Are Peugeots Too Weird For Japan? | Top Gear

What makes a good car great? The Peugeot 308 is a good car, it’s got intriguing looks, is practical and good to drive. But that doesn’t make it a great car. To do that you need something more. Something special. So to try and find some ‘special’, Top Gear Magazine’s Tom Ford heads to Japan (home to some great cars) to see if he can sprinkle some magic on the funky French hatch.
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[@abbarasheed8599]

The 308 in design alone, is truly a desirable car

[@geronimooo260]

But it has no real motor though, shame

[@petouser]

@@geronimooo260 For what? Driving 120kph on the highway?

[@phenixdev7276]

@@geronimooo260 Dude, they made a 360hp 508 and they only sold 2.000 units, ¿why would they bother to make more powerful cars if nobody is going to buy them?

[@julienrk1550]

​@@petouserbut they are far behind in engines now. The only full gasoline engine is a 3 cylinders 1,2l 130hp with a very bad reliability! The only hybrid is a 1,6l and a 1,5 diesel. They'd only work amon design and upgrade interior, but chassis are well calibrated but not extraordinary, even an ordinary Corrolla got a double wishbone in the rear suspension system, whereas this 308 got a basic torsion beam! I used to like Peugeot in the 90s.

[@jonibravo9004]

@@phenixdev7276 It’s a poor 1.6 hybrid, that’s why they didn’t sold any

[@qc6713]

Hi, I'm Japanese. The 308 is my dream car! I fell in love with it.

[@aquilinorodrigo]

Please update me if you ever buy one!

[@Zepoku]

So nice to see Top Gear in Japan! The guy from AZ auto (Kodama-san?) actually said he like the fact that seats and suspension feelings of French cars have been consistent for a long time, according to him maybe because they are designed to be comfortable on the paved streets of Paris. So much lost in translation with these apps, good thing for pro translators and interpreters who are not out of a job yet :)

[@rodyinjapan]

Wow Top Gear in Japan? You guys should definitely collaborate with Yutaka Yamagishi, he reviews vintage and extremely rare cars in Japan. His content is top tier. Btw been a fan of this show for over a decade now.

[@zukacs]

they were probably there months ago my dudd

[@VaibhavSingh-ty4hf]

Can you suggest me a channel for Japanese automobiles review

[@rodyinjapan]

@@VaibhavSingh-ty4hf from Japan definitely Yutaka Yamagishi, he has the best channel.

[@rodyinjapan]

@@zukacs thought so.

[@VaibhavSingh-ty4hf]

@@rodyinjapan 👍

[@mohammadalladiki7430]

Tom ford is the best when it comes to explaining in details about cars I love this man so much!

[@JamesSmith-qs4hx]

You will get thrown off a building if your mates catch you saying that.....

[@ralfzacherl9942]

The new Top Gear is so much better and I feel it's more suitable for us Americans as well. We're not so much into British humor and I feel Tom Ford suits us way more.

[@87sandyD]

@@ralfzacherl9942 My god, the arrogance. Did it ever accour to you Americans that we don’t care how you feel? Let’s not make it not about Americans…

[@good-tn9sr]

@@87sandyD actually you do care…

[@thaqifazumi4001]

I really like his review since Fifth gear.

[@keithronson2624]

Fantastic! This is the best piece of TG journalism and content in a very long while. Excellent, Mr. Ford. So intriguing the mix of Japanese and French. And yes exactly that little something extra is all that is needed. That said the new 308 is a brilliant car. Would take over a Golf and the like any day. Thank you. Excellent content!

[@jep1912]

Keith, you need to get out more.

[@Hygix_]

​@@jep1912 i think he does, car guy momen

[@ralfzacherl9942]

Agreed! The old TG guys were just obnoxiously British. I feel way more comfortable without the unfunny humor and a more American way of journalism.

[@YutakaYamagishi]

Great cinematography. This was a good episode.

[@olis_garage]

They produce this great content with 8 mill subscribers, yet somehow it gets less than 100k views. I'm a subscriber and it only popped into my feed 11 days after its posted, don't get the KZbin algorithm

[@SNwhy]

As an American in Korea, I love that this piece is willing to acknowledge the difficulties of getting by with mostly English and a translation app in a country where English isn't the predominate language. Kudos for transparency!

[@slashxchannel]

Peugeot is original brand in Japan. Many people in Japan own a Peugeot cars for a special reason. choose for unique reasons. Most people choose it because of its design and function. A long time ago it was a brand with idiosyncrasies, but now it is not. Recently, more and more people in Japan are interested in French cars. It's a brand that everyone knows if they like cars.

[@Odah_]

I've seen some Renault cars in Japan because of the Renault-Nissan groupe selling them in Nissan dealerships and most of them were high spec cars, as a French guy it is quite special seeing a familiar face in a place that is foreign to that ^^

[@h2so4_]

Greetings from Japanese french car lover who moved to the UK recently - I used to drive 1991 Renault 4 GTL in Yokohama, Japan and loved it (was living actually pretty nearby AZauto). I totally understand that french car's charm is being very french, though each manufactures have those in slightly different ways. I like Peugeot's aggressiveness in their design, Citroen's unique and agile feelings, and Renault's "cheap but in good way" feeling and simpleness... especially someone from a country which has Toyota locally, uniqueness and character are almost only key factor to buy European import to be completely honest. I do really wish European car manufacturers will continue to express their characters storongly in the future... I love how I can avoid buying Toyota just because "it's not something like Toyota, and I love that!"

[@martian9999]

I think you have a better understanding of the French makers' brand values than millions of Europeans. In fact, better than most managers at Peugeot, Citroen and Renault.

[@ikemotosystems1434]

I had a 2-door 306 back in the early 2000s. My god what a fun car. It even had limited steering on the rear wheels to help on corners, it was a monster. Loved that car to death.

[@devilslayerthesaintofkille1317]

You would think Japan would be crazy about Peugeots with their current designs that are futuristic and exotic, even by their standards.

[@hoffmaestro88]

Ferrari 412 at 6:55 is rather a crazy thing to be seen and not seen in Japan at the same time!

[@Syncopia]

A keen eye you have! Blink and you'll miss it.

[@ricarcar9333]

Well You arent the lone person that seen it 😅

[@rjung_ch]

A 2CV, owned one nearly 50 years ago. My first car, one of the most fun cars as well.

[@ichirotaniguchi]

we love French cars in Japan 👌🏼

[@pereldh5741]

At AZ Motors, the 405 is actually a 406 and the 205 is no GTI but CTI. And I’d have any of those Fiats instead of the Peugeots. 😊

[@A_Being_of_Light]

Nah, fiat

[@antrim9942]

^^

[@pedrov8649]

why not both 😁

[@R0wz0r]

if you never drove a 306, you're missing out.

[@pereldh5741]

@@R0wz0r I had a 309GTI which is almost as good, especially the steering. But the quality.. oh shit. I went straght back to italian cars, at least you can FIX them when they break. 😄

[@CAVtheANIMAL]

Dudes. What a lovely piece of journalism. Keep it up.

[@corysekine-pettite1783]

The 308 is gorgeous. I wish Stellantis would find a way to bring it to the States.

[@user-xg6zz8qs3q]

The 308 wouldn't sell in the States. The 5008 might. Ford stopped selling "cars" for a reason.

[@judygillespie3717]

They could badge it as a Chrysler I guess but nobody would buy a Chrysler hatchback 😂

[@user-xg6zz8qs3q]

@@judygillespie3717 Hatchbacks are dead! Even French car makers are selling hatchbacks which look like SUVs. The Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur are basically the same as a Toyota CHR.

[@dgbservices6049]

@@user-xg6zz8qs3q The 208 is a small hatchback and is still among the top 3 best selling cars in Europe after taking the lead in 2021-2022. It’s a few places ahead of the Golf which I believe is currently in 10th place according to Autocar’s research!

[@MikeyMacOfficial]

I definitely think the new 208 and 308 are strong contenders to be in the cool section on the cool wall

[@paultasker7788]

What Peugeot has produced is a good all rounder. My golf mark 7 is also a good all rounder although the Peugeot is more stylish. Both easy to like. But not love. Weirdly a 12 year old Mazda 3 we had as a second car for a while was easier to love. It was quite flawed mostly due to its age and lacked creature comforts like cruise, had a heavy clutch, cheap interior and I'd grab the golf for a long trip every time. But it had a zing about the way it drove. Even at 30 in town. Combination of relatively short gearing, a willing engine and lovely hydraulic steering that gave it good feel and agility. Even though I could corner 10mph faster in the golf the Mazda felt more alive. Which would I rather own. The golf. Which would I rather grab for a quick journey to get something from the shops. The Mazda every time. I owned a mark 1 focus and that was the same. It wasn't very well insulated though and noisy at speed. Especially road noise. I replaced that with a mark 2 and it was better car in everyway but it took about a week to miss the way the mark 1 drove. The magic had gone. Other cars I have loved from my family include a Porsche boxster S mark 1 which had an exhaust note that I adored and most of the BMWs I grew up with. The lovely sound of those straight 6 petrol engines. More recently the AMG 55 SLK sends a tingle down ones spine.

[@yugotsuruki9559]

Thank you for enjoying in Japan. My car is MINI R55. I enjoy driving around Mt.Fuji in this car. My dream is to drive a MINI around the UK!

[@duemilagt6396]

The imported cars that are popular in Japan are the premium range, and most of the utility class is covered by domestic cars led by Toyota. Among them, Peugeot, Citroen, Renault and Fiat are the manufacturers who are doing their best. On the other hand, Ford had no choice but to withdraw because it neglected sales efforts.

[@petouser]

That's why German manufacturers are some of the only broadly existing foreign cars in Japan. They fill in very nicely in the premium range. For budget to midrange cars, Japanese cars are unbeatable domenstically there. In Japan, Japanese cars are much cheaper than in Europe or in the US. It really hurts to see how much more expensive a Honda Civic or a Toyota Yaris, for instance, is in Europe.

[@Shuts]

A road going 9x8 would sound cool

[@janck1000]

I'm just happy to see Renault 4 in Japan, pride of Slovenia:)

[@jacobhanley7839]

My first car is a Peugeot 208. A great car and reliable and comfortable. A really great first car

[@patrickdgarez86]

This is subject matter that deserves a full length film, traveling the globe interviewing (with translators on hand when necessary) odd ball dealers and deep diving into car cultures around the globe. Revisit Clarkson's (I believe) Motorworld. That series was clearly killed off far too early. This video, while great, was merely an amuse bouche on the topic of what makes a car special. Again, great to have Tom back on KZbin and TG.

[@skfunk4550]

Japan and Japanese people are so awesome.

[@amgpilot9290]

Brilliant review, Tom! It reminded me of when I visited Tokyo back in 2018 and toured the Tatsumi P.A. I miss Japan!

[@reanozeon9459]

The music is magnificently pleasant !!

[@gbvtt76]

I personally really like the new 208s and 308s

[@xapaiz]

I rented a few small hatchbacks (HB20, Polo, Clio, etc.) and from all these shitty boxes I was pretty happy with the 208. All cars had similar quality, but the 208 had a nice modern look and interior (the 308 shares this sleek interior). The only thing that really bothered me was the throttle pedal angle. It fatigued A LOT my foot

[@adrienrigole4015]

I had the same issue on the new C3…

[@Syncopia]

So long story short, it's exactly why the Italian cars are so loved despite their flaws. A car has to have passion.

[@adithyanarayan3588]

Great job!!! Keep such stories coming

[@muthukumaranc]

Love the new top gear content!! Fantastic film.

[@cncgeneral]

Best film I've seen from TG in a while, more of this please!

[@sumeetbal7468]

Great to see Tom, and what an inspired video. Great stuff

[@theeric]

As a car guy, I get it. The complete joy & love of cars.

[@goldorak715]

I went to Japan and I saw a Citroen XM, a DS3, a Peugeot 3008 and a Renault Avantime. I was suprised and also pride of it as I am french :)

[@salmabagomsalmabagom7395]

Personally I really like the new 208s and 308s 👍👍👍

[@fedorflasnik]

Finaly. After years a brilliant content from TG. Thumbs up to Mr. Ford... this was very exciting to see and hear... (Y)

[@TheFairladyfreak]

Any car looks absolutely at home in Japan. It is the proper habitat for anything with wheels tbh.

[@johannesfranck1770]

I had a 205 20 years ago and misses it so much

[@stevestann595]

I'm ready to bet that if Peugeot went "more Peugeot", no one would buy them, and the auto journalists would shit on them. They're heading in the right direction, and they're making good and beautiful cars.

[@alexmaddox2255]

Sometimes character comes from a flaw, something that is ultimately annoying but it's why you love the car

[@felixk1564]

I bought this 308 in january last and i absolutely love it

[@kurtwheller6295]

Good ending explanation! Love it 👍

[@Cookie-Yeah197]

I just brought a second hand mk1 308 sw...I just needed a estate car, didn't care for it much when buying it..but have fallen in love with it since! So I would love a brand new up to date version.

[@mahangk2714]

great content, thanks for the effort

[@g00dfeeling]

Still remember his Citroën C6 review. This man is great.

[@izzatfauzimustafa6535]

Japan's car market tends to be protectionist in the past. For the general population in Japan, the impact of protectionist policies on the car market is very long lasting. Only enthusiasts and ppl with loads of money in Japan would buy cars made by non-Japanese brands (including Korean ones, which do attract a small number of buyers back in 2003-2005).

[@nibnob3850]

Something special makes a car special. Could be extreme styling, big performance numbers, quirky features or a complete break from convention. For some cars which aren't special it could be the epitomy of that style of car or brand.

[@henryhol8538]

Love it! Ive had the previous 308 and now have the 2008 as my daily driver to commute to work, and they are brilliant!

[@alexanderstefanov6474]

When I was in Japan in 2019, apart from German cars, the most non-japanese cars I saw were Citroens, Peugeots and Volvos.

[@rafamacamp]

My first car was a C4 Lounge, I crashed it and now I have a C3 G2 with the big ass windscreen. I love both of them and I want a 308 SO bad! I love the 208 too but it's smaller then my C3 and I'm feeling kinda limited by it.

[@leroyhendroff2268]

Not to mention Peugeot building cars like the 504, rugged, dependable & character for their current & future models hopefully.

[@chrtsi6912]

That blue sticker of the lion tossing Biscione... 😏

[@tp76ben5]

The problem is also that Peugeot cost quite a lot in Japan because you have to import them. Japanese don’t really know French cars so this explains the rarity of the car over there.

[@Jihoon_kor]

i've seen much more of them in Japan actually, especially compare to Korea lol

[@RideBuster]

one of very nice review, cheers

[@alexgreen2747]

Tom Ford! A joy having you back on my screen, in a different ‘gear’ to yesteryear

[@Timico1000]

We need more Tom Ford, i always liked his bits in the old days of Fifth Gear.

[@RICHOCHANGO]

Should’ve homologated a rally car when they were winning in the early 2000’s. Lost opportunity

[@vipermoon_]

Buy this man a human translator next time, Top Gear. Great vid!

[@whatever_12]

Tbh theirs only 2 or 3 classic peugeot that are really cool.. The rest are just normal, but those current peugeot design will probably be some future classic car

[@0KiwiStyles0]

My 1999 Peugeot 306 xsi was imported to New Zealand from japan around 2004. Someone one at least had enthusiasm for it back then. Granted that was probably the last of peugeots decent driving cars.

[@TheBrokenEclipse]

With the recent Peugeot designs I really wish they would make a light weight (roadster) sports-car, like the MX-5 or the GR-86

[@travelarmenia8199]

No longer being made but have a look at the RCZ.

[@clarksonoceallachain8536]

Those are mid weight sports cars

[@rushinetpaulraju7371]

What was that song playing in the background while showing Daikoku

[@aknotpsu]

Peugeot are awesome ! Powertrain and road feeling

[@robochitti]

good production video quality, I hope you guys visit Max & Maaya Orido and talk about his Trueno & her GR86

[@chrism3562]

It's too bad that Stellantis decided against bringing Pugeot back to the United States. The market here has too few cars and too many trucks and SUV/crossovers.

[@this_dude5307]

Apparently the reason why Stellantis cancelled Peugeot’s return was because they wanted to focus on existing brands in the US, which include Chrysler, Dodge, Alfa Romeo, and Fiat. It’s kinda mind boggling how they would rather rebuild a brand like Fiat in the US, where the only model they sell is the 500x and as a result only managed to sell less than 1000 units last year. The most logical thing they could’ve done was replace Fiat with Peugeot since their lineup is much better suited to the American market rather than Fiat’s lineup which consisted of mostly smaller cars. And unfortunately for Fiat, their reputation is down the drain as they are known to be unreliable. But yeah if you want to buy a non-SUV or truck from Stellantis right now, your only choice is to buy a Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger/Challenger (though there’s a new EV version coming soon), and the Alfa Romeo Giulia. The Fiat 500e is gonna make a return next year so that’s one more addition. Honestly disappointed that Peugeots are not gonna be sold here because they’re way more appealing than what Stellantis offers stateside. Way more interesting than the overrated Jeeps and Rams.

[@phenixdev7276]

@@this_dude5307 I heard that DS is coming to America with a new DS8

[@this_dude5307]

@@phenixdev7276 Where did you hear about that? As far as I know, Stellantis has said that it is not bringing any more brands to the US, and that’s why they cancelled Peugeot’s US launch in the first place. Therefore, there would be no reason for launching DS either, which is sad because they make such cool looking cars.

[@phenixdev7276]

@@this_dude5307 well, someone asked DS in an Instagram post if they were bringing the DS4 to the states and they answered: 👀

[@this_dude5307]

@@phenixdev7276 Well it was a random Instagram user who said that lol. Always take stuff from people on social media with a grain of salt.

[@joebeus6886]

Nothing is too weird for Japan!!! 😏

[@majorcalvary6515]

I’m old enough to remember Peugeot pulled out of US market. I actually like the 405 and 505. They just faded away like the Fiats and Alpha.

[@lylunnahar6694]

Sweet concept

[@jaydub5515]

Wookie back on Top Gear? Love him.

[@TheLeo328]

OMG Tom Ford is back! I haven't seen you since Fifth Gear, dude! So glad to have you on Top Gear! You've lost a ton of weight and you haven't aged a day! Nice mate

[@Rafagafanhotobra]

6:55 Says he failed to find Peugeots, but passes right by a Ferrari 412.

[@user-pp7pt4or2k]

Everyone please come to Japan!

[@tonyman7403]

Thnx, ☺️

[@rowanlewisuk]

Most interesting Top Gear video I have seen in years

[@jimspace]

I’ve had 5 Peugeots over past 15 years. Just love them, even though there are better cars.

[@x3merx3mer]

It requires tradition. Time + consistency. Peugeot is amazing right now! Everyone is praising it, but it was "meh" in previous past few decades. They just have to keep doing what they are doing to become "great".

[@TechInTheCar]

I wonder when they filmed this - as it isn’t Winter weather in this video - it looks like at the latest September last year.

[@elinir92]

It was in September in fact, they were there for the 6hr race of Fuji.

[@jamaljames2578]

Always watching from Georgetown Guyana south America 🇬🇾🇬🇾🇬🇾🇬🇾

[@Mr_Hobbies_Experiments]

Fantastic presentation I’m your new subscriber Thank You

[@marcelanoryadi9110]

Japanese are proud of their car manufacturers. If they find similar features in a Honda, Mazda,Daihatsu etc. Then why would they buy a foreign car like Peguot ? Only European cars that sells well in Japan are luxury cars . Or for serious gearhead collectors

[@AK-xj8lg]

Everytime I watch these lifeless Top Gear videos, I miss Clarkson a lot. Those 3 were the life of Top Gear which is now a boring aimless show. Chris Harris being an exception.

[@justmechanicthings]

Song in the carpark was Tokyo by Nbdy Nprtnt if anyone was wondering

[@KeliK1]

Awesome film!

[@MrDeathfusion]

A british car journalist driving a french car in Japan, this is not a daily routine :D

[@TheBillLumbergh]

That little green car is a gem in my opinion. Its styling weakness are those ridiculously generic Wheels. Give it an interesting exhaust note & better wheels.

[@roguestorm2136]

An anime wrap in the first 5 seconds? LOVE IT

[@kendelion]

I live in Japan and lately Puegot are getting popular. My uncle bought one just this year, in my neighbor there's 3 already! While BMW there's only 2 of us and 2 benz. Love the design I'm still just not ready to get one yet

[@Alozhatos]

Interesting that Japanese are changing from driving Toyotas, Mitsubishis, Nissans, Hondas to drive imported cars. While people around the world are driving Japanese cars.

[@kendelion]

@@Alozhatos I think there are foreign car lovers here. Of course it's still more than 90% JDM cars, and people who likes imports will buy imports like me ;) Lexus is still #1 in luxury in Japan though. Hope it never change since japan is struggling with its economy

[@Funktastico]

8:42 What is that red 2-door spyder Renault at the background ?

[@amonrei]

Visiting Tokyo and I saw a 3008 with 3008 plate the other day. Cool I guess?

[@Jiggabyte_Alpha]

My sister was an online English tutor who taught Japanese students. One of her students said that he owns a Peugeot, but ironically, he mispronounced the brand.

[@dennis8223]

6:55 is that a Ferrari 2+2 casually sitting outside a garage?

[@callmecoffingaming4807]

"Too Weird" and "Japan" are basically the same thing.

[@West4ea]

Such a great video. And a great reminder of how good a presenter “Wookie” is

[@clubbizarre]

in that spec, the car looks AMAZING. i mean, i wouldn't want one for myself, but try to convince my wife to get one haha

[@richardispeachy]

More Tom Ford content please!

[@krisnadiimam4556]

our family used to have a peugeot 206, despite being smoked by others in their jazz and being aped in terms of interior space by yaris, i still loved mine, it wasnt spacious nor fast, but that car felt comfortably different... we had 207 and today our family had a 2008... while it gets more and more stylish, that feeling is recently only a skin deep... dynamic wise, it has diminished by quite some bit. The car felt les and less organic, unlike what like it used to be.

[@Elaba_]

Once upon a time, there was a daring couple named Jack and Sarah who embarked on a thrilling adventure across Europe in their beloved Citroen DS. The old car had been restored to its former glory and was ready to take them on an unforgettable journey. Their first stop was in France, where they indulged in the finest French cuisine and explored the beautiful countryside. But as they hit the open road again, they realized that their fuel gauge was broken, and they had no way of knowing how much fuel they had left. Despite this setback, they continued their journey, hoping to find a mechanic who could fix the problem. As they drove through the stunning landscapes of Spain and Portugal, they found themselves stranded on the side of the road not once, not twice, but six times due to their broken fuel gauge. However, they refused to let this dampen their spirits and continued to enjoy the journey, making new friends along the way. One day, they stumbled upon a garage in Italy that specialized in vintage Citroen cars. The mechanic was able to fix their fuel gauge, and they were back on the road in no time. While they were there, Jack also decided to pursue his dream of getting his F1 Super License in Italy. He spent several days at the track, learning from the best and putting his driving skills to the test. During their travels, they also discovered the latest car news on KZbin, eagerly watching every new release that came out. They were amazed by the advances in automotive technology, but they couldn't help but feel a deep appreciation for the timeless elegance and beauty of their vintage Citroen. As they continued their journey, they stumbled upon a garage that specialized in car wraps. They decided to give their car a new look and spent a few days working with the talented artists to create a unique and eye-catching design. Their adventure finally came to an end, but the memories they made and the people they met along the way would stay with them forever. They returned home with a newfound appreciation for the beauty of Europe and the resilience of their trusty Citroen DS.

[@Vert_GreenHeart]

Can you guys distinguish between the rear ends of a VW Golf Mk8, Peugeot 308 and an Open Astra ?