KEY POINTS:
Peugeot expects buyers of its new 308 hatchback to take up the $700 stability control option now that the system is being recognised as the most important safety addition since the seatbelt and anti-lock brakes.
Stability is standard on three of the cars and optional on the two entry-level models.
But the French car-maker has introduced the five-door 308 at a price which makes the system almost a must-buy.
"Our customers will definitely pick it up," says Peugeot NZ marketing manager Rod Cunningham. The 308 comes with a maximum five-star crash safety rating and starts at a hugely competitive $29,990 for the 1.6-litre five-speed XS manual and $32,990 for the four-speed XS automatic.
An extra $700 equips the car with a system that safety campaigners say will reduce the road toll by 30 per cent.
Stability is standard on the $37,990 XSP, $42,990 HDi and the upcoming Sport model, the price of which is yet to be announced.
The XS gets naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol engines, the XSP and Sport use turbocharged versions of the same units, and the HDi gets a 2-litre turbocharged diesel coupled to a six-speed automatic gearbox.
A plus for Peugeot is the availability at launch of the four-speed and six-speed automatics. In the past, autos from the Peugeot factory took more than a year to arrive.
Stability systems will gain more attention now that the Australasian New Car Assessment Programme will formally recognise the importance of the devices as part of its crashworthiness rating system. It will become a prerequisite for achieving a maximum five-star crash-test result.
Ancap crash tests, which can cost $50,000 each or up to $200,000 per vehicle, are co-funded by all Australian and New Zealand motoring clubs, all Australian state governments, the New Zealand government and statutory transport bodies.
The Peugeot 308 replaces the 307, which has sold three million units around the world since 2001. It shares the 307's floorpan and wheelbase and in many areas is almost identical to the 307. But its slightly bigger inside and out with gains to the front end for crash protection.
The French car-maker concentrated on improving interior quality, a weak area for the marque over the years.
The centre console, white dials and shapely steering wheel show Peugeot is going in the right direction, while the soft-touch plastics are smart.
Peugeot is pushing the environmental message. The 308's petrol and diesel engines meet Euro IV emission standards and the upcoming 1.6-litre diesel option will be cleaner again.
The company claims fuel economy for the 1.6-litre diesel of 4.5 litres/100km, or 62mpg, and CO2 tailpipe emissions of 120gr/km, making it thrifty and clean.
