For Peugeot fans it's a case of familiarity breeds content. The new 308, which reached South African showrooms in early February 2008, is no major reinvention over its predecessor, the 307.
The improvements involve safety and size but the new car will feel quite familiar to Peugeot owners trading up from the 307.
The 308 has inherited its predecessor's swept-back lines and slanty cat's eyes that stretch halfway to the windscreen but it's a bit longer, wider and lower to give it a chunkier presence, complete with a large "cheese grater" grille.
The front and rear tracks have been widened so in come larger wheels that add style and improve road-holding.
What really sets the 308 apart in the very competitive hatchback segment is its new 1.6-litre, turbocharged engine that, at Gauteng altitude, could be just the thing to attract Auris or Golf fans.
The 308 XT has a turbocharged, 1.6-litre, direct-injection petrol engine developed with BMW; it's a slightly detuned version of that in the very rapid Mini Cooper S. The 308 is heavier than the Cooper S and so doesn't get going in quite as much of a hurry but it's still a very punchy car.
It feels livelier on the Reef than its non-turbo, two-litre rivals which make similar power on paper but lose a lot of puff at high altitude. It also needs servicing only every 30 000km.
The Peugeot has a good spread of power across the rev range for energetic overtaking and effortless cruising - and a brisk, sub-10sec 0-100km/h sprint.
There's some turbo lag at low revs but you learn to overcome it with a bit of double de-clutching.
The anti-lock brakes are excellent and the hazard lights switch on automatically under emergency braking to wake up tailgaters.
So it's thumbs-up on the performance side but the verdict is a little less positive when it comes to ride. The 308 glides comfortably enough when the road is smooth but gets jittery over bumps and ripples - shooting down the myth about all French cars having outstanding ride quality.
The handling gives no cause for complaint; Peugeot's new hatch scoots through curves swiftly and cleanly, with no surprises for the driver. Any understeer resulting from driver over-exuberance is easily cured by simply lifting off the accelerator. There's also traction control to bail you out - though it can be switched off...
The Peugeot 308 is available in XT and non-turbo XS versions, each with a comprehensive spec sheet that includes folding external mirrors, cruise control, auto lights and wipers, radio/CD/MP3 and a trip data processor.
Upmarket ambience
Clutter storage is plentiful with underseat compartments and a chillable glovebox; a giant glass sunroof lights up the interior.
The cabin has an upmarket ambience. There are soft-touch surfaces infused with a bit of chrome bling and the cloth seats have good side support and trendy design.
The ventilation controls are notably easy to use and allow you to route air in any direction - I mention this because most modern cars don't offer a face/windscreen combination; the 308 does.
The 308 scores well on family practicality: good rear legroom is available without squishing the front seats into the fascia. The boot's a decent size and - hooray - holds a full-sized spare wheel.
Crash protection includes seven crash bags (the odd one is for the driver's knees) and the 308 scored a maximum five stars in EuroNCAP crash tests.
The Peugeot 308 XT does very little wrong except for its sometimes jittery ride. The turbocharged power gives it an edge at altitude and its styling and relative rarity might attract buyers looking for something different.
Above average
South Africans tend to be wary of buying imported - particularly French - cars due to perceptions of dodgy quality and long waits for spares but Peugeot SA says supply has improved now that it's quadrupled the size of its parts warehouse.
The 308 also scored above average in Synovate's car quality awards.