its 1,150kg French rival. Credit for this also goes to the car's spot-on suspension setup, which is a famed characteristic of this hatch.
Conclusion
In this test, the Peugeot 308 has proven to be more than just a worthy competitor to the Volkswagen Golf. Instead, with time and intention, the French have created machines that are giving the Germans a hard run for their money.
No doubt, the 308 does outdo the Golf in more ways than one but this comes at the cost of $13,900 more ($119,800 for the 308 as of 21st July 2016).
If you don't mind the budget-conscious proposition of the Golf, it does serve as a practical day-to-day car. Otherwise, if something different with a bit of swank is what you're after, the 308 is an interesting choice.
Imagine this - you've put in some hard work and got your long-awaited promotion. As such, you're considering upgrading your Japanese daily to a European as a reward.
And because car ownership in Singapore is so expensive, you'd want one that incurs lower road tax costs and is economical to run.
Plus, it would make perfect practical sense to get one that's compact enough for city driving convenience, yet spacious enough for a family of four.
It's moments like these that cars like the artful Peugeot 308 1.2 and the market-leading Volkswagen Golf 1.2 come to shine. Can the Golf remain top dog or does the 308 bag the win this time round?Exterior
Taking the fight to the Germans, the 308 is a serious departure from the marque's quirky designs of old, showing that it has done some growing up and is ready to hang around the big boys.
Peugeot's new cars, like the 308, now display a more upright stance with plenty of neat details laid around the exterior. One of our favourites is the car's new slim and distinctive headlamps.
Designers of the Golf haven't done as much on the drawing board but that's not to say the Golf isn't a pleasant car to stare at.
It's sharp lines, charming fascia and distinctive side profile have worked for years and won't lose its crowd-pleasing beauty anytime soon.
The 308 does, however, sport a more 'upmarket' set of 17-inch rims as compared to its rival's mundane 16-inchers and does hint at being the more expensive car.
Interior
On the inside, the 308 continues to outshine the Golf in terms of flair.
Design of the 308's cockpit isn't just more modern but also more interesting, because of its unsual instrument panel and tablet-like 9.7-inch multi-function touchscreen system, which leaves the the centre console almost entirely devoid of buttons and knobs.
But the bane of this contemporary design is that conducting simple actions such as altering the air-conditioning temperature isn't as user-friendly as the Golf's dated but easy-to-use manual air-con controls.
Although the Golf's cabin design and build isn't as flashy or of quality as the 308, it's the more practical of the two for the driver, considering that the 308's instrument panel also isn't the easiest to absorb information from while driving.
On the inside, the 308 continues to outshine the Golf in terms of flair.
Design of the 308's cockpit isn't just more modern but also more interesting, because of its unsual instrument panel and tablet-like 9.7-inch multi-function touchscreen system, which leaves the the centre console almost entirely devoid of buttons and knobs.
But the bane of this contemporary design is that conducting simple actions such as altering the air-conditioning temperature isn't as user-friendly as the Golf's dated but easy-to-use manual air-con controls.
Although the Golf's cabin design and build isn't as flashy or of quality as the 308, it's the more practical of the two for the driver, considering that the 308's instrument panel also isn't the easiest to absorb information from while driving.
But, buying the Golf over the 308 means that you'd have to adjust your music from the infotainment system itself due to the former's bare-bones steering.
As an occupant, especially at the back, the Golf does also present more space than the 308, but whoever's sitting in the middle may not appreciate the Golf's obstructive floor protusion. In this regard, the 308's plushier seats are comfier and also provide more support.
Where cargo is concerned, the Golf's 380-litre trunk loses points to the 308's considerably larger 470-litre one. In this area, the 308 has managed to present itself as the more family-friendly car due to its superior trunk capacity and plushy seats.
The Drive
On the road, the 308's takes 10.7 seconds to get from 0-100km/h. The Golf is quicker, mustering a timing of 10.2 seconds to complete the sprint.
But while paper figures say otherwise, on the road, the 308 does behave like the punchier car. Its turbocharged 1.2-litre tri-pot engine makes 129bhp and sends 230Nm of torque to the front tyres - that's 21bhp and 55Nm of torque more than the Golf's turbocharged 1.2-litre four-pot unit.
Apart from being more powerful, the 308's powerplant also produces a rorty note, customary of three-cylinder engines, which makes for a livelier driving experience.
On the other hand, those who prefer a quieter, more refined experience will be happy to go with the German.
Making up lost points from the cabin contest, the Golf's powertrain, comprising Volkswagen's proprietary seven-speed DSG autobox, is the more linear of the two - thanks to a broad powerband that helps with a smoother acceleration.
On the road, the 308's takes 10.7 seconds to get from 0-100km/h. The Golf is quicker, mustering a timing of 10.2 seconds to complete the sprint.
But while paper figures say otherwise, on the road, the 308 does behave like the punchier car. Its turbocharged 1.2-litre tri-pot engine makes 129bhp and sends 230Nm of torque to the front tyres - that's 21bhp and 55Nm of torque more than the Golf's turbocharged 1.2-litre four-pot unit.
Apart from being more powerful, the 308's powerplant also produces a rorty note, customary of three-cylinder engines, which makes for a livelier driving experience.
On the other hand, those who prefer a quieter, more refined experience will be happy to go with the German.
Making up lost points from the cabin contest, the Golf's powertrain, comprising Volkswagen's proprietary seven-speed DSG autobox, is the more linear of the two - thanks to a broad powerband that helps with a smoother acceleration.
Because the of the Golf's 1,229kg kerb weight, it gets around corners in a more planted fashion than its 1,150kg French rival. Credit for this also goes to the car's spot-on suspension setup, which is a famed characteristic of this hatch.
Conclusion
In this test, the Peugeot 308 has proven to be more than just a worthy competitor to the Volkswagen Golf. Instead, with time and intention, the French have created machines that are giving the Germans a hard run for their money.
No doubt, the 308 does outdo the Golf in more ways than one but this comes at the cost of $13,900 more ($119,800 for the 308 as of 21st July 2016).
If you don't mind the budget-conscious proposition of the Golf, it does serve as a practical day-to-day car. Otherwise, if something different with a bit of swank is what you're after, the 308 is an interesting choice.
Photos by Low Fai Ming
Car Information
Volkswagen Golf 1.2 TSI DSG (A)
CAT A|Petrol|20km/L
Horsepower
77kW (103 bhp)
Torque
175 Nm
Acceleration
10.2sec (0-100km /hr)
This model is no longer being sold by local distributor
All Used Volkswagen GolfPeugeot 308 1.2 PureTech EAT6 Allure 17" (A)
CAT A|Petrol|19.2km/L
Horsepower
96kW (129 bhp)
Torque
230 Nm
Acceleration
10.7sec (0-100km /hr)
This model is no longer being sold by local distributor
All Used Peugeot 308
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