Updated 2020 Peugeot 308: prices, specs and release date

• On sale now
• Styling and tech updates
• Most powerful diesel engine dropped

The updated Peugeot 308 is now available to order with a starting price of £21,310. Peugeot has tweaked its family hatchback in a bid to keep it competitive against the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf and Mazda3.

The most powerful diesel engine has been discontinued but there’s increased standard equipment and new styling options. The changes apply to both the hatchback and the Peugeot 308 SW estate.

The entry-level trim becomes ‘Active Premium’ and comes with rear parking sensors, two-zone air conditioning, 16-inch alloy wheels and a 9.7-inch touchscreen, while Allure is just under £2,000 more and brings a rear-view camera, connected sat nav and a safety pack. This spec is worth choosing just for the safety pack, which includes auto emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance and speed limit recognition. Allure Premium adds adaptive cruise control and keyless entry/start, from £24,030.

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GT replaces the old GT-Line spec and has sporty details inside and out. Prices start at £26,630 for this model, while GT Premium includes blind-spot monitoring, bigger wheels and seats trimmed in suede and a leather-effect material for £750 more.

A new ‘Vertigo Blue’ colour (shown in these pictures) is now available, as well as two new alloy wheel designs. Diamond-cut 16-inch alloys are offered as an optional extra on the mid-range Allure spec, while GT Premium cars can be had with new black 18-inch wheels and a black trim pack.

Peugeot has cut one of the 308’s engines; the 2.0-litre BlueHDi diesel engine with 175bhp is no longer offered, perhaps due to stricter WLTP emissions testing. This engine was a niche choice, as it was only offered on the range-topping GT model with an automatic gearbox.

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The surviving options are a 1.2-litre petrol engine with either 108 (Active Premium only) or 128bhp, or a diesel engine offering 128bhp. Both 128bhp engines can be had with a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic (depending on trim level), while the lesser-powered options are manual-only. The 256bhp Peugeot 308 GTi hot hatchback survives to rival the Hyundai i30 N, Ford Focus ST and Renault Megane RS.

Peugeot has also given the i-Cockpit digital instrument cluster a slight reworking, and the central touchscreen gets a gloss finish like a smartphone. In terms of phone connectivity, both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are fitted as standard.

See where the Peugeot 308 SW estate features on our list of the best small estates.