Peugeot 308 review

Driving position

Though the Peugeot 308 is a fairly unassuming family hatchback on the surface, you’d be forgiven for thinking it might be a sports car from the driver’s seat.

The usual and plentiful adjustments are available, including a seating position that goes lower than many others.

All the seats offer plenty of lateral support to keep you in place around bends, but the sports seats fitted to GT and GT Premium models really feel the part.

But Peugeot has a trick up its sleeve, and it’s the i-Cockpit. It’s a cabin design that Peugeot’s been using for many years, and despite getting a bit of stick in earlier iterations, we think it’s much better today.

Not only does the steering wheel sit pretty low for a go-kart-like feel, but it’s also very small, so it feels very easy to make minor adjustments without making a big turn of the wheel.

Peugeot didn’t change much compared with the pre-facelift edition of this car, but the A-pillars are slightly thinner, so pulling out of a junction should be a touch easier and safer.

Tech and features

Peugeot 308 trims

– Allure

– GT

– GT Premium

Not much has changed here, either, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s always been a joy to sit inside this generation of Peugeot 308.

All models come with a 10-inch touchscreen. It looks great and integrates neatly into the dashboard, but the operating system’s features and functionality, as well as performance, might not be the best in the business.

No worries, though, because most drivers will just end up using wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto anyway.

You also get physical ‘toggle’ shortcut buttons to things like the climate control, and a customisable touchscreen with five ‘i-Toggles’ for even more shortcuts.

It would’ve been nice if Peugeot had just brought back some climate control essentials, like a temperature dial, instead of it all being within the touchscreen.

Some other cars from the group have touchscreen-based climate controls that stay on the sides of the screen, whatever the middle is displaying, but the 308 doesn’t.

Rear parking sensors and a reversing camera are fitted to all models, with only the GT Premium getting a 360-degree parking camera.

Higher trim levels also add heating for the seats and steering wheel, while going for GT spec and above adds the illuminated badge and lighting details that continue the classic Peugeot claw-inspired signature beyond the headlights and into the grille.

Although everyone seems to be doing a lit-up grille these days, it’s nice to see Peugeot doing something a little bit different, rather than a plain and thoughtless light bar.

Engines and power

Peugeot 308 performance stats

– Power: 145hp or 195hp

– 0-62mph: 7.6-9.0 seconds

– Top speed: 130-140 mph

– Driven wheels: Front-wheel drive

If you’re already familiar with Peugeot’s engine options, there’s nothing new to learn here.

Although the 1.2-litre mild hybrid petrol is up from 136hp to 145hp on paper, this is technically a change in reporting mechanisms, and there’s no power boost to talk of.

We still love this engine, though. It’s packed with character, sounds great, will drive under light load on battery power and is paired with a super-slick six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

For most families, you really can’t go wrong with this.

A separate, 195hp plug-in hybrid engine is also available, but it’s more expensive than the electric e-308, so it doesn’t make a huge amount of sense.

It’s the most powerful, though, so it’s the quickest to 62mph (7.6 seconds). You certainly notice the performance upgrade, but whether or not it’s worth it is another thing.

Handling and ride comfort

Peugeot often reminds us that its cars, including the 308, are tuned for agility and stability. That means they’re meant to feel good under pressure, not just in a straight line.

We took both hybridised powertrains into the twisting hills and narrow roads of Portugal’s south coast to find out. Peugeot’s not lying.

There’s no denying there’s a big gap between one of these and a sports car, but for a do-it-all family hatchback, handling is very impressive.

It might be front-wheel-drive, but we never found it struggling for grip like you do in some other cars.

That compact steering wheel also makes it easy to point the front of the car into a turn with confidence.

If you need something reliable and efficient, you enjoy driving, but you’re happy not to have the most powerful car in the group, you should really consider a Peugeot 308.

Boot space

Peugeot 308 boot space

– Boot space: 314-412 litres

– Inc. Rear seats folded: 1,271-1,323 litres

The Peugeot 308 has long been famed for its well-proportioned boot, and at 412 litres, it’s bigger than other popular hatchbacks like the VW Golf (381 litres) and Ford Focus (375 litres).

Note that plug-in hybrids lose some space due to the placement of the batteries, reducing boot capacity to 314 litres. This is commonplace for all PHEVs, not just the 308.

Rear seats

The trade-off for that boot space is that the rear seats have been positioned further forward, so rear legroom isn’t quite as good in other family hatchbacks.

Still, it’s perfectly acceptable for children and teenagers.

Storage solutions

We’d describe interior storage of the 308 as sufficient, not extraordinary.

There’s a wireless phone charger or phone tray beneath the screen and another cubby for placing your sunglasses beneath that.

Then, you’ve got the cupholders and small but usable space under the split-opening armrest.

Peugeot 308 dimensions:

– Height: 1,454mm

– Width: 2,062mm (including mirrors)

– Length: 4,367mm

– Gross weight: 1,382-1,635kg

Safety

The pre-facelift model has already earned itself a four-star Euro NCAP safety rating, and this carries over to the updated version.

All models, regardless of trim level, get things like autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.

Higher trim levels don’t actually add any additional safety equipment, just a few driver aids like full 360-degree cameras, so you’re free to pick whichever trim you prefer.

The radar sensor is hidden behind the front badge (which illuminates on higher trims), so it all looks very smart.

Fuel economy

This is where the 308 excels, with the mild hybrid capable of around 50% of town motoring with the engine shut off completely.

Peugeot’s literature says to expect up to around 50mpg. We took a 40-mile hilly route at pretty modest speeds, around 30-50mph for the most part. Without intentionally trying, we parked the car with 60.1mpg on the dash. Impressive.

The plug-in hybrid will do a claimed 53 miles on its battery, which is probably a fair estimation.

We took the plug-in hybrid on a longer 100-mile trip, starting with about two-thirds of a full charge.

Fuel efficiency varied from around 94mpg at town speeds to 70mpg at 75mph. We parked up with a reading of 74.3mpg, which after a two-hour stint was higher than we’d have anticipated.

Admittedly, this was in the 308 SW (estate), and the hatchback might be a touch better again.

Reliability

Peugeot is in a good place in terms of reliability, generally ranking from average to good. Its engines, including the two on offer in the facelifted 308, are already tried and tested across a number of other brands like Citroën and Vauxhall, so we’re confident they’ll last.

The manufacturer warranty is three years/60,000 miles. The Kia K4 has a seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, and we think it looks just as good (if not better).