A PANORAMIC roof comes in handy when viewing the city’s many monuments.
Some people take Paris by mouth, some by bike, and some by credit card. In this trip to Paris, we took Paris by car.
It’s quite interesting driving around the different arrondissement rather than taking the metro or taxi. When you are driving, you get to explore more than the usual route a taxi driver will take because there would be a lot of chances you will get lost. Taking the metro, on the other hand, does not afford you the sights—only the speed.
We drove around Paris on a Peugeot 308 GT, a midsize vehicle that has both hatchback and wagon configurations, and is available in both gasoline and diesel engines.
The 308 has been enjoying commercial success due to its design, perceived quality, innovative i-Cockpit, and efficiency in terms of fuel economy and low emissions.
What was important to see was Peugeot’s “claim to fame” suspension on its native land. Peugeot says it gives the best ride, having been designed for the old cobblestone streets of Paris.
MODERN console, but definitely not intimidating
Testing this firsthand would say a lot about the brand being fit for the not so vintage, but very much worn out streets of Manila, or any city in the Philippines for that matter.
Being Asians, our first stop was La Vallée Village, which is an outlet mall just 30 minutes away from Paris. We just finished hitting Rue Saint-Honoré the day before and our credit cards definitely welcomed the discount shopping. So off we went.
Going out of Paris was more difficult than anticipated. Just going around Arc de Triomphe was a nightmare, much more crossing the Avenue Montaigne roundabout to take the road coursing alongside the Seine as different cars and motorbikes tried to go in their own different directions.
This is how the GPS system proved its usefulness. We were also using Waze as a backup. Although the GPS system is not as advanced as what is available on smartphones, it is quite important to take note that Peugeot now has a mirroring function where you can have your smartphone app connected to the console system. This makes driving easier and safer.
RED TRIM on leather seats
The 308 also has a panoramic roof, which gives you the feeling of airiness. This came in handy while touring the city’s monuments, giving us a better view of the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.
The interior of the 308 is spacious and sporty. It is very evident that styling was given priority in the design of a Peugeot.
The steering wheel’s and seat’s sporty designs are inspired by the brand’s long and successful history in motorsports.
We like the red trim on the leather seats and the comfortable arch of the front chairs. This particular model did not come in power seats and it was somewhat difficult to recline the seats.
The console is modern yet not the intimidating spaceship-type. The instrumentation is in a different orientation: Instead of the needles going to one direction, they moved toward each other.
We were expecting a lot of noise, which was usual when driving on a cobblestone road, but with the 308, it was almost inaudible, which surprisingly exceeded our expectations.
In terms of power, the diesel engine was more than enough in giving us the power we needed while driving on the highway. There was no abrupt sound or lag when the gears shifted, making the drive even smoother on paved roads.
“The 308 will be introduced toward the end of November this year,” according to Glen Dasig, Peugeot Philippines president.
“We are pleased to say that we will be the first to offer an engaging car in its segment that provides European refinement with standout Euro 6 emission standards—all without having to cost an arm and a leg.
THE BRAND’S long history is apparent in its interior’s design.
“The Peugeot 308 signals the new design philosophy of the brand which brings back the focus on driving sensations. It is a minimalist approach in which the driver is given fewer distractions, but returns more fun in driving.
“It is the compact family car that blended style, refinement, advanced technology and efficiency remarkably together that it was named the European Car of the Year,” he added.
We were supposed to drive to Versailles, but the weather did not cooperate and it wouldn’t have been fun frolicking in the gardens of Marie-Antoinette while freezing your bum off. We decided to stay in the city and continue our adventure.
Even after several visits, Paris is always a good idea. And after this trip, we got a good look at what a Peugeot really is.
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