Peugeot 308 SW review: what the car critics say
The third-generation 308 SW has petrol, diesel and two plug-in hybrid options
Sensible but not devoid of fun, the third-generation Peugeot 308 SW is available as a 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel, both with 129bhp, said What Car?. And for the first time there are two plug-in hybrid options: either 178bhp or 222bhp. An all-electric version, the e-308 SW, is expected next year. All 308 SWs have an eight-speed automatic gearbox that you can override using paddles on the steering wheel.
A very respectable all-rounder and a terrific cruiser, the 308 SW has decent grip and smooth ride quality, said The Daily Telegraph. It smothers small bumps on the road and stays composed over larger ones, with good body control. The tyres, however, are noisy at all speeds, and steering is slow, and feels unnaturally heavy in Sport mode. The gearbox works well, shifting quickly to find the right ratio for the job.
A handsome, comfortable estate, the car is 6cm longer than before, giving an impressive 608-litre boot (or up to 1,634 litres with the rear seats folded; 548 litres/1,574 litres in the hybrid), said Top Gear Magazine. Peugeot’s i-Cockpit with compact steering wheel and crystal clear ten-inch touchscreen can take a bit of getting used to, but it’s worth the effort. Passenger space in the rear is a bit disappointing, though.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
UK price from £26,470; peugeot.co.uk
In pictures: Peugeot 308 SW
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Microsoft pursues digital intelligence ‘aligned to human values’ in shift from OpenAIUNDER THE RADAR The iconic tech giant is jumping into the AI game with a bold new initiative designed to place people first in the search for digital intelligence
-
Codeword: November 7, 2025The Week's daily codeword puzzle
-
Crossword: November 7, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Bugonia: ‘deranged, extreme and explosively enjoyable’Talking Point Yorgos Lanthimos’ film stars Emma Stone as a CEO who is kidnapped and accused of being an alien
-
The Revolutionists: a ‘superb and monumental’ bookThe Week Recommends Jason Burke ‘epic’ account of the plane hijackings and kidnappings carried out by extremists in the 1970s
-
Film reviews: ‘Bugonia,’ ‘The Mastermind’ and ‘Nouvelle Vague’feature A kidnapped CEO might only appear to be human, an amateurish art heist goes sideways, and Jean-Luc Godard’s ‘Breathless’ gets a lively homage
-
Book reviews: ‘Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity’ and ‘Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice’feature An examination of humanity in the face of “the Machine” and a posthumous memoir from one of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, who recently died by suicide
-
The dazzling coral gardens of Raja AmpatThe Week Recommends Region of Indonesia is home to perhaps the planet’s most photogenic archipelago
-
Salted caramel and chocolate tart recipeThe Week Recommends Delicious dessert can be made with any biscuits you fancy
-
6 trailside homes for hikersFeature Featuring a roof deck with skyline views in California and a home with access to private trails in Montana
-
Lazarus: Harlan Coben’s ‘embarrassingly compelling’ thrillerThe Week Recommends Bill Nighy and Sam Claflin play father-and-son psychiatrists in this ‘precision-engineered’ crime drama