TOP GEAR - PEUGEOT 308 WORST CAR IN THE WORLD

[@simonh870]

Nowadays the bad drivers drive SUV's

[@doktorhund6926]

Yes . Wich is Bad because If they Hit you youre screwed.

[@bartandaelus359]

It's the Nissan Juke. It's comfortably the Worst car out there.

[@hydrochloricacid2146]

Tbf that's most cars on the road

[@quxantipe]

Crossovers, are driven by retards also

[@quillmaurer6563]

Not sure about Europe, but in the US the "I hate driving and will do the worst job of it I can get away with" vehicle is the Toyota Highlander, and to a lesser extent late-model RAV4s. I always watch out for those.

[@Kyntteri]

If James May calls anything boring, it is. End of discussion.

[@doobaq1]

He didn't own the 1.6 THP. I had one and it surely wasn't boring. Now I have a Toyota. This is boring - I just pour gas and go. With the THP it as an excitement every time: will it start? when it started, will I reach the destination? do I have enough engine oil in the trunk? what can be this yet another noise?

[@alittlenudge2779]

​@@doobaq1made me laugh...at 2 am in the morning....great work lad😂

[@JulienBertozzi]

10 years after the publication of this video you make a comment and in 3 days it gets 250+ likes. I dont get it

[@drivingduck2234]

Hold on... I think james may it is a quite interesting person...

[@Kyntteri]

@@JulienBertozzi Welcome to the club.

[@zeljkothegreekserb]

If Matt reviewed it, he'd say a word or two on scratchy plastics, cubby space and proceed to praise it for 15 minutes

[@Icedevice1000]

He would say.. ."it's all 'white', really"

[@Dean_cee]

We’ll because the car is a cheap car it’s not supposed to be a luxury car or anythibg

[@jg54sayaka11]

ironic how his video was actually on the autoplay after this and thumbnail just says "cool"

[@RetroKingOG]

Are we talking Matt from Carwow? He’s gotten to popular😂

[@excalibur2038]

@@Dean_cee a camry costs the same where i live and it is 10x more "luxurious" also the whole point of an economical car is that its cheap to run, being unreliable and poor quality does not equal cheap, so its even shit at its own job

[@biserborisov1959]

Peugeot may have a lot of negatives, but the HDI engines along with the manual transmission and a little maintenance are pretty much indestructible.

[@davidcrtalic9795]

Can confirm, 2013 C4 1.6 hdi with 250k km on it and it hasn't had any issues besides AC flap. Even the timing belt held on until 200k km. To add, its quite abused for a diesel especially with frequent 5-10 min drives.

[@BurgundySorcerer]

I’ve got the RCZ with the HDI. Incredibly tough piece of engineering.

[@manojparthasarathy5151]

Yes, 220k miles and still going

[@sonnyse7en]

Exactly!

[@19jacobob93]

Totally agree. Especially the 2.0 HDi, which in my opinion is the best modern 4 cyl diesel engine.

[@alexmoscatelli149]

2:24 That "James if i May" joke flew right over everyone's head

[@jmi5969]

Fast forward to 2023, this and the previous generation of Peugeots actually performed quite well. The platform is quite durable. No serious issues with rust (hello Mazda) or transmission (hello Nissan), repair and maintenance are simple and inexpensive. Not bad at all.

[@KazeHorse]

Yah French cars in general are such a pot luck however. Some are just tanks that withstand decades of abuse and others fall apart and get scrapped in 5 years…. There seems to be no way of predicting which one you’ll end up having 😂

[@EinfachLuap]

...now if they only didn't look like absolute shit

[@Journey_to_who_knows]

These cars are either tanks to be sent to survive across the third world or fancy cruisers

[@diegotroco3990]

@@KazeHorse True. My father had a 307 1.6 15 years ago and it was crap, brand new and always had some sort of minor but annoying issue. My mother had a 207 1.6 vti 2010 for 6 years, abused the hell out of it and it never had a single issue, know the current owner and the car is still good as new. You just never know with those lol

[@KoeiNL]

And the current generation is looking pretty good design wise.

[@michael2636]

In the US and Canada, our equivalent is the Nissan Altima. Just google "big Altima energy". If you see an Altima on the road (its probably day time because their headlights never seem to work) you should be wary because more likely than not that car, or something that fell off the car, is going to hit something else on or alongside the road before the keys leave the ignition.

[@diegoflores9237]

Altimas are still more reliable and better looking than anything the big 3 US car companies make

[@s_for_short2400]

​@@diegoflores9237challenger, mustang, 300C, Charger all look better imo

[@hughmongous5089]

@@diegoflores9237 flat out lie

[@nikolanikola8543]

Altima is still better than Peugeot or Renault... 💀💀💀

[@gabornagy8019]

Thanks for this video, probably you also contributed to the relatively lower price of these. I picked up an 8 years old 308 eHDI two years ago, exactly the same as in this video. It is reliable, the fuel economy is great, and I find it comfortable. It is not an exciting car, but a perfect vehicle that I love and intend to use for many years to come.

[@ridhwanramzi4773]

I enjoy topgear but even if they did the Peugeot segments as a joke, it's still unfair to call their cars worst. I'm no fanboy, but I have had 2 Peugeot 406s.. They had minor electrical faults but then again they were 20+ years old. They drove very well and were robust, took abuse well too. The first had 211,000 miles on it yet drove gracefully. I have also driven a 407 and a 1st gen 508. The 407 comes with double wishbone suspension all 4 sides like a ferrari, stable drive.. and the 508 is gorgeous, attracts attention and is sporty to drive. Relatively reliable too. If we are talking about bad peugeots, the 307 and 1007 comes to mind. Peugeot diesels are tougher than nails though, even their Le Mans winning race car is diesel . Also the 206 and 207 held records for best selling cars in Europe for their segment.

[@PneumatinisPlaktukas15]

Nice nice, a friend of mine had one too and it caught on fire lol.

[@GH-ov1lj]

@@PneumatinisPlaktukas15 must've been the fire damaged one jezza had for that Peugeot segment he done with May

[@benoitbvg2888]

It's the Dacia Sandero of its time.

[@jasonking442]

£12.50 if your visiting London...

[@z4961]

I saw several 308 HDi with more than 500.000 km

[@DoomieGruntVentures]

"We asked Yorkshire Stig to test it, and this was his response" *RUN AWAY!*

[@murithikibete7063]

He actually ran for the hills

[@RaiseAnchor]

@@murithikibete7063 RUN TO THE HILLSS!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIIIFE!!!

[@MontyCantsin5]

@DoomieGruntVentures: You missed out the most important detail: it’s *T’Yorkshire Stig*.

[@jetoak]

Some say he's actually part of the Joestar bloodline

[@IsleyNumber1]

Takes a lot to make a race driver use his own legs and lungs

[@Macintoshiba]

This car doesn't look too bad on today's roads, to be honest...

[@19jacobob93]

These 308s turned out pretty good and make for a proper bargain beater these days! They are based on a solid, well proven chassis (same as the 307, which was based on a revised version of the 306) and in the right combination you had a very practical and reliable vehicle. The 308 SW could change between a [cramped] 7 seater and a van, and with the 2.0 HDi + manual transmission = totally indestructible.

[@sjoormen1]

I owned 306, it was pretty, but garbage as quality goes. Not reliable nor durable.

[@Herc-by1xn]

@@sjoormen1If you think this is garbage, try driving something like my Hyundai i20. Now this is garbage. I wish I could go back to my 206 which was even fun at cornering unlike the i20 which feels like it’s about to roll over.

[@sjoormen1]

@@Herc-by1xn I feel your pain. I own KIa rio nowdays.. well, it is what it is...

[@Icedevice1000]

There no chance in hell any of the new reviewers would say " it's bad and we hate it"! :-)

[@10Tenths]

Over a decade later it's the kind of bargain basement car it should have been! 😄

[@mehraneinirad7522]

I own the latest 308 GT 2018 turbo diesel in Australia and this car is a monster. Good looking, rare and nothing less than a hot hatch with 6.5 sec 0-100 knowing it’s not even petrol powered.

[@usedtoiletpaper419]

I also had a 308 GT 2.0 HDi (2016) manual, absolutely fantastic car, until it got stolen from me, the car has a very poor keyless protection be careful about it and learn how to protect urself

[@koopakoop]

They still sell Peugeots in australia? That's neat!

[@19jacobob93]

​@@koopakoopKinda, just! I'm from the UK originally and was surprised when I saw my first one in Australia. They are quite a rarity but are still offered to this day. I actually recently picked up a 2008 308 SW with the 2.0 HDi and 6sp manual for cheap. Extremely rare combo over here!

[@adnanrahman5883]

​@@koopakoop people do buy them but spares are generally expensive due to geographical location, hence the rarity (plus everyone is buying a npc model 3)

[@mdcpVEVO]

Good looking? Jesus, our standards have dropped, haven't they

[@chrisflores4788]

My grandfather used to distribute Peugeots in the '60s and '70s and they were excellent! Very robust vehicles. In my family we had a couple of 404 sedans (the steering column shifter was awesome), a 504 estate (diesel & 3 speed auto, it went fast downhill 😂) and a 505 sedan that was fun to drive (2.0 twincam, 4 speed, 4 wheel independent suspension). Too bad Peugeot lost its way in the 21st century.

[@Igor-ze8fr]

This is Peugeot till 2015, now they are back on track again, lock at their new models.

[@emilrijsemus4178]

​@@Igor-ze8frno, Peugeot got worse after 2015, ugly models, shit engines, emissions bullshit

[@vixozas]

@@emilrijsemus4178are you joking 408 one of best models, tech, engines.

[@RetroKingOG]

Yeah too bad Peugeot went bankrupt in North America as well 😂

[@chrisflores4788]

@ComedyKingsJackMango1 The French didn't understand the concept of "parts availability" (at least back then). It was a constant battle with the company, as the law in my country requires dealerships to have enough parts on hand. They also wanted their 4 cylinder models to compete within the same price range of other European vehicles with 6 cylinder engines.

[@kaan1242]

Had a 2013 308 1.6 e-hdi diesel as my first car great fuel economy enough noise insulation for its price. engine power was good never had hard time overtaking. had decent trunk space so it was not a bad car at all

[@auchd2234]

This video is just full of bad faith without any proof of what they say. I never had a peugeot, but i still see a lot of 307 on the roads today, that means they are not that bad. What english cars of the same years and same price do i see? None.

[@technicalscience]

@@auchd2234 you're not looking very hard then, the road is littered with Fords of the same era.

[@auchd2234]

@@technicalscience ford is american 😂

[@fallout8532]

exactly the same i own a 2012 model ita a tank runs buttery smooth and barely consumes any fuel

[@ja7419]

​@@auchd2234I had a 307 2006 model and everything was going wrong with it. Ended up scrapping it in less then six months

[@peanuts2105]

My first car was a 306. It felt simple and indestructible. Loved it. I was sad to let it go

[@TheGalacticEmperorOfLabels]

Yes, but the 306 was a good car.

[@dominicjohnson5352]

My wife wanted a 2009 Peugeot 308 and we bought it - she is a good driver. The car has been unreliable and quite expensive to maintain but she loves it, our two daughters learnt to drive in it and they love it - and despite the quirky and expensive nature of it - I kinda like it too. It has character, great cabin ambience, and quite a lot of good tech for the time it was built - super cheap on the used car market in australia because of those reliability issues but if you chase down all the oil leaks and engine cooling issues and ignore the thirsty turbo engine petrol bill - its a good daily runner.....

[@gikigill788]

The oil leaks and cooling relate to preventative maintenance. Change the timing chain, flush radiator every 50k km, gearbox every 70k, oil every 10k for the turbo and you're golden. 2014 1.6 turbo and only out of routine work is the timing chain at 70k plus rear sensors replacement. Also got the walnut treatment once since it's a GDI engine and all GDI engines in any make of car tend to have carbon on the intake.

[@khalidacosta7133]

A 2009 with a turbo petrol engine? The 1.6 THP? Ah yes, that was the BMW engine, it does exactly what a BMW engine should... works really well during the warranty period... not so much after. Buy one after 2014 when Pug engineered out a lot of the issues, incl timing chains and valvetronic issues.

[@gikigill788]

​@@khalidacosta7133It's a 2014 with the THP turbo engine but you're right, the later cars were better than the newer ones as a lot of the issues had been fixed

[@danw82uk]

Lmao if you ignore everything that's wrong it's actually alright. Sounds like you're stuck with it and trying to convince yourself.

[@thewiiguy]

You see guys. Cars don't have to be reliable to be Great.

[@hungry4road482]

OKAY Dr. Truth, in this while, a bunch of 'marvelous' Range Rovers are being abandoned, Jags, BMW leaking oil with less than 60k Km, not to mention the hundreds of issues with 'downsized' turbo VWs - and my 2008 307 is firm, fun and alive, not a single issue in this 16-year while.

[@benj6107]

Ha ha, I’m on my second 308 HDI. I need a cheap work horse to get me to work and back each day which is almost dual carriageway door to door (300 miles per week). I bought the last one 3 years ago for £4k with 40k miles and it’s now done 110k with no faults or breakdowns. My last one the same with even more miles. They cruise at 65mpg but I can get 75mpg if I’m really careful and £20 road tax. Admittedly, they are not fun to drive on B roads but they are absolutely fine on our A roads in today’s traffic.

[@offline6536]

Funny, considering I got T-boned by an 80 year old in a Peugeot yesterday. While I was turning past him (even tho I had right of way, my turn signal on and slowed down enough to turn like a normal person) he went and pushed me off the road completely as he continued on his way like nothing happened.

[@Realgoatdebate]

We had 2005 407 2.0 HDi 6 speed manual ,it was the greatest and most confortable car my family had ever owned, it was bullet proof we drove it from Rabat, morocco to barcelona more than 5 times and it was impressively reliable with basic maintenance for the 8 years we had it, we sold it in 2018 for a more modern 508 and the 407 is still in my mind till this day and how much memories me and my family shared with this car. I missed it so much ❤

[@d1user]

Did u get the bullet proofing done or was it made like that?

[@Realgoatdebate]

@@d1user it was done like that, everything was stock but my father was taking care of the car a lot

[@Realgoatdebate]

@@d1user by the way, when i said bullet proof i didn't mean litteraly it could stand bullets, what i meant by the expression is that the car was a solid unit and really dependable

[@d1user]

@@Realgoatdebate all cars are solid units. No point saying its bullet proof when it's not, ur just misleading ppl

[@Realgoatdebate]

@@d1user i don't think from my experience that every car is a solid unit, (Alfa romeo, mercedes w 201, fiat, renault, etc...)

[@manveersandhu4262]

May: "And rising to the top of this cesspit of utter woefulness..is this..the Peugeot 308.." Clarkson: "Diesel" 😂😂

[@ejdydmj1650]

Talking about Peugeots I owned them for 13 years now and I had no issues whatsoever 🤔 had 308 1,6 HDI sport for over 5 years 170k on clock, 308 GT 2l HDI 150k on clock, now own Mk2 308 GTi by Peugeot Sport 270 which is ultimate hothatch for fun with 270bhp and only 1205kg factory weight, love that car. And then 308 SW 2l HDI 7 seater with 167k on clock running sweet. Goes like a tank 😃 no issues whatsoever. All I change is oil and filters that's it. These 2l Hdi engines are indestructible for sure. I even have mate with 308 GT 2l HDI and he's got his for over 7 years no issues whatsoever too. Great engines for sure. Plus as it's it's GT mode ( same as my SW)l it comes with leather seats , built in sat nav, electric windows, auto lights , wipers, panoramic roof with electric blind , directional Bixenon headlamps so They turn into bends etc.. everything still works even after 15 years it comes out of factory! So that's Peugeots for you 🤔👍..and I helped, towed many friends with Germans etc 😅👍...I am lorry driver and most cars I see brokedown are Mercs, BMW, Audi, Ford , Vauxhall and Range Rovers..

[@R_Grey032]

My mom owns a diesel automatic 2011 year model, and while it's not as terrible as they say (obviously for entertainment purposes), it does feel miserable. The gearbox has a stroke every time going from stationary, takes a full second to change gear even in manual mode, and the torque peak sits somewhere around 2.5 - 3k RPM so it can never accelerate in automatic unless you slam the gas. The only saving grace for everyday commuting is that it sips on fuel. Oh, and the OBD port is located deep inside the center console pocket. Good luck jamming a scanner in there if you have fat fingers.

[@josephlewis9237]

I like that old 504. It's so different and interesting. The 205 GTI was a car from childhood. I used to see loads of them when I was growing up. My late Gran Agnes had a 205. A standard one in gold with a brick red dusty coloured cloth interior. I really liked it. I used to go up to Hampshire in the summer to visit her, stay over at her house for a couple of nights or so and go and visit my Auntie Angela and my Uncle Nick. That part when the stig ran away from the car makes me roll around on the floor weeping with laughter. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@knenda1]

I drove P 307 SW diesel 2.0 for 18 years and when it was time to change this car for a new one it was quite a schock to me. Allmost everything in a new car was not as good as in an old one, Iit took quite I time for me to get used to a new technology :) I really loved this car, it was cheap and reliable ..

[@sannyfolkesson2226]

drove a 307 2.0 petrol and boy it was surprisingly good, as i dint expect such a solid machine

[@jijitouch4200]

La 308 "1" était au contraire une excellente voiture ! J'ai possédé une 308 sw 1.6l HDi 90cv, modulable, fiable, confortable , économique et (pour moi) jolie !

[@josaphatfebrianj.f_works2838]

i kinda agree, i dont really like this version of the 308. the face looks a bit wrong, i prefer the pre-facelift version

[@asadacoehlo7964]

I think the opposite; the facelift cleaned up the front end, making it look sleeker.

[@walidelharrak2140]

​@@asadacoehlo7964fr the older one looks like a beast

[@stevemurrell6167]

Now it's Subaru Foresters and Outbacks that warn you of bad drivers....they are seriously shocking drivers. Peugeot's are cool again.....look great, beautifully made and drive superbly, like they used to.

[@murlik112]

not really

[@soundseeker63]

Wouldn't say they are "cool" again. Don't think you've been able to say that since about 2001 when they stopped making the 306 Gti-6 and the 106 Gti, etc. But I agree they've gotten back on track with their lineup compared to the horrors they were putting out 10 years ago.

[@cbrboy76]

Sorry to disagree but the supreme victor in the "hey every one shit drivers drive me" contest has got to be the honda jazz, go to or near any garden centre and the roads are full of them tootling around at 18mph with a myopic 93 year old behind the wheel, high on the smell of piss and deep heat.

[@RennieAsh]

​@@cbrboy76that's just small hatches in general SUVs , and utes (pickup trucks) are also something to be wary of!

[@cbrboy76]

@@RennieAsh i am in the UK, its the law here that if you are over 83 you can only drive a honda jazz.😁

[@yorkiegilly4355]

Have been driving for nearly 60 years ,mechanic ,car dealer ,delivery driver ,auction driver ,lorry driver ,van driver etc after re - training after being a Naval engineer when a lad ?. Had a few big Peugeot estates ,very reliable but after a few years dropped to bits from rust and a couple of mates that loved the 205 GTI they used to change the Engines more than the plugs if you drove them how they were supposed to be driven - hard & fast ?. My last modern car a 207 2010 Reg , what had done 136 ,000 miles used no fluids or oil between changes bodywise and the interior was not far from mint ,never broke down and now belongs to my youngest son [42 y.o.]who fancies himself as a good fast driver and he hasn"t broke it - yet . I have drove some really nasty motors in my life - but the top two remain a 2 C.V. that came off a Police Sergeant and a Dacia Sandero [sorry James May] which was horrible and was off a lovely little old lady that had owned it from new . The only true way of assessing a vehicle is long term ownership ?. Great video, very informative AND funny ! .

[@stephandolby]

I thought I recognised the road they drove the 308 down... left to Hunton, right to Scotton and Catterick Garrison, straight on eventually to t' Dales or Richmond (the proper one). Interesting how they hated on the 508, as that and the RCZ - in the opinion of many publications - were the real turning point for Peugeot. Yes, I know Magna Steyr built the RCZ. I feel that a lot of the Peugeot hate in the 2000s was simply for the Cayenne-esque grille, never mind the reliability. The 508 and facelift 308 - in this very clip - got rid of that. The Fiesta Mk 7.5 had a sizeable grille, like many 00s cars, but they didn't complain about that one... and that was hardly a reliable car, but it handled well so who cared?

[@duncands9172]

A friend of mine has a 2013 Volvo V70 1.6 diesel that is the Peugeot 1.6 HDi engine. She has had it for several years and loves it and drives it long distances regularly and has never complained to me about it

[@Djmaxofficial]

Peugeot is not bad car but MINI is complete garbage 😂

[@Chapps1941]

I have a 307 HDi 1600 and it's a magnificent car. It steers, brakes and drives exceptionally well. I've driven a 200kw Peugeot- the 308 GTi 270 and that's a super pointy car. The engine, brakes, steering and suspension scream excellence May and Clarkson are off their nut. They should not drop acid on the days of filming

[@Kofi_Mensahs_BurnerAccount]

Absolutely not. The French should stick to food not cars. Leave cars to the Japanese and Germans.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Was this a deleted scene? I've watched every modern TG episode (I think) and I haven't seen this. It wasn't a part of that Peugeot segment where Jezza starts a fire in the cabin.

[@hydrochloricacid2146]

This was a direct-to-DVD special if I remember correctly

[@robertaries2974]

This was a DVD only special: the greatest cars in the world

[@opiornthegambler3673]

I love top gear but i strongly disagree with what they said about peugeot, with diesel engine, these car are rock solid and very comfortable, they are perfect for french roads so as long as im concerned these are just simple and good cars

[@FastCarsNoRules220]

Peugeots in the '70s: Swole Doge Peugeots today: Cheems

[@carlnapp4412]

The gentlmen were talking rubbish, of course!

[@mindoza44]

as per usual. top gear magazine years ago said the fiat grande punto was a good buy. i bought one on their recommendation.... JUNK !

[@robloxfan4271]

@@mindoza44 the fiat punto is a death trap, it is so dangerous it doesnt even have a euro n cap star rating

[@arnaudj.5314]

*My grandad had a 504, my dad a 205 GTi and here I am with my 308 now.* This thing is bloody reliable and that’s an amazing quality in nowaday’s second hand market. It’s a 2009 car and never had a big issue with it. It just runs I’m just sad it doesn't drive like a 205

[@theempire2805]

To this day this car is still one of the best in my country and they are double the value

[@joshuaminke6629]

thankfully the 308 of today is pretty amazing. i wish they would make another GTI variant though

[@definitelyfunatparties]

100% true, everything they said. And then in 2016 Peugeot was pretty much reborn and they now make some really good cars.

[@GTvisi0n]

Lol... The 1.2 Puretech and 1.5HDI say hello !

[@Droopy95mkDS]

@@GTvisi0nI was about to say that. Let's swap them with the old 2.0 HDi, and petrol 1.6 or 2.0 16v (naturally aspirated btw), and we'd get almost perfect cars. Except for the price, they're stepping up not only their game but their prices as well...

[@sammahasona]

Oh no, so many issues on the 3008 and 5008. The 207 and 308 are at least still on the roads.

[@definitelyfunatparties]

@@Droopy95mkDS yh, the engines are meh, but the cars are good, and they used to be absolute garbage. All brands have crappy engines nowadays on lower end cars anyways.. I have a 2.0 308 to run errands and stuff like the that, been saying for a while that if pug puts a V6 on the 508 I might swap one of my other cars for that. Still waiting.

[@definitelyfunatparties]

@@sammahasona my guy, just the sound of a 207 door closing sends shivers down my spine. Absolute garbage quality on those older pugs

[@DavideDavini]

My mother owned a 206 with the 1.9L NA diesel. The Engine was… an “iron lung” we say in Italy. Slow as fuck but very robust. Although it was using as much oil as diesel to run. LOL. Since it was new, it was by design, somehow. LOL 😂 Everything else in the car was falling to pieces. To its defense It didn’t have an easy life, it was used as a beater. Although, maintenance was always done regularly. I think they scrapped it when she traded it in for a new car. Otherwise I’m sure the engine would still be going strong. Cheers.

[@jasonking442]

"Everything else in the car was falling to pieces". So what?... Pick the piece back up and pop it or screw it back on. Stop being so lazy....

[@DavideDavini]

@@jasonking442 are you okay mate?

[@fotovoltaico2077]

@@DavideDaviniI don’t think he has a clear concept of falling into pieces. That engine was a non interference engine, wasn’t it?

[@DavideDavini]

@@fotovoltaico2077 I thought as much as well. 🤣 Non-interference engine: As far as I know, yes. Cheers mate.

[@ehhhh9287]

iron lung, why is that so funny lol

[@normie8895]

I had two and because of the long list of failures and recalls I sold both as soon as the warranty expired. one even had defective wheel bearings from new. But I had a Mark 3, 308 with diesel engine and I considered it one of my most enjoyable cars.

[@seat420]

lmao imagine buying one from new

[@guilhermemoreira5651]

Peugeot started making good cars after the 308 ii

[@dennisnyamongo9476]

@@guilhermemoreira5651 Any recommendations?

[@Via_The_Void]

@@dennisnyamongo9476 Pick any of the diesel powered cars and you'll be fine.

[@crispybanana3198]

First time i fully disagree with them, this diesel is very comfortable to drive i made a 1600 km back and forth trip with it and don't understand this criticism at all. They couldn't know it then but it stood the test of time really well in my opinion, it is as comfortable inside as many SUVs and isn't a 2 ton monstrosity that's a horror to drive in a city and is really fuel efficient for it's age. Of course if you want an exciting hot hatch this isn't it but I don't understand why they were judging it by hot hatch standards cause this car with it's diesel engine wasn't meant to be one, it's a good and reliable road trip car.

[@crispybanana3198]

Plus the "looks shit" argument while obviously up to personal taste is horrible in my opinion, just look at how boring and utterly unexciting cars under VW concern look. I respect Peugeot for actually trying to make a car that has an authentic look to it

[@MrTheBarintokyo]

I just love how the Stig is just running off like, "Nope, no fucking way am I going to drive that shit! Use that in your next 'Some say' Clarkson!"

[@jpaguas8968]

don.t agree .... the best car in world is....diesel 308 gti - hdi 150ps ,drive a Gti at low price and low consumption

[@jeremyfong5684]

LMAO Jezza teaching his daughter about Peugeot drivers is hilarious

[@alsanti2331]

Buy a Peugeot- get a free fake license… honestly this segment is sooooo true!!!

[@nicolasfernando1408]

Nah

[@doobaq1]

They say it's bad because it's Diesel - maybe, but the gasoline versions were actually much worse, especially the infamous 1.6 THP.

[@mathiasrryba]

It's good i got a whiff of what that engine is. We were looking for a new family car and every... single.... One of French cars to look at mom sent me was 1.6 THP. It was so annoying because the cars looked nice and then you find out the engine is actively trying to kill itself with every kilometer.

[@doobaq1]

@@mathiasrrybaIt burns engine oil at the rate of a two-stroke and additionally the oil leaks everywhere. Timing belt needs to be replaced every 20k miles and you have all other problems imaginable. This is all done this way to save fuel. The problem is, it burned exactly as much gasoline as the naturally aspirated Avensis T27 1.8 that I bought afterwards, while not being noticeably faster, or even significantly more elastic, despite having the turbo and more torque. Of course, as befits a French car, it's impossible to have all electronics working properly. Diesel versions may be boring but THP was definitely not. It was infuriating.

[@mathiasrryba]

Other issues coming from the oil leaks is that all the metal dust that result in the engine's operation is extremely destructive to this engine in particular causing a cascade of issues that, if not spotted very early, result in the engine becoming irrepairable. I've no idea how they even decided that this engine is fine to be used at such a large scale. In their place i would just cut my losses, bin it and pretend like it never existed. @@doobaq1

[@McBeamer94]

I guess the boys' view on Peugeots comes from the same cesspit as their view on Vauxhalls. That makes me not wanna change my Toyota 1KR-FE-powered 107 for any crappy SUV or EV even more! 💗 @1:33 That's not a Peugeot, that's a Mitsubishi.

[@ruemignon]

I got my driving licence in a Peugeot 207 Diesel, which was the most popular small car in France about 15 years ago. I don't remember complaining too much about it, it was a lovely, nimble Citadine that I felt quite confident with my hands on the wheel.

[@vpnconsult]

Ok. But just stay out of the overtaking lane on the highway.

[@ruemignon]

@@vpnconsult Right, thanks for the reminder, and remember to put petrol in your car or charge it up before you set off.

[@ervinm.5065]

Idk, Yesterday I drove a 5008 from 2016 and It felt great, quite quick and very comfortable

[@sannyfolkesson2226]

drove a 307 2.0 was to me like the Spanish inquisition, you do not expect what it can do in terms of performance and reliability

[@Optidorf]

_James, if i may_ - _You may_

[@TheCraterGames]

Well... I dunno, I'm a huge fan my 301. It's a different car, I know, but still... I can't tell a bad word about it. 45 mpg on LPG, comfortable seats, drives like a dream, not fast tho, but what to expect with 72hp. One thing I'm scared of, is extremely thin body. It literally bends under pressure like a lot. Still I lovin it

[@TangoSuckaa1]

Watching t’Yorkshire stig leg it across that field away from a Peugeot is comedy gold

[@JuanAlvarez-km6dx]

I own a 308 SW with panoramic roof, three row seating, second row moves forward and aft depending upon you need or not more luggage space. Great fit and finish for a C segment car, and being mine the gasoline engine, has proven very reliable up to its current 203.000 km. Not exciting, for that I had a Smart Roadster and my wife's Mini Cabrio, but dependable, yes

[@19jacobob93]

Same here with the 2.0 HDi and 6sp manual. Totally bulletproof combination and a really practical set up. I bought it as a beater for work, picking up materials etc. (All back seats come out to become a 2 seater van) put roof racks on it etc. And I actually ended up liking it so much it is now my main car haha With the right set up they are extremely versatile and reliable, and half the price of anything similar. Not to mention craaaazy good on fuel if diesel.

[@djnigellove]

another time they got it wrong. Is this generation 308 a hot hatch or ready to conquer Africa...? No. But what it is is a really nice place to be on a long journey or a traffic jam, it's interior is awesome for the price and with the 6AT and Hdi engine you have a powerful economical workhorse of a thing. We have a 2011 Estate and it's been amazing.

[@dimitrismiami7262]

I have one from 2012 with 200000 kilometers and I have changed the air conditioning radiator.no other damage.I don't know what they expected from this particular car and how much better the competitors are

[@FirstnameLastname-qe3ry]

My peugot 308 has an amazing feature which turns the turbo off at any given time to prevent me from going above 32mph, which keeps me safe on the road and prevents other maniancs and yobbos from speeding behind me

[@fruitpunch5260]

Not that different to a Golf really, very biased, but we all know Top Gear is just entertainment.

[@bosko2592]

You dont feel that boost like in many other cars but they are quite tough, their transmission and HDI engine are great, at least it was my experience

[@nenadmkd]

Say what you will my 21 year old 307 sport is still strong

[@LoveThatCar]

We have a Peugeot 307 combi 1.6i (80 kw) in my family for 18 years already. 260k kilometres on. We've never had any problem what so ever speaking of the engine. Of course, you need to do proper maintaince

[@higurro]

My first car was a black 08 308 with the 1.6 petrol, 5 speed manual and wind up rear windows. I loved it. Smooth zingy light engine, and I recall the steering and brake feel were great. Downsides were the seats were rubbish, the sound system was rubbish, no cruise control. I imagine the diesel engine would have ruined the things I liked about it

[@endlessroadie3131]

As a former 306 owner, I still don't understand what peugoet thought when they came out with the 307 and first gen 308.. let alone the horrendous thp and puretech engines.. and then there's the rcz who deserved so much more..

[@oddities-whatnot]

Peugeots were great cars in the 80s and early 90s. Nowadays they have too much tech and actually look cheaper in trying to look trendy. Fashionable cars are ruining the industry these days, most are silly over styled PCP fodder.

[@TomasGraf-rr6co]

The next generation of Peugeots: "Hold my beer..."

[@Odah_]

I'd love to see a Top Gear on the most recent Peugeot cars because they are marvelous nowadays

[@tonyubr]

I love the Volvo rover Peugeot stepping stone hypothesis for bad drivers. I'd add Audi tossers to the list also

[@soundseeker63]

It is (or at least it WAS) arguably one of the ugliest cars in the world, but certainly not the worst. Objectively there are many, many MUCH worse cars. That said, in 2023, even the looks, comparitively speaking, aren't THAT bad. There are plenty of even uglier cars you can buy today. They hate it because of how GOOD the 205 GTi was. Not how bad the 308 is (really not that bad, and actually quite nice inside).

[@MJ-uk6lu]

I genuinely find 308s to be hideously repulsive to look at. It's much worse than Multipla.

[@rscosworthfan]

i have a peugeot 308 in black a 13 plate like the one in the clip mines 1.6 diesel it is comfortable ish the handling is great and fuel economy is excellent the only bugbear i find is if you drive it in auto mode rather than use the paddles the auto changes are a bit strange the rear end tends to dip the main things you have to watch on these are the auxiliary belt they dont last long mine went shredded 80 miles from home amazingly though i did make it all the way home with a shredded belt 80 miles i dunno how bear in mind i had lights and wipers on it was dark and pissing down as i drove from the lakes back to burnley with no alternater effectively just power from the battery

[@kristoffer3000]

Your lack of punctuation does prove a point, never trust a Peugeot driver, they're all bumbling oafs.

[@e28forever30]

@@kristoffer3000😂

[@jasonking442]

@@kristoffer3000 Who needs punctuation when you can just write one long sentence. In the future as the human brain "evolves", this is going to be the norm...

[@kristoffer3000]

@@jasonking442 We use punctuation for a reason, it's much easier to read and understand. Though I do get your point about humans just getting dumber and dumber.

[@wiciuwiciu2783]

Have you ever owned or at least drived other car from that segment? Like VW, Audi, Mazda or Subaru? And staying French; try to get one of some good Citroen. Like C4 or C5...

[@foisted]

I had one, was a great car. Ate up the miles, was good on fuel and very comfortable.

[@Via_The_Void]

I had one too, a 2009 308 1.6 HDi with 90 bhp, great driver with good fuel economy. I love the Peugeots, great cars.

[@jeffreyt02]

I can really imagine this being crap when it came out. I drive a 308cc now, and what made it a good deal is the depreciation 😅 Cheap and practical enough to oversee that face only a mother can love, and with 156bhp just nippy enough to not fall asleep when pulling away from a traffic light or onto the highway 😂

[@sasheicev7258]

You can speak for yourself but I can not share this what you said, much more comfortable then VW enough speed,economic,and solid material….😊

[@DarrenMartin-x9v]

I had a 306 1.6 & a 206 1.4. The 306 was a good car. The 206 was good to look at while waiting for a tow truck! I certainly wouldn't want any of the later Peugeots. I borrowed a 307 while my 206 was being fixed. The 307 was crap. A friend shut the rear door & trapped the seat belt! The door would not open after that from outside or inside!

[@SB-ed4gz]

Nowadays, well, for the past 10 years or so in the US, bad drivers drive Nissan. Big Altima Energy is really a thing.

[@davecommentator]

I know the owner of that white 504 estate, he's got a few old Peugeots and will tell anyone who listens the whole history of them!

[@FallenAngel53]

My late Dad warned me when I started driving 35 yrs ago keep away from Peugeots Citroens and Renaults. Never had any of them .

[@MJ-uk6lu]

Ironically, plenty of models are really cheap and very reliable. At that time Peugeot had the most reliable diesels. So your loss of listening to your dad and missing out on decent cars.

[@Chapps1941]

English cars are the reason why I like German and French cars. I live in Australia

[@Videolinquency]

The bad driver migration. I wish it wasn't a joke. As soon as I get to be the pope, Clarkson will be canonized.

[@counterfan90]

The worst car ever made would probably be a Rover/MG

[@mohcenbdj8071]

This 308 is a good compact car ,which compact car did britain built for the british middle-class ,maybe the vauxhall astra or vectra ,oh no it's from Opel ,a mini clubman ,a jaguar, a range rover, a Bentley a Rolls Royce,way too expensive. So thank you peugeot ,Renault,Citroën ,vw ,ford, opel, fiat ,Hyundai,toyota for your compact and city cars

[@david1731048]

Its so true. Every time i see a Peugeot, it's always being driven ABYSMALLY.

[@Chapps1941]

Hyperbole is a good look on you!

[@mmhekmati4101]

due to constant Rial devaluation owning a peugeot is now a dream for many iranians.

[@sebhoward6674]

Peugeot 306 gti6 167 bhp was the last best car or the 3 series👍

[@HoLDoN4Sec]

you know its quite funny how this car marked the end of Peugeot. after the god awful Peugeot's of the early 2000's no one even wanted to see a Peugeot, let alone touch one or drive one. Peugeot's used to be widespread like a coronavirus in my country in the 90s, but in their fuckup on the early 2000's nowadays seeing a Peugeot driving in the street is actually an extremely rare occasion - you would literally see exotic cars more often than you would see a Peugeot lol. the same can also go to Citroen, up until the early 2010's you could still see a bunch of them - but ever since they started coming out with their discusting cactus designs where they practically covered 60% of the car's exterior with cheap plastics - nowadays the only Citroen's you would see on the road are either Berlingo's, Utility vehicles, or some very few in-between DS's. the only french car manufacturer that still stands is Renault - which in itself is also completely trash (imagine paying Renault Prices for Romanian built cans with wheels), and now its taking Nissan down with it which is a true shame. Nissan used to be one of the best Japanese car brand ever, for me they were personally ranked even higher than Mitsubishi. dam, the new millenium really fucked up a lot of Car manufacturers now that i think of it... Nissan, Mitsubshi, Peugeot, Citroen, Toyota, Rover, Alfa, Suzuki etc. - they all just make the most god-awful generic looking cars out there - heck Toyota's downfall needs a whole other video on its own - from being the world's number 1 car manufacturer and the most common car on the world to becoming a shell of its former self, producing the ugliest and the most uncomfortable cars out there... sure, Toyota are still the kings of economy and durability - but that now comes at the cost of driving the ugliest trash bin with wheels your eyes can see, and actually driving the thing is so uncomfortable and unintuitive - Toyota's modern interiors are some of the most uncomfortable i've ever experienced and for the last year i actually drove a lot of different cars some in my family and some from rental on my business and holiday trips abroad from my own Mazda 3 Turbo to a Mazda CX-5, Mazda 2, Mazda CX-30, Toyota YarisCross, Toyota Corolla, Toyota RAV4, Toyota CHR, Honda Civic, Honda CRV, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, Volkswagen Polo, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, Seat Leon, Kia Picanto (disgusting shitty car omg), Hyundai Tucson, Tesla Model 3, Skoda Kodiaq, Skoda Superb, Skoda Enyaq (i test drove it). by far the worst of all of these have been the Toyota's lol - the most uncomfortable seats, the most unintuitive control stack and headunit setup, the most uncomfotable ride, the weakest cars with literally barely any power to go up a small hill (was most noticeable with the YarisCross) , the only positive thing i can possibly say about these Toyota's that i drove is that i don' t know how Toyota managed to do this but all of the models i drove this year essentially are driving on air, they barely eat fuel at all - but to this point i still have no idea how on hell Toyota managed to still stay in business for so long when they are producing cars that have absolutely nothing going for them except for fuel economy. the New Toyota design language does seem like they finally took the hint (new Prius and Crown models look amazing) but only time will tell if they are actually fun and comfortable to drive now...

[@MJ-uk6lu]

I would still consider Toyota to be on biggest decline. They are ugly, uncomfortable, poor on gas, but what nobody mentions is that they are so unsafe. Some genius had an idea to put speedo, tach in middle of car. Also one of the biggest pillars of any cars on road, also their own Takata air bad and acceleration screw ups. Toyota has been botching safety now for 2 decades and finally stopped, but it's still worse.

[@YaHNoNYX]

What's funny though, the peugeot rcz had Top Gear '2010 Coupe of the Year award'. it had different bodywork, but basically, it was a 308.

[@robloxfan4271]

if james may calls something boring, then it must be even more boring than watching paint dry

[@albertwaigwa8652]

I revisit this blog years (decades) after watching tons of Reviews against Peugeots made by "Car reviewers". including this one by James. Against THEIR counsel I acquired a Peugeot .Guess what. Twelve years later I still am the proud owner Reliable . No Problems apart from battery dying. 397000 kms Smooth handling..... still riding strong .but a little sluggish when the engine is cold . These "reviewers " were and are biased . Peugeot diesel engines are reliable. Reviewers are mistrust worthy. I think they earn their loving by misguiding ignorant people

[@MrRea112]

Look at Clarkson’s face as May rants‼️

[@gentle285]

I'm pretty sure it's because of the car.

[@CelestinHonda33]

Back in the days when Peugeot still had at least a reliable engine (petrol's one was already shit) and a pretty coherent catalog (except 4007/8)

[@mannyquinn2059]

My gentle driving wife's 308 had only 16000KM when the engine blew. Even the dealer could not figure out what happened. So they rebuilt the engine. Engine blew again.

[@Chapps1941]

You are in the minority.

[@cplusone]

"James, if I May"

[@StarsingerOG]

Snoring Jeremy: "...diesel" hrrrr

[@martinkennedy7093]

I've got one of these. Might not be very inspiring but I quite like mine.

[@hellfire5108]

Was this first and only time we saw Stig running?

[@jakubromanski2439]

I kinda disagree, I really liked our family 308