Peugeot 308 review – premium family hatchback

Verdict – is the Peugeot 308 a good car?

The 308 isn’t the most spacious family car around – it’s bigger inside than a Toyota Corolla yet less practical than the last 308 – but it’s a great all-rounder that brings together comfort, efficiency, smart looks inside and out, enjoyable handling and plenty of hi-tech equipment. It’s also not the most affordable family hatchback, but if you want an automatic or hybrid car, it’s well worth considering. There’s also a 308 SW estate version with more boot space and similarly striking looks, should you need it, and the E-308 if you’re looking to make the switch to an electric car.

Peugeot 308 models, specs and alternatives

The Peugeot 308 is the French brand’s family hatchback, sitting above the 208 supermini in its lineup. It’s a striking car to look at, but there’s a lot more to it than just futuristic styling – this time around the Peugeot 308 can be had as a petrol, diesel, mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid or even fully-electric E-308, which we’ve reviewed separately, so it offers an incredible amount of choice.

Rivals to the Peugeot 308 include household names like the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf and Vauxhall Astra, as well as other family hatchbacks like the SEAT Leon, Citroen C4 and Hyundai i30. The 308 also shares many of the same components with the aforementioned Astra and C4, given that they fall under the same Stellantis parent brand, but the Peugeot 308 is positioned as a slightly more upmarket model compared with those two, starting from just under £30,000 – that’s over £10,000 more than the C4 and £5,000 more than the Astra.

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The 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine has 131bhp and will suit most drivers, but the latest mild-hybrid option costs under £1,000 more and boasts improved fuel economy and performance, so it looks worth springing for. There are very few diesel hatchbacks left on sale these days, so the 1.5-litre BlueHDi option is refreshing to see – it’s £600 more expensive than the mild-hybrid and doesn’t boast much better fuel economy, though, and is only really suited to high mileage drivers.

There are two plug-in hybrids available, using a 1.6-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor. The cheaper of the two produces 177bhp, while the more expensive model makes 222bhp. Both models can travel up to 36 miles on electricity alone, and their lower emissions make it a cheaper tax proposition for company-car drivers.

These models can be recharged at home overnight at a standard rate of 3.7kW, and unlike some plug-in hybrids, the 308 is available with faster charging as an option. Equipped with a 7.4kW charger (an extra £400 at the time of writing), you can use a home wallbox or public charger to fill the battery in about two hours.

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The new 308 is good to drive, striking a nice balance between handling and comfort. The Ford Focus is often considered to be the benchmark in the class for handling and the Skoda Octavia is the same for comfort. The 308 sits somewhere in between the two.

Peugeot is in the process of positioning itself as a more premium brand than before, and it’s safe to say that one of the best aspects of the 308 is the interior. It feels well made and the materials are good quality, much like you’d find in a more expensive car like an Audi A3. There are some areas that look a little drab but its design is mostly excellent.

There’s also a 10-inch display with a second touch-sensitive panel below it. This looks very modern and is easier to use than the screens in other Peugeots (such as the 3008 SUV). It’s very responsive too, in a big improvement over the previous model.

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The 308 is available in Active, Allure and GT trim levels, though the mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric E-308 are unavailable in base-spec Active, starting from mid-range Allure and above. All are well equipped; you get a 10-inch digital dial display, smartphone connectivity, LED headlights, climate control, 16-inch alloys and plenty of safety kit even on entry-level versions. As you move up the range, luxuries such as wireless phone charging, sat-nav, keyless entry, larger alloys and a 360-degree parking camera are added.