Peugeot 308 GTI 270 driven and rated.

It isn’t often I get in to a hot hatch with anticipation, but Peugeot’s 308 GTi 270 is one such peach.

It was driven through some of the most beautiful countryside Australia has to offer. Our tour through New South Wales included a stint on a race track, some fairly terrible B roads, and a short section of dirt road.

Hot hatches add the practicality of space to carry your stuff.

The cargo hold is spacious but the rear seat space is bijou when the driver’s seat is set for a person of around 180cms.

The two-tone paint job comes in at a hefty 5 grand. 5 Grand! You must be joking. It is an involved process, but save your shekels and go on a holiday instead.

Acceleration is brisk and the ride is typically firm, but by no means harsh. I covered 2,000km in a 308 GTi, the slightly lesser powered sister, and could easily have done another 2,000.

The real test isn’t a race track or a dirt road, the real test comes day to day. Trips to work, or parking at Coles, will show how easy a car is to live with. Peugeot 308 GTi 270 does those simple things with aplomb.

Gear changes are light and the clutch has a nice progressive uptake.

The i-Cockpit takes a bit of getting used to though. You look over the top of a smallish sports steering wheel. Peugeot says this is a HUD (heads up display) but a true HUD projected on the windscreen does a  much better job.

For the full review click HERE.

We’ve reviewed many Peugeots, and the 308 GTi 270 confirms the French car maker is back doing what it does best: crafting vehicles that are comfortable while handling brilliantly.