Peugeot first captured the Australian Public’s eye when the Marque won the 1953 Redex Reliability Trial, driven by Ken Tubman & John Marshall. Long before though, when they were first seen on Australian roads in the early 1900’s, Peugeot had a reputation as a comfortable and reliable car. The 308 is the latest model in the Peugeot range and is available in a range of models and engines. To really evaluate this model, we decided to test the 308 around the Blue Mountains and the Central West to give our readers an insight into its behaviour in our local conditions. Craig Sainsbury of the Orange Motor Group (recently appointed Peugeot dealers in Orange) was more than happy to provide us with a vehicle and we settled on the XSE 2.litre turbo diesel automatic hatchback. The first impression on driving the car is the tremendous visibility through the windscreen and the ease to work the different controls which can be challenging in some vehicles unless you are accompanied by a teenager! The air conditioning has individual climate control for each front passenger which is a good idea as the driver is frequently hotter than the passenger plus the radio had controls on the steering column. At first I wondered why there was no volume control on the stalk control but realised the car was fitted with an automatic speed related volume and it must have been working as the volume did not need altering during our drive. For the size of the vehicle the 308 is very roomy inside. The front seats are very comfortable in keeping with Peugeot tradition and the rear seat has good leg room and importantly rear seat head restraints are very usable, great for long trips. Also good boot capacity; 430 litres is pretty good for a car of these dimensions. The 308 is fitted with the latest safety equipment - front side and curtain airbags plus anti lock brakes with brake force distribution, emergency brake assist and electronic stability control, all of which you would expect in a car of this calibre. When it comes to style the French certainly show their flare as the styling is very individual and it is certainly chic. The interiors are sleek and highly impressive. After picking up the car from the dealership and being helpfully run through the controls, we headed off to the Blue Mountains. Diesel motors used to be noisy and sluggish but they have come a long way.The engine is only heard in the higher rev ranges and even then it is not obtrusive. And with the pulling power available there is little need to use the higher revs – better on economy and the environment. On the hills leaving Bathurst and through the climb to the Mountains, the 308 excelled and I noticed the lack of wind noise. I kept having to remind myself I’m driving a diesel automatic. It’s also six speed with a manual control, easy to use if you have the desire. The automatic wipers & headlamps were a boon in the mountain wet weather and with the exceptional forward vision the adverse conditions were taken with ease. The return journey was very comfortable and the car never got out of step on the secondary roads back to our village, which is saying something. It cruised like a large car! I can’t remember the last time a car handled this road so well. We didn’t have a chance to check the economy but I have heard that between 5 & 5.5 l/100km is regularly achieved around the inner west. So I can certainly confirm the Peugeot 308 is a comfortable car and well worth considering by anyone in the market for a medium sized, economical car. To answer the question on reliability, we will have to wait for 308 to prove itself. RRP$35,790. ✽ The Toyota LandCruiser Prado line-up now includes a new standard-grade model, and other variants will feature additional standard equipment to further boost Prado’s strong sales. The new standard-grade Prado is available as a turbo-diesel with the choice of manual or automatic transmission. A leather steering wheel with audio controls is now standard across all five Prado grades, including the new standard-grade Prado. Two option packs are also available, the first one offering ABS anti-skid brakes, cruise control and a leather gearshift lever. The second option pack for the manual transmission variant includes front side and curtain shield airbags, while the auto pack is made up of Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRC), climate control air conditioning and an exterior chrome package. Prado Grande is now equipped as standard with a rear view camera. Prado’s 3.0-litre common-rail DOHC four-cylinder intercooled and turbocharged direct-injection engine produces 32 per cent more power and 19.5 per cent more torque than the similar-capacity engine it replaced from the previous Prado in 2006. Maximum power is 127kW at 3400rpm (up from 96kW at 3600rpm) while peak torque jumps to 410Nm at 1600-2800rpm (up from 343Nm at 2000rpm). The Toyota A750F Super ECT five-speed automatic transmission has already proven itself in the LandCruiser 100 Series and Prado quad-cam V6 models, and the six-speed manual transmission in Prado V6. The automatic transmission has a gated shift and improved shift feel thanks to Toyota’s latest-generation precision hydraulic control system. Toyota Prado is one of the fastest growing models in the Medium SUV segment, according to automotive industry statistician VFACTS. Prado Standard starts from $44,600. Available from Lean & Bennett Toyota, Lithgow (02 6352 2211) ✽