When Michael, my Uber driver, noticed where I was heading, he started his small talk with: how do you pronounce “Peugeot”? Eager to impart a bit of automotive trivia, I told him the proper way to say it: “POO-zho” and that if he ever needs a refresher, every dealer has a pronunciation guide stickered on the façade. Then he asked: mura ba yun? Mukha kasi silang mura eh (are they cheap? It’s because they look cheap). At that point, I thought: Ouch! If I were working for Peugeot or owned one, that comment would feel like a knife piercing through my chest. Although I could try reiterating things like how they’re filled with quirky yet intricate details and that they’re made in France and so forth; I’m simply calling on Michael to try out the new 308, be it the hatchback or wagon. Discounting the budget 301 which I abhorred, this is the first mainstream car that lives up to Peugeot’s brand values.
