We review the Peugeot 308GTI from price to economy and all its features

THERE was a time you could spot a GTI driver from 1,000 paces.

Youngish bloke, no older than 35, no kids and zero interest in world politics or The Great British Bake Off.

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The kinda chap who had a few quid but would sooner spend it in a Wetherspoon than Wagamama come Friday night. But today, there's a GTi for everyone.

Let's be honest, whether a car is badged GTi, ST, R or Cupra, and so on, they all mean the same thing — this car has balls.

And now you see those badges adorning the backsides of every shape and size of motor.

Five doors, SUVs, even estates, pay a few more quid and get a bit more poke. Because that's what we want, regardless of age or family situation.

Peugeot has joined the come-onecome-all party with its 308GTi. The sexy little 208GTi is one of my favourite hot hatches on the market, a 200-plus BHP engine in a body that weighs less than a lawnmower.

As a fan of the 208, I eyed the 308 with suspicion. Surely it's just a bloated, confused version of its younger brother? Five doors, oodles of room in the back, a boot big enough to carry two labradors ... watered-down fun, isn't it? Well, no. It has all the front-wheel slip and slide a GTi should, with deliciously edgy handling and a fruity soundtrack to boot. But, because it has to be, it's poised and gentle around town.

In terms of size and space, the 308GTi is up against the likes of the Civic Type R and the Golf GTi. Compared to the Type R it's lacking power, at 272bhp compared to 306. But it packs nearly 50bhp more than the VW.

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I think what Peugeot has done is clever. Let's be honest, 300-plus BHP is a hefty whack. And people looking for more room in the back for the kids may not hanker after that level of power.

There would be rusk crumbs everywhere, for starters.

Nor do they want to surrender space and go smaller, like the 208 or the Fiesta ST.

But they want to beat the iconic German off the line because, well, who doesn't? Enter the 308GTi.

It feels light and agile through bends (it's considerably lighter than most rivals) and joyfully wheelspins through the lower end of the six speed 'box.

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The tiny steering wheel sharpens the handling feel and gear shifting is done without poncy paddle shifters, which helps capture that old-school GTi frivolity.

Sport mode not only stiffens the throttle response and steering but makes the dash light up in red. There is little else to remind the driver it is a GTi, but again, that works for01 the market. It doesn't scream "teenage wet dream" like the RS or, even, the 208GTi.

I'm running out of space but all you need to know is it does the rest of its job of sensible family runaround very well indeed.

As much as I didn't want this car to work, I have to admit it's hammered its market perfectly. It represents the new face of the GTi: potent but no longer impractical.

It's a lager top — but the lager is Stella.