Peugeot 308 awarded German Car of the Year in Compact category

An event or a special day manufacturers hanker for is when the Car of the year award is announced. This event takes place in several countries and cars across segments and makes are bequeathed accolades based on various categories set by the jury who speculate every model and provide their verdict. It generally elevates the worth of a car and allows it to capture a greater market share which has received such prestigious awards.

On October 26, 2021, the German Car of the Year took place where several awards were granted under the ‘Compact,’ ‘Premium,’ ‘Luxury,’ ‘New Energy’ and ‘Performance’ categories. In the purview of ‘Compact’ ilk, it was the Peugeot 308 which emerged victorious and received the German Compact Car of the Year laurel. This class constitutes all cars priced under €25,000 (incl. VAT). This year, the French car had to grapple with 10 other contemporaries brought in by 8 automakers to the event. 

20 German-speaking German automotive journalists were entrusted with the responsibility of declaring the GCOTY and were able to come to the unanimous vantage point of awarding the highest points to the Peugeot 308 as they found the car was replete with diesel, petrol as well as a plug-in hybrid version which elaborated the brand’s Power of Choice strategy. In addition to this, they also construed the vast array of features, contemporary technology, the personified i-Cockpit® infotainment system which can be customised to suit your requirement and at the end, the swanky and discrete design modern Peugeot cars come with. Prior to this, the car was also crowned Car of the Year, 2014. The overall winner for the German Car of the Year will be announced on the 25th November. 

The car features several features making driving a promenade in the park such as the full-LED vertical headlights, claw-shaped taillights, reversing camera, blind spot monitoring with lane keep assist, auto-emergency braking, collision warning alert and steering interference in catch-22. It also features nifty gadgets such as head-up display, toggle switches with tactile feel and feel-good factor and a humongous central touchscreen which effortlessly allows to browse twaddle through menus. 

The car is on sale in two plug-in hybrid versions (electric 180 hp and gasoline 225 hp combined) and various petrol and oil-burners to complete the roster. A fully electric version will join the range by 2023. Such versatility makes the 308 a rounded proposition and an ideal choice as an entry-level hatchback without any apprehensions. 

“This is the first award for the new generation of the Peugeot 308. We are very proud that the 308 was able to assert itself in the compact class in Germany. Many thanks to the German Car of the Year jury and the entire PEUGEOT team. The success also shows us that we are on the right track with the Power of Choice strategy and our consistent path to electro-mobility. With the new Peugeot 308, we have already electrified 80 percent of our car range.” Said Haico van der Luyt, Managing Director of PEUGEOT Germany.

Making GCOTY unique is that it doesn’t receive the patronage of any Motor Show, publication or manufacturer but is a private body where analysis and loaning of awards takes place in the most unexpurgated demeanour.