Peugeot 308: 50 mpg

[HoosierRon]

Each year, the AA/ALD Automotive MPG Marathon takes a selection of vehicles through some real-world roads to see just how many miles the drivers can squeeze out of the gas tanks. Last year, for example, a Cadillac 1.9 Turbo Diesel hit 55.6 mpg [46 mpg U.S.] at the UK event. This year, one of the competitors will be the new Peugeot 308 HDi, which should get somewhere over 60 mpg (Imperial). John Dalton and David Adams will drive the car along the 350-mile route from Basingstoke to Torquay and back.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/09...-mpg-marathon/

60 mpg Imperial = 50 mpg American.

How could a 50 mpg Astra not be a hit in the U.S.?

[genjy]

Originally Posted by HoosierRon

How could a 50 mpg Astra not be a hit in the U.S.?

Because merging safely onto the highway is our #1 priority.

That's why we prefer SUVs and trucks with massive v8s.

[WishIhadatruck]

Originally Posted by genjy

Because merging safely onto the highway is our #1 priority.

That's why we prefer SUVs and trucks with massive v8s.

If only it weren't true.

50mpg Astra's would sell like crazy. A 50mpg updated Cobalt would sell even more. GM has said that Cadillac and Saturn will be the brands to introduce (test) diesels in the US market. When already?!

[HoosierRon]

Isn't the Prius now a Top 10 selling car in the U.S.? I didn't know that it was a power merger. If an Astra or Cobalt got better mileage...

[63GrandSport001]

People that buy cars like civics and Cobalts they typically dont have a ton of money to budget on a vehicle.

For these people things like being reliable and using as little gas as possible is a plus for them.

The next Cobalt really needs to get 38MPG on the highway, just make a 1.6L direct injected Ecotec. It should make the power it needs to set itself apart from the Honda and Toyota compact vehicles yet offer the fuel economy it needs to run with them.

Just evolve the look of the Cobalt and evolve the quality of the vehicle along with a 1.6L direct injected ecotec and maybe even a diesel I-4 engine option which should be good for about 50MPG highway.

If GM did things like this it wouldnt need to get anything form the UAW.......

[Realist]

How many times have we heard of some small or obscure European car with a pitiful diesel engine getting fuel economy equivalent or better than a Prius? Most of these cars are smaller, or they are slower than a Prius.

I can safely say that this Peugeot is slower than a Prius, and the Prius is already borderline dangerously slow for American highways.

[PhishPhood]

Well when the new Jetta diesel arrives later this year I believe then we'll have the answer about the Astra and others from Europe migrating to the US.

There are three huge concerns..
.. how much will a 50 state compliance cost the manufacturers in addition to the European version?
.. how much will a 50 state compliance effect fuel economy? -10% -20%?
.. if these are produced in Europe and imported here, how much 'commercial' extra has to be charged to the retail buyer to make up for the falling value of the US$?

I'm waiting for the pricing announcement and EPA figures for the new Jetta with it's 50 state compliance.

[Bravada]

Do also note how the 308 looks inside:




The bar is up!

[FordFan]

Originally Posted by Bravada

Do also note how the 308 looks inside:




The bar is up!

How's the reliability on these? oh wait... nvm.

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by Realist

How many times have we heard of some small or obscure European car with a pitiful diesel engine getting fuel economy equivalent or better than a Prius? Most of these cars are smaller, or they are slower than a Prius.

I can safely say that this Peugeot is slower than a Prius, and the Prius is already borderline dangerously slow for American highways.

So offer V8s for those that feel they need 0-60 times of under 5 seconds, and offer 50+ mpg versions for those of us that can merge onto a highway without dying. I've done it in a 3-cyl 70-odd hp 5-speed gasoline Corsa onto a highway with traffic moving at 130 km/h plus, so I'm not too worried. It's the 50+ mpg that interests me in this story.

[Bravada]

How's the reliability on these?

Greatly improving. In Warranty Direct's Reliability Index, which is probably the most trustworthy source for reliability ratings (JD Power and such factor in a lot of unrelated stuff), the old Peugeot 306 came after the Astra, but ahead of e.g. Saab 900, Mercedes S-Class or the BMW 5 Series, and a few other German cars. The most reliable Peugeot, the 106, was UK's 45th most reliable car, trumping VW Polo, Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa. 306's counterpart, the Citroen Xsara, came 26th, ahead of all compact cars but the Honda, Nissan and Mazda (notably, the Corolla only came 91st).

Do note the ranking is only for failures occuring AFTER the original manufacturer's warranty had expired, which is why the 308's immediate predecessor, 307, is not shown (not enough data yet):

http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/to...28339010848601

In the 2006 report, Peugeot advanced from 16th to 8th place - read here

[johnstarnes]

I love how it looks inside and out.

[chrisbenz]

Originally Posted by Realist

How many times have we heard of some small or obscure European car with a pitiful diesel engine getting fuel economy equivalent or better than a Prius? Most of these cars are smaller, or they are slower than a Prius.

I can safely say that this Peugeot is slower than a Prius, and the Prius is already borderline dangerously slow for American highways.

Yea prius has a whopping 76 HP !

[guitarlix]

Originally Posted by chrisbenz

Yea prius has a whopping 76 HP !

That's just the IC engine. Don't forget the electric motor on board. (which also delivers a whopping 295 lb-ft of torque from 0 rpm)

[PhishPhood]

Originally Posted by chrisbenz

Yea prius has a whopping 76 HP !

With the electric motor which is all torque ( 295 lb-ft at 0-1200 rpm's ) the Prius is almost always the first away from a stop light or in getting the jump into merging traffic onto a highway.

At cruising speeds of 60 or 70 or 80 mph all vehicles are the same.