Peugeot 308 (2014 – 2021)

Peugeot 308 (2014 – 2021) | Expert Rating [hide]

Summary

The Peugeot 308 is a medium-sized family car, available as a five-door hatchback and as estate (called the 308 SW). This model was unveiled in late 2013, before going on sale in the UK in early 2014. The hatchback was followed by the SW about six months later. It has now ceased production ahead of an all-new model that will go on sale in the second half of 2021.

The 308 received generally good reviews from the UK motoring media across its seven-year lifespan, although the scores tend to trail the class leaders. This was partly due to the car’s somewhat polarising interior design, which utilises Peugeot’s i-Cockpit layout that has divided both reviewers and car buyers.

Aside from the dashboard layout, the Peugeot 308 received particular praise for its smooth, comfortable and refined driving experience, as well as its efficient engines. Criticisms have been directed at the car’s tight rear seats and a lack of driving enjoyment.

The higher-spec 308 GT model also tended to score lower than the regular models. There was a high-performance model called the 308 GTi, which is not covered here.

In its 2021 owners’ survey, What Car? rated the Peugeot 308 as the second-worst car on its list of the most reliable family cars up to five years old, with only the SEAT Leon diesel scoring worse.

Key specifications

Body style: Five-door hatch and estateEngines: petrol, diesel
Price: From £20,505 on-road

Launched: Summer 2013Last updated: Autumn 2017
Replacement due: Summer 2021

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Media reviews

Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Auto Express

Model reviewed: (SW estate range review)Score: 8 / 10“When it comes to compact estates, the Peugeot 308 SW is the space leader, with a classy cabin and efficient engines.”
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Model reviewed: (range review)Score: 8 / 10“The Peugeot 308 is a stylish and well-equipped family hatchback, with a big boot and punchy engines.”
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Autocar

Model reviewed: SW (estate) range reviewScore: 8 / 10“The Peugeot 308 SW has strong appeals, including an attractively designed interior, a clean and unfussy exterior, and good all-round refinement.”
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Model reviewed: (hatchback range review)Score: 8 / 10“The Peugeot 308 is an admirable, likeable effort. It’s worthy of mention among the class best.”
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Car

Model reviewed: (range review)“The Peugeot 308 is not an exciting car, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Comfy, refined and efficient, it’s a worthwhile alternative to the usual mid-size hatch suspects.”
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Model reviewed: 308 SW GT Line estateScore: 8 / 10“There’s much to like about the Peugeot 308 SW; it has a genuinely distinctive interior (marred by the awkward touchscreen), dynamics biased towards comfort make it a great motorway cruiser but its chassis is adept enough on B-roads too, and it has so much luggage space it feels almost like a car from the size class above. “
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Model reviewed: 308 GTScore: 6 / 10“The petrol and diesel versions of the 308 GT feel like remarkably different cars, and neither quite hits the spot from a performance perspective. They also face tough competition from aggressively priced rivals.”
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Carbuyer

Model reviewed: (SW estate range review)Score: 8 / 10“The Peugeot 308 SW is a small estate car with a huge boot, economical engines and plenty of interesting features.”
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Model reviewed: (hatchback range review)Score: 7.8 / 10“The Peugeot 308 hatchback is an attractive alternative to rivals that’s comfortable, spacious and reliable.”
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Carwow

Model reviewed: 308 SW estate rangeScore: 6 / 10“The Peugeot 308 SW is a sleek-looking estate with a big boot, plenty of equipment and a classy cabin, but not everyone will get on with the driving position.”
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Model reviewed: Hatchback rangeScore: 6 / 10“The Peugeot 308 looks great, comes with loads of kit as standard and it’s pretty practical, too – just don’t expect passengers to enjoy sitting in its rather cramped back seats.”
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Evo

Score: 7 / 10“The 308 is a polished and competitive family hatch, but could irritate buyers with iffy ergonomics.”
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Honest John

Model reviewed: (SW estate range review)Score: 8 / 10“The Peugeot 308 SW offers a great blend of comfort, style and practicality. Add in low running costs, easy driving dynamics and impressive refinement and there’s a lot to like.”
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Model reviewed: (hatchback range review)Score: 8 / 10“This 308 is the closest Peugeot has yet come to building a car that’s genuinely good enough to compete with the likes of the Honda Civic and ever-popular Ford Focus.”
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Model reviewed: 308 SW estate“A car with enough pleasing technical advances and so good to drive that its European Car of the Year accolade genuinely seems to be justified.”
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Parkers

Model reviewed: Hatchback rangeScore: 8 / 10“Understated and underrated hatchback hero – GTi is a highlight”
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Model reviewed: GTScore: 7 / 10“There are some very appealing aspects – such as the looks, level of standard kit and how comfortable it is – along with some less-impressive attributes. We found the handling left us wanting, and the diesel version doesn’t seem to make much sense at all.”
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Model reviewed: SW estate rangeScore: 9 / 10“The Peugeot 308 SW is competitively priced, has impressive luggage volume figures and the new engines are excellent. With its smart, unusual interior it has a little more character than most of its rivals, too.”
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The Sun

Model reviewed: 308 GT“The Peugeot 308 GT is the middle ground for those who want to drive something a bit premium but who aren’t in the market for a mid-life crisis. It’s like a hot mum — not turning heads everywhere it goes, but still hot enough to be checked out in Asda.”
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Model reviewed: (hatchback range review)“The Peugeot 308 may not have the precise ride and handling of the class-leading Ford Focus — but it’s getting very close.”
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The Sunday Times

Model reviewed: 308 GTScore: 6 / 10“Turning the heat up to tepid.”
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Model reviewed: (range review)Score: 8 / 10“High-tech hatchback has a few real-world issues.”
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The Telegraph

Model reviewed: 1.2-litre petrol automatic AllureScore: 6 / 10“A smart and well-equipped family car, but one with too many niggles. It’s neither comfortable nor easy to drive, the new automatic is a let-down, and while the boot is vast, the rear seats certainly aren’t.”
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Model reviewed: 1.5-litre diesel manual AllureScore: 6 / 10“Visually the Peugeot 308’s facelift is modest to the point of being unnoticeable, but the new 1.5-litre diesel engine has real merit. It’s smooth, reasonably powerful and should be cheap to run, too.”
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Model reviewed: (hatchback range review)Score: 6 / 10“The Peugeot 308 is well priced and equipped, and the diesel engines are some of the most efficient around. However, it isn’t as good to drive or as easy to live with as many rivals, including the SEAT Leon and VW Golf.”
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Model reviewed: (SW estate range review)Score: 7 / 10“The Peugeot 308 SW has a huge boot and is well priced and equipped, plus it’s available with some of the most efficient engines around. Just bear in mind that it isn’t as fun to drive or as spacious in the back as the Ford Focus Estate or VW Golf Estate.”
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Top Gear

Model reviewed: Hatchback rangeScore: 8 / 10“This is the best family hatch Peugeot has ever made. Smooth, refined, and comfortable.”
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Model reviewed: SW (estate) rangeScore: 7 / 10“The Peugeot 308 SW is among the best compact estates on sale (partly because it isn’t really compact at all).”
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What Car?

Model reviewed: (SW estate range review)Score: 6 / 10“The Peugeot 308 SW has some efficient engines and a large boot, but it’s disappointing to drive and rear space is tight.”
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Model reviewed: (hatchback range review)Score: 6 / 10“The Peugeot 308 has some frugal engines, but it falls way short of its best rivals to drive and rear space is tight.”
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Which?

Model reviewed: Range overview“The Peugeot 308 is stylish, well-built and fun to drive. Unfortunately, it can’t quite beat the best models in the medium hatchback market, chiefly due to a lack of cabin storage and a complex touchscreen which has replaced buttons for nearly every function.”
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Model reviewed: Estate range“Stylish and practical.”
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Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall rating: 5 stars
Date tested: November 2013

92%

ADULT OCCUPANT

79%

CHILD OCCUPANT

64%

VULNERABLE ROAD USERS

81%

SAFETY ASSIST

Read full Euro NCAP review

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

The Peugeot 308 has not been lab tested by Green NCAP. This is a new initiative, launched in 2018 as a sister organisation to Euro NCAP.

Awards

Trophies, prizes and awards that the Peugeot 308 has received

2019

Honest John Awards – Most Highly-Rated Car

2015

Carbuyer Awards – Estate Car of the Year
Business Car Manager – Best Company Car to Buy
ContractHireAndLeasing.com Car of the Year Awards – Best Estate Car to Lease

2014

European Car of the Year

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