Short drive: Peugeot 308 SW with new automatic

Efficient Frenchman with fine manners

The Peugeot 308 SW with 1.2 three-cylinder turbo and 6 automatic transmission in short driving report

Ironically, a Japanese supplier is bringing the French Golf dangerously close to the German premium compact car class. It is a new transmission from the specialist Aisin, with which the Peugeot 308 SW can score again. Even during the presentation, he could no longer hide his qualities in terms of driving comfort, noise level and workmanship. My Conclusion in the driving report for the new 308 was then correspondingly positive.

The new 6-speed automatic transmission is an automatic with a converter and therefore does not follow the trend towards the double clutch. However, the specialist from Japan and the compact car experts from France are convinced that this transmission shifts as fast as a double clutch and yet is as comfortable as a classic automatic converter. And the drive should also be efficient.

Three-cylinder turbo and the 6 aisle menu

Behind the new and discreetly held grille of the fresh Peugeot 308 operates a three-cylinder turbo with 1.2 liter displacement, gasoline direct injection and 130 PS. That with a small turbo three-cylinder quite decent performance can put on the asphalt and still remains efficient, had Ford with the EcoBoost generation already proven. So now the French too. Their vehicle fleet has an average of 111,1 grams of CO₂ actually one of the most economical kilometers per kilometer. In order to be so efficient on the road, some cars in the program have to slid well below the 100 gram mark. For 13 models Peugeot already achieves the planned CO₂- Standards from 2020. The Peugeot 308 SW (Active equipment) THP 130 with EAT6 automatic belongs with 114 grams per CO₂ not yet among the most economical in the Peugeot program, even if a combined consumption of 4.9 liters per 100 kilometers should not be misunderstood as gluttony.

At the premiere of the new automatic transmission, Peugeot said that the increased convenience of the automatic would not be paid for by increased consumption. Unfortunately, this cannot be confirmed in the variant driven with the 1.2 liter turbo gasoline engine. At least on paper, the automatic petrol engine is 0.2 liters per 100 kilometers thirstier than the manual switch. During the first short test drive at the end of November, however, I could not understand these values. The time window for the first impression was simply too short. And now let's be honest. Honestly. 0.2 liter additional consumption? It doesn't matter to me. A bad day behind the wheel, driven a little too briskly and you already use more fuel than on a good day. No - the first impression of the new 6-speed automatic was more important.

6 gear with asterisks

The 230 Nm of the small turbo petrol engine serves the 6-gear automatic with a lot of feeling. But also directly. The switching pauses of the new Aisin automatic are indeed imperceptibly short. Not as smooth and coherent on the train as the gear changes of a modern double clutch, but surprisingly close. In addition, the six gears apparently, so the impression after a few test kilometers, in their translation made sense for everyday life.

And finally ...

With the small turbo three-cylinder, Peugeot offers a modern engine, combines it with an equally modern automatic and packs it all into the again modern casing of the new Peugeot 308. The result is an extremely successful family station wagon in the Golf class. Design, quality, performance and consumption - a Peugeot station wagon has never been closer to the top of the class!