2012 Peugeot 308 FULL ROAD TEST

The C-segment is one of the most crowded and competitive areas of the market, producing a decent car just isn’t good enough; it is a segment where excellence is a must. Turn back the clock to 1993 and there was one car that turned the C-segment on its head instantly making the then popular Ford Escort and Vauxhall Astra look dull, dated, poorly packaged and as much fun to drive as a shopping trolley. The car in question was the Peugeot 306; sister car to the Citroen ZX, it simply blew buyers away with its svelte looks, great cabin space and ability to make the most mundane journey an absolute hoot.  The key to the 306’s success was its unique rear suspension which consisted of a then sophisticated fully independent trailing arm/torsion bar axle compared to rivals more simple setups. Unique to the 306 was its active suspension bushes at the rear which during cornering enabled the angle of the wheels to change so in effect steering the car from the rear as well as the front. It also had its engine mounted as far back as possible for better weight distribution coupled with beautifully weighted steering with bags of feedback the 306 was a real drivers cars. The 306 soldiered on until 2002 with nothing more than a mid-cycle nip and tuck by which time its rivals had moved the game on considerably and the introduction of the superb Ford Focus in 1998 marked the end of Peugeot’s class leadership. Coming up with a successor was a headache for Peugeot as the key to the 306’s superb handling was its low kerb weight and compact dimensions which didn’t lend themselves well to the safety standard set by the Ford Focus. As a result the 306 successor the 307 was much larger and heavier than its forbearer and lost its sophisticated rear suspension, as a result it was a safe, spacious car but was completely lacking in driver appeal and also disappointingly it looked like a bloated 206. As a result it was a “me too” car that brought nothing new to the market with a long list of rivals that were better. In 2007 the 307 was replaced by the logically named 308 whose aim was to inject some added style and driver involvement to the mix to challenge the class best as well as improving interior quality and refinement. Last year the 308 received a mid-life facelift to bring its styling in line with the larger 508 and saw the introduction of Peugeot’s cutting edge e-HDi technology seen on other models; here we are testing the Oxygo model which is Peugeot’s answer to the Golf Bluemotion. We find out how the 308 measures up against fresher rivals from Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen and whether Peugeot’s e-HDi technology is worth the added expense.

2012 Skoda Yeti FULL ROAD TEST

Skoda have for many years been a brand shunned by many purely based on the negative connotations associated with their well-known badge. As anyone with an ounce of car knowledge will know todays Skodas are based heavily on mechanicals from parent company Volkswagen who enjoy a faultless image based on a reputation of reliability and first rate build quality. Therefore to the logically minded there is no reason to criticise any product bearing the Skoda name especially as they are usually so keenly priced  but sadly this is not the case. As we have experienced recently from our time with the superb Fabia vRS Skodas are as competitive as anything else on the market and should appeal to anyone looking for simple, good value transport. Here we are testing Skoda’s latest and most rugged model the interestingly named Yeti which promises to offer buyers the benefits of a large SUV in a package similar in size to a Ford Focus. We find out if it can deliver.

2012 Peugeot 508 SW FULL ROAD TEST

There was a time when choosing a new car was simple, mainstream manufacturers such as Ford offered four sizes, a supermini (Fiesta), a small family car (Escort), large family car (Mondeo) or an executive (Scorpio). Take a glance at most car ranges today and its astonishing how many models there are to choose from all aiming to offer something for different buyers tastes from crossovers to the vast array of multi-purpose vehicles that have flooded the market in recent years. 

During this insurgence of choice there has been one market that has felt the squeeze and now struggles to hit the sales charts, I’m talking about the family car sector. In their heyday a growing family’s default choice was a large family car which offered an excellent blend of passenger and luggage space, reliability as well as motorway refinement. 

Now more than ever cars such as MPVs and SUVs are becoming much more attractive to potential buyers as they can offer families more due to their clever packaging offering more space, versatility, safety, economy and comfort in a neat design that often takes up less space on the road than your average small family car. 

The result is that many manufacturers have dropped their family car offering from their line-up namely Renault and Nissan. Despite this Peugeot is still confident that it can compete in this shrinking sector with its recently launched 508 which has been tasked with replacing not only the 407 but the larger, executive 607 in the range. Peugeot have made this possible with increased dimensions and moving the new car further upmarket in terms of quality and refinement in a bid to poach buyers from premium brands.

I find out whether the 508 meets Peugeot’s expectations and is worthy successor to the unloved 407 and 607 whilst competing with established models from Ford and Volkswagen

2012 Kia Optima FULL ROAD TEST

MITSUBISHI REVIEWS COMING SOON

Rob McSorley on CARS will soon be reviewing Mitsubishi models with the cooperation of Mitsubishi Press UK

2011 Kia Picanto FULL ROAD TEST

Words and Photos by Rob McSorley 


City cars have become increasingly popular over recent years due to their minuscule running costs and tiny dimensions that make them perfectly suited to the busy, congested roads found in most cities. Years ago these cars forced owners to live with significant compromises that now seem quite amusing especially when it came to standard equipment. Many models only had one wing mirror, no rear wiper, no central air vents and some didn’t even come with a stereo never mind power steering which seems crazy today. Now more than ever City cars have had to move with the times and offer buyers more, especially with the recent trend in downsizing. Kia is the latest manufacturer to launch a new city car, the Picanto which is now in its second generation and promises to offer economy, comfort, refinement and fuel efficiency in equal measures, I find out how it fairs and whether it is a viable alternative to established rivals from Citroen, Peugeot and Hyundai.