Driving report: Peugeot 308

Sends in January 2022 Peugeot the new generation of the 308 to the dealers. The brand's core model grew significantly in size and will also be available with electrified drives for the first time.

The developers of the Peugeot 308 had already presented the predecessor well. It became the "Car of the year" chosen, an award that is only given if the so-called package is right, a good mix of drive, technology, comfort, innovation, efficiency, safety and price. Perhaps this was one of the reasons why the "French Golf" has since been sold more than a million times in Europe, 93.000 of them in Germany. 65 percent of customers opted for the station wagon, always called SW at Peugeot, the abbreviation for Station Wagon.

Old platform, modern design

Whether the new generation of the Peugeot 308, which will roll out to dealerships in early 2022, will be able to build on this, especially since the competition has not been idle and has attractive models on the road. You need good design, a strong drive for innovation and a few exclusive features to set yourself apart from the competition. 

Driving report: Peugeot 308
The new Peugeot 308 is still technically based on the group platform EMP2

Technically, the new Peugeot 308 is still based on the group platform EMP2, which has, however, been adapted to modern requirements. She also uses Opel for the new Astra. Externally, the 308 surpasses its predecessor by a full eleven centimeters and, with a length of 4,36 meters, is now at the upper end of the compact class. The station wagon has become six centimeters longer, now even measures 4,64 meters, a measure that was previously assigned to the middle class.

The wheelbase has grown by 5,5 centimeters in both body variants, which primarily benefits the guests in the rear. Behind them is a trunk that holds 412 liters in the five-door and 608 liters in the station wagon. If the backrests of the rear seats are flat, there are up to 1.323 liters (five-door) and 1.634 liters (SW) of luggage that can be stowed in the new 308.

A bit of getting used to inside

In the interior, Peugeot lets its i-cockpit, which is typical of the brand, live on from other models. It was further developed with a particular focus on digitization and differs from "normal" cockpits mainly in that the steering wheel is lower and the fittings are above the rim of the steering wheel. It takes a bit of adjustment at first, but you quickly get used to this “Peugeot positioning”. Is it worse or better? The question does not arise. It's just different. Just like the presentation of the advertisements. From the GT equipment onwards, they appear three-dimensional. You also have the option of clicking through eight different views in the cockpit.

Driving report: Peugeot 308
The navigation display could, however, be clearer

The central element remains the large touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard. It works as fast as a tablet and is as easy to use as on a smartphone. The navigation display could, however, be clearer. The designers came up with a special feature when touching the screen. If you tap three fingers on the surface at the same time, the system automatically switches to the home function. The individual menu items can then be activated using tiles. These can also be placed on virtual favorite buttons below the display, which is so far unique in the automotive industry. If you don't want to use your fingers too much, you can choose voice control, an “OK Peugeot” is enough to activate it. Stereotypical commands are not necessary, you can talk like you would do to a person.

Gasoline, diesel and hybrids

The new Peugeot 308 is on the modular PSA group platform EMP2. It is designed so that different drives can be integrated. The customer can choose between two petrol engines (1,2-liter three-cylinder with 110 and 130 hp) and a diesel (1,5-liter four-cylinder, also 130 hp) and, for the first time, two plug-in hybrids. Peugeot particularly recommends the part-time electricity (180 or 225 hp) with an electric range of 60 kilometers as an alternative to those customers who would otherwise be toying with a diesel. Because according to Peugeot's calculations, the plug-in hybrid is almost at the same level as the diesel in terms of monthly maintenance costs.

What makes the electrified drive so appealing is, of course, its higher performance on the one hand, but also its calm and smoothness on the other. Even if the 1,6-liter four-cylinder comes into play in hybrid mode, this does not reduce comfort. The eight-speed automatic changes gears imperceptibly and gives the 308 a very confident look. The rest of the coordination was also carried out professionally. Suspension comfort, steering and rolling noise give no cause for criticism. The 308 is pleasant and relaxed to drive, and remains controlled and precise at all times.

Progressive with lots of features

The French start at 23.700 euros with the “Active Pack” equipment. It includes a digital instrument cluster, LED headlights, front collision warning, keyless start system, 10-inch touchscreen, lane departure warning with steering intervention, traffic sign recognition and two-zone automatic climate control. If you want more assistance systems, you have to tick higher equipment lines in the price list and can move the 308 almost partially autonomously using the "Drive Assist 2.0 package". Traffic sign recognition has also been further developed. The camera now also identifies stop signs, one-way streets, no overtaking and the end of the no overtaking.

Peugeot is just as progressive in terms of sales. Those who find going to the dealer and a test drive too annoying can for the first time buy the 308 online via the webstore. The digital process even includes the trade-in of the old car, the financing and the choice of the delivery location.

Technical data


Five-door, five-seat hatchback model; Length: 4,37 meters, width: 1,85 meters, height: 1,44 meters, wheelbase: 2,68 meters, trunk volume: 412 to 1.323 liters, plug-in hybrid: 361 to 1.271 liters

Puretech 110: 1,2-liter three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine, 81 kW / 110 PS, maximum torque: 205 Nm at 1.750 rpm, six-speed manual transmission, front-wheel drive, 0-100 km / h: 10,6 s, Vmax: 198 km / h, standard consumption: 5,5 liters / 100 kilometers (WLTP), CO2 emissions: 124 g / km (WLTP), emissions standard: Euro 6d, efficiency class: A Price: from 23.700 euros

Puretech 130: 1,2-liter three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine, 96 kW / 130 PS, maximum torque: 230 Nm at 1.750 rpm, six-speed manual transmission, front-wheel drive, 0-100 km / h: 9,6 s, Vmax: 210 km / h, standard consumption: 5,5 liters / 100 kilometers (WLTP), CO2 emissions: 125 g / km (WLTP), emissions standard: Euro 6d, efficiency class: A Price: from 25.600 euros

BlueHdi 130: 1,5-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel, 96 kW / 130 PS, maximum torque: 300 Nm at 1.750 rpm, six-speed manual gearbox, front-wheel drive, 0-100 km / h: 10,6 s, Vmax: 207 km / h, standard consumption: 4,3 liters / 100 kilometers (WLTP), CO2 emissions: 114 g / km (WLTP), emissions standard: Euro 6d, efficiency class: A + price: from 28.700 euros

Hybrid 180 e-EAT8: 1,6-liter four-cylinder petrol engine, 110 kW / 150 PS, maximum torque: 250 Nm at 1.750 rpm, electric motor, 81 kW / 110 PS, maximum torque 320 Nm, system output 132 kW / 180 PS, system torque 360 ​​Nm, 8-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, 0-100 km / h: 7,6 s, Vmax: 225 km / h, standard consumption: 1,2 liters / 100 kilometers (WLTP), CO2 Emissions: 24 g / km (WLTP), electric range 60 km, emissions standard: Euro 6d, efficiency class: A +, price: from 36.900 euros

Hybrid 225 e-EAT8: 1,6-liter four-cylinder petrol engine, 110 kW / 150 PS, maximum torque: 250 Nm at 1.750 rpm, electric motor, 81 kW / 110 PS, maximum torque 320 Nm, system output 162 kW / 225 PS, system torque 360 ​​Nm, 8-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, 0-100 km / h: 7,5 s, Vmax: 235 km / h, standard consumption: 1,2 liters / 100 kilometers (WLTP), CO2 Emissions: 27 g / km (WLTP), electric range 59 km, emissions standard: Euro 6d, efficiency class: A +, price: from 44.550 euros

In brief


Why: because you want to drive something other than a Golf or Astra 
Why not: because a 4,40 meter in the compact class is no longer compact enough
What else: VW Golf, Opel Astra, Ford Focus, Hyundai i30, Kia Ceed, Renault Mégane, Citroen C4, Toyota Corolla, Mazda3,   
When does he come: January 2022
What's next: Five-door and station wagons will also be available with fully electric drive in 2023

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