Three months after the sedan, the 308 inherits its SW estate variant, available in diesel, gasoline and plug-in hybrid.
The lion builder was quick to draw the break variants of sa 308. On the previous opus, it had seen the light of day at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, six months after the sedan was revealed. In 2021, this time interval is reduced by half. Echoing the blossoming of the new 308 in early spring, its SW counterpart takes on the light the day after the summer solstice. Despite the competition induced by SUVs, this silhouette continues to make sense since it represents almost half of the model’s registrations in Europe. This new generation is born within the Stellantis group plant in Mulhouse, Alsace.
VIDEO – Our discovery and test of the New Peugeot 308 SW (video to be found this Tuesday morning)
Dimensions
The 308 may be a compact, it is necessarily less so than its predecessor, so as to grant itself a template placing it in the current segment average. As a reminder, from one generation to the next, the sedan has gained 11 cm in length to reach 4m36. For its part, the station wagon also plays the aspect ratio, but to a lesser extent. With 6 cm more, it now culminates at 4m64 long, while its height is also reduced by 2 cm, with 1.44 m. As for its track width, unchanged, it is almost 1.56 m.
Style
Logically, the style of the bow is similar to that of the sedan, namely the new logo that highlights the Lion’s head, the long hood, the well-cut shoulders and the light signature that does not lack bite. By being longer and lower than the model it replaces, the 308 SW offers a very slender silhouette, in line with that of its big sister. Moreover, on the model of the 508, it saves money by renewing the lights of the sedan. However, this new station wagon marks its difference by the noticed disappearance of the headband usually inserted between the lights. Peugeot justifies this choice by the desire to highlight the body surface in order to accentuate the movable character of this model. Without surprise, the tailgate design is modified in order to lower the loading threshold, the cutout is widened to improve accessibility, which has the effect of raising the number plate on the opening.
Chest
The pencil stroke is successful, but the gain on the shutter of the general style is not enough to hide the gross loss in terms of trunk volume. While the previous 308 station wagon claimed 610 liters VDA / 660 liters in water, this peaks at 608 liters of water. However, this remains an acceptable level in the segment, especially compared to the sedan which is satisfied with 412 liters of water. Standard equipment, the bench in 3 parts can be folded by one of the two controls accessible from the trunk, knowing that one can then load objects of 1m85 long and obtain a volume of water up to 1634 liters.
Interior
In terms of the rear seats, space is good with almost 13 cm of knee space. I have to say that the wheelbase is increased by 5 cm and a half compared to the sedan with 2.73 m between the front and rear wheels. At the front, we find the elements specific to the iCockpit Peugeot: the compact steering wheel, the instrumentation placed high up, thedisplay with 3D effect, the raised dashboard with its multiple lines and at the top of the center console, the 10-inch infotainment screen. Note that there are no piano keys like on the 3008 for example, they give way to a secondary screen. In addition, connectivity is ensured by the presence of 2 to 4 USB C sockets depending on the finish.
Engines
At launch, the range of engines was made up of five elements: 130 horsepower in Diesel for the 1.5 BlueHDi 4-cylinder, 110 hp and 130 hp in gasoline for the 3-cylinder 1.2 PureTech, while the plug-in hybrid versions point to 180 hp and 225 hp, which should be synonymous with 50 to 60 km of autonomy. Apart from the entry level petrol, only associated with the six-speed manual gearbox, it is possible for the rest to choose the automatic gearbox EAT8.
Price and release date
This estate variant of the Peugeot 308 is a direct rival to models such as the Volkswagen Golf SW or the Renault Mégane Estate. In terms of its colors, it can be chosen in black, gray, white, blue and red. Price side, nothing has been announced yet, but it will certainly be necessary to expect a starting price of around 28,000 euros. For the record, the new 308 starts at 24,800 euros and will be delivered later. As for the SW station wagon, unveiled in June, Peugeot had first communicated an arrival at the very end of the year, before indicating that it will finally be marketed in early 2022.
More informations :
New Peugeot 308 2021: we surprised it in the street
New Peugeot 308: discover the range and prices
New Peugeot 308 2021: we surprised it in the street