The Peugeot 308 SW is back. This station wagon builds on the striking style of the recent sedan and adds its own personality through an original stern. But its strengths will undoubtedly be its livability and modularity. However, it will be necessary to wait until the beginning of 2022 to dispose of it.
[Mis à jour le 09/08/2021] Ahead of the presentation of its new 308 SW, Peugeot entrusted Argus the prototype steering wheel of this compact station wagon. Beyond its exterior style and its habitability that you can discover below, it is its evolution on the road that has been highlighted here.
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News around the new 308 is abundant. Thus, a little more than a week after the revelation of the prices of its compact sedan, Peugeot lifts the veil on the second variation of this range, the station wagon. This SW will join the brand’s catalog at the very beginning of next year, that is to say a few months after the arrival of the sedan in dealerships (during September).
A break for a while in the hot seat …
The Peugeot 308 SW that you discover here should not have existed. According to our information, the brand had initially considered not to offer this body, which represents only 5% of the market and remains an essentially European model. However, strong demand from certain countries, in particular Germany, as well as a strong rationalization of costs have enabled the P52 project to come to an end.
A surprising style
In terms of design, few surprises concern the front part: from the wide grille incorporating the new Peugeot logo in its center to the middle pillar, the two models are perfectly similar. Better, the skin of the rear door of the station wagon is taken directly from the 308 Saloon. For the rest, from the side glazing to the stern, including the drop of the roof, everything is new on the SW. Some will rightly find an evocation of the Instinct concept (Geneva 2017) in the shape of the rear quarter window. As for the tailgate, it has been almost completely redesigned.
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Indeed, if the lights are taken from the 308 sedan, the band between them has disappeared in favor of the logo, which has been enhanced due to the repositioning of the license plate. All this was expected, however Peugeot designers have a surprise in store for us: the logo is topped witha kind of spoiler directly integrated into the body. The effect is reminiscent of the Aston Martin DBX. Finally, at the base, the shield receives the imposing diffuser of the sedan.
A more spacious and flexible interior
For the interior, the observation is the same as for the exterior. The front part of the station wagon is strictly identical to that of the sedan, with an evolution of its i-Cockpit: its digital counters can be 3D (on GT and GT Pack), while the 10-inch touch screen for information – entertainment is underlined by sensitive and configurable commands (from Allure). The presentation is as neat as in the classic 308. It is at the back that things evolve. The wheelbase of this new station wagon is identical to that of the current one: 2.73 m. But it’s 5.5cm better than that of the sedan. The space offered is good. The ease of the legs makes it possible not to feel at all constricted, and headroom does not suffer from the dynamic design of the pavilion. Only the footwells are a little tight if the front seats are at their lowest, and the seat would have deserved to better support the thighs.
With a few centimeters better on the rear overhang compared to the current version, the SW benefits from a larger trunk, which displays 608 l of cargo capacity with a thermal engine. This volume drops by 60 l on the PHEV offer. The bench can now be split according to the 40/20/40 ratio; easy handling from the boot. When the backrests are fully folded down, the total loading volume reaches 1,634 l. Note that the passenger seat backrest does not fold up. On the other hand, the tailgate is electric and hands-free.
Engines: like sedan, except electric
Under the engine hood, this station wagon has exactly the same range as the sedan:
- essin this : 1.2 PureTech 110 and 130;
- diesel : 1.5 BlueHDi 130;
- hybrid rechargeable : 180 and 225.
Served automatically on PHEV models, the automatic transmission is optional on the two 130 hp units. Despite the possibility for the sedan to have an electric offer from 2023, the 308 SW will be deprived of it for technical reasons and development costs. On the other hand, the three-cylinder petrol will evolve with a light hybrid system that can be associated with the manual gearbox or with an original double-clutch transmission from Punch Powertrain. Do not wait for a PSE version, this station wagon will not have more than the sedan.
TO READ. New Peugeot 308. Unsurprisingly, there will be no sports car PSE
€ 1,000 more expensive than the 308 Sedan
The prices of the 308 SW were formalized on 1er next july. The range starts at 25,800 € with the 1.2 PureTech 110 and 29,700 € in diesel, associated with the base Active Pack finish. Count from 37,800 for plug-in hybrid versions.
Balance sheet. It would have been a shame to do without
Peugeot is doubling the market for compacts with this break derived from the 308. Like the latter, it is based on a striking style with a singular stern. Moreover, if the sedan seeks to tease the premiums of the segment (Audi A3 Sportback, BMW 1 Series or Mercedes Class A), the station wagon is a pure generalist variation which also relies on its roominess and modularity. He will more readily find on his road the Renault Mégane Estate, Ford Focus SW or Volkswagen Golf SW. Nothing pejorative about that, the high-end brands have not decided to come to this field. To complete its compact offer, Peugeot will be offering a third version from 2022: a crossover known internally under the code P54.
