DN test drive Peugeot 308 SW Plug-in Hybrid 195 e-DCS7

SUVs and crossover models may dominate the market, but the traditional C-segment, popularly known as the Golf class, is still a big deal in Europe. This is evident from Peugeot’s diagram, which can be seen just before our test drive in the new 308, the brand’s class candidate.

However, it’s not really new, it’s been four years since its release and so it’s time for a dutiful update.

As usual, it is most noticeable on the nose, where a beak has been added to better harmonize with newer models from the French brand such as the 3008 and 5008. The fact is that the front has even surpassed this one in terms of modernity and we can probably expect a similar shape on other Peugeot models when it comes time for updates.

The light sources are burned into a kind of ribbed fan and when they are switched off, they are as if invisible. The design of the air intakes has been slimmed down to create an electrified impression, even if combustion engines are still part of the engine range.

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The 308 was the first with Peugeot’s new logo in 2021 and now the model will also be the first with an illuminated grille. We have seen this with a number of other brands and more will follow as the EU has relaxed the rules in this area. LED light is effective – and cheap. In addition, brushed chrome elements have been added to the base, which are replaced by glossy black plastic – a touch that gives the car a sporty and modern look.

But efforts were also made under the skin. Both the plug-in hybrid and the electric version E-308 have received more battery capacity: from 12.4 to 17.2 and 54 to 58.3 kilowatt hours, respectively. It gives the vehicles 2 or 3.5 miles of additional range in mixed driving according to the WLTP driving cycle, for a total of 8.5 or 45 electric miles. Not dramatic numbers, but perhaps enough for the 308 to live on until it’s time for a replacement.

When the next generation however, the model is uncertain. Automakers tend to extend the lifespan of existing generations as the future is uncertain. However, we can expect the 308 to then abandon today’s EMP2 platform, introduced in 2013 and last updated in 2021, and instead be built on the more modern STLA platform.

Estate body combined with plug-in hybrid technology, the version we have on the test drive is the most popular in Sweden. There used to be two plug-in hybrid options, but now they offer a middle ground, combining a 150-horse gasoline engine with a 125-horse electric motor, giving a total system effect of 195 horses. As before, the maximum charging power is 7.4 kilowatts.

The gearbox now has seven positions instead of the previous eight and mostly does its job well. On long and hard climbs it tends to stay in gears, revealing a not-too-charming engine sound, but in the name of honesty – the days of beautifully singing engines are over.

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It’s the same behind the steering wheel, although the seats have been given new and even more elegant materials. Overall, the car looks luxurious inside and solid in design. And stubborn. There is no trace of the stripped-down Tesla design that many slavishly follow. The brand’s i-Cockpit design makes it a precision job to find a good seating position while keeping an eye on all the displays. The steering wheel automatically lands in the lowest position, close to the legs.

I can explain why the 308 doesn’t have the new version of the i-Cockpit, which, for example, in the larger model 5008 with a higher screen is because you sit lower in the 308.

Regardless of the French car The Peugeot 308 should feel sporty, and it does – to some extent. A low seating position, fine lateral support and decent driving performance as well as a small and chubby steering wheel with a slightly heavy steering block characterize the impression. Speaking of steering: In 2027, Peugeot will offer steer-by-wire technology, i.e. fully electric steering without mechanics, which they believe suits the small steering wheels. And while we’re still on the subject of steering wheels: In the same year there will be a square one that’s adapted to the technology. Well, fortunately the suspension of the 308 is not sporty bumpy, rather damped and balanced, but the car reacts sensitively to small bumps.

In the hybrid, brake force regeneration is now adjusted using a pair of buttons behind the steering wheel, but in the plug-in hybrid, as before, there is only one mode that can be selected using the gear selector switch on the center console. It brakes the car harmoniously when driving on the motorway and country roads, but it is of little use in traffic jams. However, there’s nothing to complain about with the lane departure warning system; it keeps the car in its lane well and doesn’t whine too much if you’re a little careless with your fingers. License plate recognition, on the other hand, is purely a lottery during the test drive.

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After all, this is a family car, so we have to move to the back of the car. In the back seat, I fit behind my own driver’s seat thanks to cutouts in the roof and on the plastic back of the front seat. The cushion and backrest feel surprisingly luxurious, although the cushion is quite short. Added to this is the high seating position, where you are right at the front of the conversation. The sound comfort is almost as good as before.

The 308 is also a hit when it comes to cargo with a three-part rear seat back. However, the increased battery capacity has contributed to the plug-in hybrid having a raised trunk floor, with an angle visible at the opening. The same phenomenon cannot be observed with the electrically powered E-308. The reason for this is that the battery packs come from different suppliers, one of which managed to get more capacity with the same volume, while the other failed.

It’s a shame, you don’t want to see that in a modern plug-in hybrid, it’s something we know from the time when hybrids were new. At the same time, it should be noted that the 308 is unique as a station wagon in the C segment with plug-in hybrid technology.

The hunting grounds of the 308 are Mainly Germany, Italy, France and Portugal, in the latter two the model is the bestseller in the segment. Looking at Europe as a whole, the Volkswagen Golf is in sixth place with 308 and a market share of 5.2 percent. For the Swedish part, the model has recently appeared far down in the registration statistics, distanced from the two high-rise buildings 3008 and 2008.

Our test team downplayed the i-Cockpit and the high price, but now the 308 is also available in the cheaper Allure version, which sits below the test-driven GT and was previously the only one for the Swedish market. The car is not available with a diesel engine, but only in electrified form in the hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric car equipment variants. Some Swedish prices are not clear, the outgoing 308 SW plug-in hybrid costs SEK 529,900. Deliveries of the updated 308 are scheduled to begin in February this year.