Peugeot 308 Hybrid Allure Premium: long-term test review

Verdict

While the Peugeot 308 is good to drive and oozes style, the space on offer in the hatchback is definitely a struggle with a family. Hopefully our new 308 SW estate should solve that issue, though. 

• Mileage: 6,306
• Economy: 72.4mpg

The term ‘family hatchback’ applies to a lot of cars, with almost every manufacturer having a contender in this sector. There’s the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra, Kia Ceed, Honda Civic, Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and many, many more. Included in that list is the Peugeot 308 that we’re currently running on the Auto Express fleet, and the more time I spend with it, the more I’m starting to realise that whoever coined this term probably doesn’t have a family.

I have two children aged five and two, and it can be a real struggle to fit everybody inside, along with the sheer amount of kit that needs to be crammed into the boot.

Because my kids still need car seats, the rear legroom is extremely compromised, meaning both myself and my wife have to move our seats forward more than we would like. I can cope with it when driving, but whoever sits in the front passenger seat inevitably ends up with their legs jammed into the glovebox area, which protrudes quite a long way in the 308.

But the even bigger issue is the size of the boot. Once my daughter’s buggy is inside, there isn’t really much room for anything else. Add a few coats and bags and you can forget it. Now this is partly down to the 308 that we’re running being a plug-in hybrid, so the battery reduces boot space from 412 litres to 361 litres. But regardless of the model, this is way down on what many typical SUVs can accommodate.

We really found this out over the Christmas period, when making multiple long trips to Oxford to spend time with my family. Each journey was a struggle, and we often had to resort to packing bags between the children in the rear seats.

Thankfully help is at hand, though, because Peugeot has sent out a 308 SW estate for us to test over the next three months. It replaces the hatch on our fleet, and both my wife and I are delighted. We’re really looking forward to seeing how it will cope with family life. It’s unlikely to have much of an impact on legroom, but it boasts a whopping 548 litres of space at the back. Bring on the long family trips, I say!

Our new 308 SW features the punchy 222bhp plug-in hybrid powertrain (the same set-up as you’ll find in the Vauxhall Astra GSe), so it should be pretty quick on the move as well. It’s also a top-spec GT Premium, so comes packed with standard kit, including electric and heated seats, a heated steering wheel and a panoramic roof – all things I usually make good use of.

Other than the amount of space, which isn’t exactly a Peugeot-specific issue, the 308 has been a great performer, irrespective of bodystyle. I racked up a decent distance in the hatch, covering 6,306 miles before it was replaced, and I really enjoyed driving it. You sit quite low, so at times it almost feels like a go-kart, and you can have some proper fun on a good B-road, thanks to the precise steering.

The design of the interior looks smart, bordering on premium, and the large central screen is crystal clear. Wireless Apple CarPlay is normally connected within seconds of starting the car, so I have everything I need at my fingertips. There are no physical climate controls, but there’s a switch to quickly access it on the screen and it always comes up quickly whenever I press it.

The driving position means that it can be hard to see the dials, though, since Peugeot’s insistence on having the screen above the steering wheel means it often just gets in the way. I find it less of an issue than my wife does, but it’s definitely not for everybody.

Running in pure-electric mode regularly means I’ve managed to achieve 72.4mpg. However, I’ve had to charge it up daily because the range remains disappointing at just under 20 miles. I was expecting the cold weather to make things worse, but thankfully it’s stayed relatively unchanged.

Having previously written about this, I have since received E-mails from 308 and 3008 owners quoting similar problems. One reader stated he couldn’t get above 11 miles and has now stopped bothering to charge it altogether. I’ll be interesting to see if things are any better with the 308 SW.

Peugeot 308 Hybrid Allure Premium: first report

Our Peugeot 308 PHEV’s styling and performance are getting praise, but what about its economy?

• Mileage: 4,613
• Economy: 84.4mpg

Plug-in hybrids have always seemed like a bit of a stopgap to me. I see them as little more than an introduction for those who want to go electric, but still want the security of extra range for longer journeys.

But what are they actually like to live with on a daily basis? The new Peugeot 308 Hybrid is the first PHEV I’ve run on the Auto Express fleet, so I’m keen to find out if they have something else to offer.

The big issue I have with plug-in hybrids is weight. If you’re running in electric mode, you’re carrying around a big combustion engine at the front. If the petrol engine is doing all the work, then you’re carrying around the weight of a dead battery. Both scenarios result in poor economy and that’s certainly been the case with the 308 so far.

I’ve been driving it in electric mode as much as possible since taking delivery and I’ve been especially disappointed with the efficiency, which has averaged around only 2.0 miles per kWh. That’s less than half of what you can expect to achieve from some of the best pure-electric cars. It means that I’ve only been able to coax around 24 miles of range from the 12.4kWh battery – some way down on Peugeot’s claimed 37 miles – and that’s before the cold weather of winter hammers it further still.

I’m not alone in my thinking, because Auto Express reader Victor Hedges recently contacted me to say how disappointed he is with the efficiency of his Peugeot. He drives a 3008 Hybrid4 and has been getting no more than 22 miles of range, despite the brand’s claims that he should be achieving closer to 39 miles.

Once you’ve used up the battery on our 308, the situation isn’t much better, because the 1.6-litre petrol engine alone struggles with the weight and only returns around 32mpg. Whichever way you drive, you’ll be replenishing the Peugeot regularly.

Just a couple of years ago that probably wouldn’t be such a big issue, because it was still relatively cheap to top up the battery. But rising energy costs mean it’s not such an attractive proposition these days. Paying the current national average of 18p per kWh to charge at home means a full charge is going to cost £2.23. And, due to the poor efficiency, you may have to charge almost daily depending on how often you drive.

I’m quite lucky because my wife is able to charge for free at her nearby workplace, and when she borrows the PHEV, she brings it home with a nearly full charge. So we’ve actually enjoyed relatively cost-free motoring, but how many people have this luxury? You now have to pay to charge at Tesco and it’s surely only a matter of time before others follow suit.

But it’s not all bad news for plug-ins because they do work well when it comes to performance. The 308 Hybrid we have on our fleet is the lower-powered model with 178bhp (a 222bhp model is also available), but it’s genuinely quick when in ‘Sport’ mode. Press the accelerator hard when going for an overtake and the electric motor kicks in to add an extra punch. The sprint from 0-62mph officially takes 7.6 seconds, and it feels every bit as fast as that, although the automatic gearbox is a bit clunky.

Aside from the weight issues, the new Peugeot 308 has otherwise been a pleasant surprise, especially inside. The cabin is a lovely place to sit, and feels like a giant leap forward from its predecessor. It has a premium feel, maybe not quite up to BMW or Audi standards, but it’s not too far behind.

The infotainment system is slick and the high-resolution display means everything is crystal clear. Just below the screen is a set of ‘i-Toggles’ instead of physical buttons and they can take a bit of getting used to, but they are configurable, so you can set them up just the way you like it, with the controls you use the most at your fingertips.

I was initially worried about a lack of space after running a series of SUVs on our fleet, but so far it’s been okay. I have two children and neither has complained about the rear legroom, and the boot has swallowed everything it’s needed to, although a true test will come when we’ve managed to take some longer journeys.

*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.