Peugeot 308 SW Review

Read Caroline’s Peugeot 308 SW review for everything you need to know about buying Peugeot’s compact estate car in Ireland.

With the arrival of the new 308 in Ireland, Peugeot has added a compact estate car to the range to join the hatchback. The new Peugeot 308 SW offers a little more practicality than the hatchback, and is arguably an even better looking car.

It goes on sale in Ireland priced from €32,765, and is available with petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid engines.

So it it any good? In this review I’m going to take a closer look at the new 308 SW to find out!

Styling

From the front, the 308 SW is identical to the 308 hatchback with all the same striking design cues: the slim LED headlights, fang-like daytime running lights and big grille bearing the brand’s new ‘lion shield’ logo. But viewed from the side, it’s obvious that this is a very different car indeed. The 308 SW’s extra length and unique rear styling give it even more presence than the 308 hatchback. It’s now one of the best-looking estate cars you can buy, with an upmarket, sporty look that stands out among rivals like the Skoda Octavia Combi, Toyota Corolla Touring Sports and Suzuki Swace. Only a Seat Leon Sportstourer comes close on kerb appeal.

The 308 SW is sold in three trim levels in Ireland – Active, Allure and GT – with 16-inch alloy wheels coming as standard. The mid-range 308 SW Allure (from €37,495) offers a good balance between price and equipment, with sportier 17-inch ‘Halong’ diamond cut alloy wheels, chrome exhaust surrounds, grille finished with chrome stamping, and gloss black diffuser effect trim to the rear bumper. GT models have even more sporty features and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Avatar Blue metallic paint is exclusive to the 308 SW and comes at no extra cost.

Interior

The 308 SW has a great cabin that features Peugeot’s new generation ‘i-Cockpit’ – just like the Peugeot 308 hatchback. It’s one of the most stylish interiors of the segment, with a very driver-focused layout. It feels more modern and posher inside than a Corolla Touring Sports or Swace. The compact steering wheel is now a Peugeot trademark. You look over it rather than through it to view the full digital instrument cluster. There’s also a glossy 10-inch touchscreen as standard in the centre of the dashboard with a wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connection.

The cabin of the 308 SW has a plush feel with lots of good quality materials used. Allure models come with synthetic leather and cloth seat upholstery with mint stitching. While top of the range GT models add the option of blue or black leather seats. Automatic air conditioning and parking sensors come as standard. Allure models add a 180-degree parking camera, ambient lighting, high beam assist, keyless entry and push button start.

Practicality

The 308 SW sits on a longer wheelbase than the hatchback so it offers a little more legroom for rear seat passengers. It also offers a more practical boot shape with a low flat sill and wide opening that makes it ideal for carrying cargo. In petrol and diesel versions, boot space increases from 412 litres in the hatchback to 608 litres, which is similar to the Corolla and the Swace, and not too much smaller than the Octavia Combi or Leon Sportstourer. There’s 548 litres of boot space in 308 SW plug-in hybrids, up from just 361 litres in the hatchback hybrid.

Engine

Just like the 308 hatchback, the new 308 SW is available with a range of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid engines. No matter which version you go for, an 8-speed automatic gearbox comes as standard.

The 1.2-litre petrol engine with 130hp is the most affordable entry into the range. There’s also a 1.5-litre diesel available, also with 130hp. The most powerful of the range is the plug-in hybrid that’s available in two different power outputs: 180hp and 225hp. Both have a battery on board that can be charged to give an electric driving range of up to about 60 kilometres.

An electric e-308 SW will join the range towards the end of 2023.

Driving

The latest Peugeot 308 SW is built on a new platform and there have been numerous improvements to how it drives. It grips the road well and feels pleasantly agile. It’s also very comfortable over the tarmac.

On test was the 308 SW 1.5-litre diesel and it’s the one to go for if you need a car that offers the best return on a tank of fuel, particularly if you do a lot of high speed motorway driving. It offers more torque than the 1.2-litre petrol engine (230Nm vs 300Nm), though the petrol is slightly quicker to 100km/h (9.7 seconds vs 10.6 seconds).

The diesel offers the best efficiency but the petrol and plug-in hybrid 308 offer more refinement and less engine noise, particularly in town driving. Still, the diesel settles down once cruising speeds are reached. The automatic gearbox can feel a little bit awkward at lower speeds, and the stop start system can cut in a little too abruptly.

Pricing

The new Peugeot 308 SW costs €1000 more to buy than the 308 hatchback. The 308 SW 1.2 petrol is available from €32,765, while the 308 SW 1.5 diesel is available from €34,865. The range-topping 308 SW plug-in hybrid is available from €43,935. The Allure diesel on test has a list price of €39,080.

Verdict

The Peugeot 308 SW is a great option if you are looking for a stylish and practical family car that’s not an SUV. The 308 SW will make heads turn with its eye-catching good looks, while inside it offers a great cabin experience that feels a little more upmarket than the competition.

Bearing in mind that it’s a bigger car, with more rear legroom and offers considerable more boot space than the hatchback, it’s quite good value within the Peugeot 308 range.

There’s also a great range of engine options to choose from and an upcoming electric Peugeot e-308 SW.

Peugeot is set to expand their compact car range in 2023 with the arrival of the new Peugeot 408 fastback, but the sporty 308 SW remains a very desirable and handsome car.

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Written by Caroline Kidd

Founder and Editor of Changing Lanes, Juror for Irish Car of the Year