Road test- Peugeot 308 A brief history of time

What makes Dr Who the best science fiction drama in the cosmos is the human animal’s fascination with time travel.
We are far more intrigued by the idea of flitting back and forth in history than we are interested in Russell Brand look-alikes beaming down as Patrick Stewart baldly goes about his business.
A word though, of caution. Be careful what you wish for.

Imagine a world where time has been mastered and you can pop backwards and forwards along the timeline.

Imagine discovering that you are not down to die in your sleep the same as grandfather but screaming in terror like his passengers.

Worst of all you could land in 1975, the owner of an Austin Princess, or a Triumph Dolomite. Cars of the 70s were doubly cursed. While they weighed as much as Venezuela they had the interior dimensions of a sheep.

This, I like to think, was because designers and engineers had no time to think. They came into work on Monday tasked with the need to get a new model off the drawing board and into production before the workforce went on strike after lunch.

Fast forward to today and it would be easy to believe the past was a parallel universe. Well go on, can you remember when you last wound up a window manually?

Peugeot’s new 308, for instance, is as far removed from anything it has previously offered in the family hatchback sector as the Sea of Tranquility is from Bognor Regis.

That includes the soulless 307, a car for people who just wanted, well, a car really and didn’t much care for driving, either.

There is no point in claiming a Tardis-like spatial miracle for the 308. It is roomy but it is also bigger than the 307. The extra length is well used in an airy cabin with soft touch mouldings and elegant, slightly retro dials.

The 308 is not a looker. That’s because it shares many of the basic lines of the 307. But please, be patient.
Be patient because this is a gem of a car. Comfortable, stylish and exceptionally well put together.
So how does it drive? Well the £16,895 1.6 SE, yes that’s a paltry 1600cc, will reach 62mph in 8.8 seconds. I don’t know about you, but that's very reasonable in my book.
Maximum speed is 133mph and the 1.6 handles rather well although this is hardly where you go in the market to loosen your fillings.
Leather interior, sat nav, media centre, alloys and front and rear parking sensors are all extra but the standard list of safety and electronic gear is good.
If you are in the market for a family hatch the 308 should be on your shortlist along with the Golf and Ford Focus. It is a quality item and If you don’t find the 308 friendly, easy going and enjoyable then I am a Dalek.