Peugeot 308 cc

It's a funny-looking thing, this new 308 CC. Some people will probably love it - the sort who think snorty, pug-faced dogs are ‘cute'. Others will hate it. But there's no denying it will make people look twice. And that's important in a car that's bought almost entirely for posing.

Luckily, you can forget about the styling once you're inside, because things start to look better. There's a real feel of quality in there, from the satisfying thunk as you close the door to the leather-lined dash (on this GT trim).


And it's quiet too. With the roof up, it's easy to forget you're in a convertible as the folding metal hardtop keeps you isolated from the world outside. The turbocharged, 111kW 1.6-litre petrol engine is quiet and unobtrusive, and on the smooth roads of our test route, tyre roar was almost nonexistent.

Couple of problems, though. With the roof down, you just don't feel like you're in a drop-top - the long windscreen sweeps right back over your head, so you have to crane your neck back to see the sky. People in the back will enjoy the cabrio experience more, provided they're not lanky as legroom is tight.

And unlike the 307 CC this car replaces, it doesn't drive like a wallowing pig. But pick things up and there's no disguising its 1.5 tonnes, especially if you drive flat out with the roof down.

It's not designed for driving hard, though. And when you consider Peugeot plans to undercut every single competitor with the price of an entry-level 308 CC, while offering more standard kit, this ugly beast starts to look a little more attractive.