New Peugeot 308: test drive and buying guide for the new compact that targets the VW Golf

More than 1.3 million units of the Peugeot 308 have been sold so far, and now it reaches its third generation, keeping the values that have always defined the French compact and aiming for greater sophistication in every respect, from design to equipment and mechanical options.

We were able to drive it during the press presentation, and we can already draw some first conclusions.

The exterior design of the new Peugeot 308

Built on the EMP2 platform from the Stellantis group used for its compact models, which is also used in the Citroën C4 and the DS 4, this is a completely new model that increases the wheelbase by no less than 5.5 centimetres. Its length is now 4.36 metres (11 cm more), with a width of 1.85 m maintained, and a height reduced by 2 cm, down to 1.44 metres.

Externally, the new Peugeot 308 shows many differences from the previous generation, with a design evolution that recalls the 508. Expressive, muscular, seductive… these are some of the adjectives the brand uses to describe its new model. And the truth is that they all do it justice. We would highlight the slim front headlights (LED from the basic versions, Matrix LED on the higher trims) with the fang-shaped daytime running lights, as well as the new light signature at the rear. The aerodynamic drag coefficient has been improved and is now 0.28.

Peugeot has also already shown the 308 SW version, the estate body variant, which has a wheelbase almost 6 centimetres longer than the saloon and reaches 4.64 metres in length. We think it is one of the most attractive compact estates on the market. It is offered with a range practically equivalent to the saloon in terms of engines and equipment, for an extra cost of 900 euros. Don’t overlook it, because it is a very worthwhile option.

There are seven body colours available for the Peugeot 308: green, blue, red, grey, black and two shades of white.

Interior of the new Peugeot 308: space and boot

Inside, the first thing to acknowledge is that Peugeot has done a very good job of positioning the new 308 as a benchmark in its category in terms of perceived quality. The design contributes to this, but so do the feel and appearance of the materials used and of all the controls; at least in the versions we were able to drive, with the higher trims.

I was surprised, however, that no interior space is gained, given the increase in exterior dimensions and wheelbase. We expected it to rise above average in this area, but it remains more or less where it was, with somewhat tight rear seats.

As for the boot, Peugeot quotes a capacity of 412 litres for the saloon with combustion engines (almost 30 of them under the floor) and about 50 litres less in the case of the plug-in hybrids. With the rear seat backs folded down, it exceeds 1,300 litres, according to the measurement standard used by Peugeot. Pending a more precise measurement, the impression is that it is average compared with its rivals.

Peugeot continues to back the i-cockpit

A hallmark of Peugeot that carries over to the new 308, for better and for worse, is the so-called i-cockpit, a layout that combines an unusually small steering wheel with an elevated instrument panel.

When I say for better, it is because it remains a point of differentiation, and also because once you get used to it, which you do quickly, handling such a small steering wheel and reading the instruments above the rim rather than below it is actually stimulating, especially when manoeuvring or on winding roads.

The problem, and so I recommend that anyone buying a Peugeot 308 try it at the dealership first, is that depending on your height, the steering wheel can hide part—or much—of the instrumentation when you set it in the position where you drive most comfortably. To try to minimise this effect, the new 308 uses a steering wheel that is flattened at the top and bottom. But, at least in my case, the only way to see almost all the instrumentation is by lowering the steering wheel a lot and raising the seat. Besides not being the most comfortable position, the second problem is that this set-up makes getting in and out of the car more complicated.

Sophisticated: connectivity and multimedia

I also did not like another of the novelties Peugeot boasts about in the new 308: the 3D digital instrument cluster. From the Active Pack trim upwards, the 308’s instrument panel is a 10-inch digital screen that, in the most fully equipped versions, presents the information in what are supposedly three dimensions.

In reality, it is the superimposition of information on different planes, and I have not quite got used to it over the kilometres covered in this first test drive. I prefer the digital instrumentation of the other versions, without this 3D functionality.

Otherwise, the new touchscreen for the multimedia system, which grows to 10 inches, is much better than before in terms of graphic definition, configuration options and menu navigation. I like what Peugeot calls “i-Toggles”, a second touchscreen that allows large areas to be configured as individual buttons for managing different functions, for example direct access to navigation, the phone, the sound system or the “home” menu to always return quickly to the main screen. This multimedia screen is standard from the Allure trim.

Below it there is always a row of physical buttons for some controls, such as recirculation, rear-window defrosting or the hazard lights. The new multimedia system integrates Peugeot i-Connect Advanced, with the increasingly common voice control with natural language recognition (activated with the command “OK Peugeot”) and wireless updates. In addition, up to 8 different driving profiles can be configured and stored, which keep preferences such as seat settings, ambient lighting, etc.

I especially liked the centre console in versions with automatic gearbox. Like other rivals, in that case Peugeot replaces the gear lever with a control that allows a very clean design, with a very comfortable space for a wireless phone charger and many compartments for emptying your pockets.

The engine range: petrol, diesel and two plug-in hybrids

For the engine range, Peugeot continues to rely on the 1.2 three-cylinder PureTech petrol versions, as well as the 1.5 BlueHDi four-cylinder turbodiesel, which have worked so well in models such as the previous 308. None of them has mild hybridisation, so they do not carry an ECO label.

The petrol PureTech is offered in 110 and 130 hp versions, the latter with the option of the eight-speed EAT8 automatic gearbox. The diesel produces 130 hp, and can also be chosen with an automatic gearbox.

As a novelty, two plug-in hybrid versions arrive, which were not offered on the previous model but are already well known from other Stellantis group models: the 308 GT Hybrid 180 and the 308 GT Hybrid 225, with a system output of 180 and 225 hp respectively. In both cases the same electric motor and a 12.4 kWh battery are used; the difference lies in the power of the combustion engine, a 4-cylinder 1.6 Turbo petrol producing 150 or 180 hp.

These versions have an on-board 3.7 kW charger, and a 7.4 kW charger can optionally be specified. The WLTP homologated electric-only range is 59 or 60 km, depending on the version. They carry the DGT ZERO emissions label.

Behind the wheel of the new Peugeot 308

What stands out most right after the first few kilometres in the new Peugeot 308 is the way it literally “swallows” potholes. It offers outstanding suspension comfort, and it does so without resorting to very soft suspension tuning, so agility on bends is not compromised. As I mentioned earlier, once you find the best driving position based on your preferences and what the i-cockpit allows, you quickly adapt to a small steering wheel that is flatter at the top than at the bottom, which may be surprising at first. Overall, it is a car with very good dynamic behaviour, which stands out for its balance between comfort, effectiveness, safety and ease of handling.

When it comes to choosing an engine, the new 308 deserves, at the very least, to start from the 130 hp versions, and to choose the 110 hp PureTech only if you will not be doing much motorway driving or using the car with passengers and luggage. The choice between petrol and diesel is not easy to resolve: there is a difference of 1,500 euros in favour of the petrol with the same equipment, which is generally smoother and has better performance if you make use of the gear changes, although at the cost of an increasingly wider gap in consumption against the diesel. I would only choose the diesel if you think you will cover more than 15,000 km a year. In either case, for 1,700 euros, I would strongly recommend the automatic gearbox, which operates very smoothly and does not affect performance or consumption.

As for the 308 Hybrid, the 180 hp version has the advantage of being offered with the higher trims, and you can get a 308 plug-in hybrid from 33,000 euros, whereas the most powerful one requires starting from the GT trim, and the price rises to almost 40,000 euros. At the same trim level, the 225 hp version costs an additional 1,500 euros. As the top-of-range and most powerful version, the 308 Hybrid 225 in GT or GT Pack trim can, in terms of styling and performance, pass as the sportier model, but in no case should you expect the feel of a “GTI”. That is why the 180 hp version makes more sense, with many more trim options to choose from and a very favourable balance between performance and consumption.

The masterstroke purchase: Peugeot 308 Puretech 130 eAT8

Applying the official discounts, to which you can add the one obtained by financing the purchase, you can get a petrol 308 Active Pack with 110 hp from 21,500 euros, and from 22,800 euros with the 130 hp engine. The BlueHDI starts at 24,300 euros. Our ideal configuration would be a 308 with the 130 hp petrol engine and automatic gearbox, which you can get in base trim from 24,500 euros. Stepping up to the Allure trim costs 2,500 euros, and adds to the Active Pack equipment items such as a rear camera, the interior air quality system, automatic high beams, ambient interior lighting, 17-inch alloy wheels (on the Active Pack they are 16-inch steel wheels) and the touchscreen with navigation, among other elements. The main alternatives to the Peugeot 308 would be the Seat León, the new Opel Astra and the Hyundai i30.

In the case of the plug-in hybrid versions, we would go for the 180 eAT8 Hybrid in Allure trim, which is priced at 35,200 euros. In this case, the alternatives we like best are the Seat León eHybrid and the Renault Mégane E-TECH PHEV.

Photo gallery of the new Peugeot 308

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackPeugeot 30824 versions · from 31,770 €