Peugeot 308 SW estate - Interior & comfort (2014-2021)

The 308 SW is longer than its predecessor and its interior is much improved. It’s also been set up to be comfortable rather than sporty, so in general the suspension is smooth and the car soaks up bumps and potholes very well indeed. Be aware that the higher-spec cars with larger alloy wheels sacrifice some of this comfort – imperfections in the road surface become more noticeable.

Peugeot 308 SW dashboard

Overall, the dashboard is much better than in the previous 308. It’s far less cluttered, for one, with a large 9.7-inch touchscreen controlling much of the car’s systems and functions inside. Its integration means there are far fewer fiddly buttons to poke on the dashboard and centre console and its graphics were improved in late 2017.

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The pitfall of relying solely on a touchscreen for all the car's infotainment functions is that when the interface fails to react due to its unresponsive nature, or you become lost in the system's confusing menu layout, simple operations like reducing the climate-control temperature or changing the radio station become a chore.

Sadly, even a software update for the facelift has failed to rationalise the interface, speed up the system's loading times or reduce the amount of actions needed to access each sub-menu.

Peugeot has upgraded some of the materials used inside, adding some soft-touch plastics to the places you see and touch regularly. There are still some cheaper, scratchy plastics to be found, though, and this detracts from the feeling in the cabin. Interior build quality is still better in the Volkswagen Golf Estate and the Skoda Octavia Estate.

Despite its sportiness – plus its lowered suspension and large 18-inch alloy wheels – the 308 SW GT is still very comfortable and a great car for long journeys.

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Equipment

Available in Active, Allure, Tech Edition, GT Line and GT specs, the 308 SW offers buyers plenty of choice. Even the basic Active model has equipment like climate control, Bluetooth phone connectivity, sat nav, DAB digital radio and rear parking sensors. Allure gets all-round parking sensors, power-folding mirrors and a panoramic sunroof. GT Line and GT models have 18-inch alloy wheels as standard, along with discreet GT styling kits.

Options

There are plenty of options to choose from: Nappa leather seats with a massage function are available for £1,000-£1,250 depending on trim level, and various driver assist packages can be added, starting at around £400. A panoramic roof is a standard feature on all but the entry-level Active model - it doesn’t open but does make the inside of the car feel lighter and airier.