There’s a limited market in eco-friendly sub-121g/km automatics, so Peugeot‘s EGC gearbox, available on the 308, will be welcomed in some quarters.
Unfortunately, though, the ‘clutchless manual’ semi-automatic system is tricky to drive smoothly in auto mode thanks to the jerky action of each shift. The driver has to pre-empt the gearchange and lift off the accelerator to get a cohesive change. In manual mode, either through the gear lever or cheap plastic paddles behind the steering wheel, it’s easier to drive smoothly, but that negates the main point of having an auto.
But if you want or need an auto then the figures are impressive: 120g/km means a 13% BIK band with the equivalent manual at 129, and fuel economy is 49.5mpg against 44.1.
For an auto, the £450 premium is small, and the 38.1p per mile running cost is in line with low-CO2 rivals such as Ford‘s Focus Econetic.
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