A throwback, that’s what. Sure, you’re looking at an electric car with a range figure of 250 miles and fast charging ability in under 30 minutes. Yet there’s also something wonderfully old-school about it.
Y’see, it’s nearly a decade since Volkswagen launched the e-Golf. The recipe was simple: take one of the most satisfying slices of ‘normal car’ in the business, gut out its engine, gearbox and fuel tank, then replace them with a battery, motor and a charge port.
Like all the simplest recipes, its end product was refreshingly palatable. Sure, the e-Golf’s range figure was half what we’ve now come to expect from a mainstream EV and the charging was far from brisk. But the heyday of WWE had nothing on the melee to grab the keys each night in the Top Gear office, as we all clamoured for a commute that would calm our senses and ease our conscience in one fell swoop.
But this is a Peugeot…
You’re right. But it feels like a distant cousin of that e-Golf. See, almost every mainstream EV that’s launched since that VW has been bigger, heavier and just downright more dramatic. Barely a day goes by without a new car – often from a new car brand – launching with a behemoth battery to feed 1,000bhp motors and a monstrous 0-60mph time. It’ll usually be an SUV and there’s a reasonable chance it’ll have ridiculous doors or a touchscreen so large, the TV licence people come sniffing around.
The Peugeot e-308 is demonstrably none of those things. It’s a regular hatchback that’s effectively had its ICE powertrain stripped out and replaced by electric. It’s a big step on from that Golf – as you’d blooming well hope – but its reason for being is basically the same. To be the EV for people who are a bit timid about buying one. There’s no leap of faith needed here, beyond perhaps signing the lease deal for a car whose RRP begins at £40,000.
Big money. What does it buy?
The stock 308 is a classier thing than ever, and a good place to start. In place of a small, turbocharged engine is 51kWh of useable battery and a 154bhp motor, the latter powering the front axle for 0-62mph in 9.8 seconds and a top speed of 106mph, while its range figure is 257 miles.
Yep, it’s not in the least bit quick. Think ‘£40k Peugeot hatchback’ a few years ago and your mind might have conjured up a seriously tricked-out hot hatch whose damping was lubricated by Ari Vatanen’s tears, not a car that’s close to hitting sixty in double figures. Especially given EVs are now almost notorious for their neck-snapping pace.
But – and this is strictly between us – it’s kinda nice being in something so relaxed. A return to the plush days of posh, almost insouciant French cars, even if Peugeot is trying to stand proud of the rest of the sprawling Stellantis group by offering something at least a little sportier.
The problem for the e-308, of course, is that very few buyers will choose a car because it’s slow. And for a few grand less, the Chinese will sell you the MG4 XPower with its whopping 429bhp, 3.8s 0-62mph time and 239-mile range. That’s before we’ve even told you the basic MG4 is even more fun and can be had for two-thirds of the e-308’s price tag. Crikey.
What's the verdict?
“It’s not cheap, but it’s decent enough to warrant a place on any self-respecting shortlist”
Compare the e-308 to its rivals on paper, most notably that pesky MG4, and it gets a pasting. But for anyone dead-set on an EV but keen to avoid discombobulating tech or the bulk of an enormous crossover, this pleasingly plain Peugeot is about as approachable as a cutting-edge electric car gets – all while feeling rather premium, too.
It’s not cheap, but it’s decent enough to warrant a place on any self-respecting shortlist. While numerous other EVs feel built for a short-term leasing hit, we suspect there’s a slower burn in choosing this.
MG Motor UK MG4
£28,440 – £31,440
Nissan Leaf
£28,440 – £39,340
Vauxhall Corsa Electric
Continue reading: Driving
Driving
What is it like to drive?
Peugeot puts this same powertrain in the e-2008 crossover, and the lower slung seating position of the 308 is immediately more appealing if even a fibre of your being enjoys the process of driving. It sits lower than the previous-gen 308 with some clever slicing up of the battery ensuring the floor hasn’t had to climb to accommodate your new-fangled power source.
Curiously that e-2008 is quicker, though – hitting 62mph almost a second sooner – with lower weight likely responsible. But at 1,684kg the e-308 still sits at the lower end of the EV spectrum, even if it’s over 300 kilos bulkier than a stock 1.2-litre 308.
It’s just as entertaining to drive, however, and while none of the histrionics of old Peugeot hot hatch handling are on display (you lose your credentials as ‘car reviewer’ if you don’t reference that particular heyday) this is a car with smart, predictable responses and one you’ll enjoy punting down a favourite bit of road. Way more so without the loftier seating position and more prevalent body roll of a default SUV. With less weight to keep in check Peugeot hasn’t had to over-stiffen the suspension, either, so it rides rather well too.
But it’s never quick?
No, but it’s certainly brisk enough once you’re up to speed and looking for short bursts of acceleration out of corners or during (well-planned) overtakes. It slips into everyday traffic easily without ever feeling like a true firecracker.
But there are bugbears. You have the choice of three driving modes – Eco, Normal and Sport – with a different power output for each, the full 154bhp saved for Sport. Which also brings the sort of stickier, heavier steering map we usually dislike in such modes. You can’t hook the lighter, more pleasant steering up with the punchiest power output, either. Stick with Normal and you’ll have a nicer time while also eking out the range.
Unlike a swathe of rivals there’s also little adjustment to the brake regen. It’s either ‘on’ or ‘off’, with no paddles tucked behind the steering wheel to allow for a more engaging experience. Same as an ID.3, mind.
Overall, though, it’s good news. We’re big fans of how the 308 drives with petrol or plug-in hybrid power, and without the occasionally indecisive automatic gearbox of the latter, you have a deft-handling hatchback with a simpler, more consistent powertrain. However slow the reality of that may be.
Will there be a faster one?
Well, the new Peugeot e-3008 was recently unveiled in twin-motor, 320bhp form with a 6.4s 0-62mph time, but given it sits on a fresh platform – and the addition of a rear motor would probably bugger up the rear accommodation of this smaller 308 too much – we suspect it won’t transfer here.
The company has also confirmed its Peugeot Sport Engineering badge remains the sole reserve of the 508 saloon and estate, making a plug-in hot hatch from Sochaux highly unlikely, however invested in the idea Abarth or Volkswagen (and even MG) might be. Sad.
Previous: Overview
Continue reading: Interior
Interior
What is it like on the inside?
The e-308 arguably scores even higher in here. It’s so well-appointed and luxurious compared to Peugeots of old, not to mention a decent chunk of its rivals. But then at £40,000-plus, so it should be.
Peugeot’s i-Cockpit layout has graduated nicely over the years, and it’s a long time since we’ve heard anyone grumble too much about the ‘small wheel, high dials’ setup. Go for a fancier trim line and those dials will have a 3D, hologram feel that’s gimmicky, yes, but rather fun too.
The infotainment system isn’t the work of a moment to figure out but allies nicely to your smartphone while there are actual, physical buttons in here too. You can lay out a line of shortcut functions – Apple CarPlay and climate, for instance – on a set of fixed controls. So even though you need to adjust the temperature on screen, you’ll reach it pretty quickly.
Angling the screen towards the driver also helps further cut those vital moments your eyes are off the road. Still not as good as a physical dial that you could twiddle without glancing from the windscreen, but it’s likely the best compromise we can ask for.
The boot is smaller than a stock 308, but a match for the plug-in hybrid version at 361 litres with the rear seats up, 1,271 with them down. It’s not hugely commodious for taller adults sat in the back, but it’ll compare well to anything below a Skoda Octavia and Stellantis’ clever portioning of the battery cells ensures the floor is of regular height.
Plenty of EVs rob you of foot room beneath the front seats while angling your knees awkwardly as you sit in the back. Not this one.
Previous: Driving
Continue reading: Buying
Buying
What should I be paying?
This is a tougher area for the e-308 to compete. An MG4 or VW ID.3, two of the stalwarts of the small electric car class, will be cheaper to lease. And the former is probably a bit more fun to drive. You’ll have to love the way the Peugeot looks and crave the greater luxury of its interior – where it beats the MG and VW hands down – to help justify its extra outlay.
It’s also worth noting that both Citroen and Vauxhall offer similarly traditional hatchbacks with this same powertrain, while the 2023 Car of the Year – the Jeep Avenger – slots it beneath a chunkier body. Such is the breadth of the Stellantis group these days…
Assuming you’re set on the Peugeot, though, let’s look at prices. These start at £40,050 for the Allure trim, which brings 18in alloys, a heated steering wheel and seats, a reversing camera and all the active safety equipment we’ve now come to expect (and occasionally get perturbed by) on mainstream cars.
GT trim costs £42,250 and adds Matrix LED lights, the trick 3D dials, Alcantara trim and a slightly sportier appearance on the outside. Massaging seats are an option, and one well worth ticking to really indulge in the more luxurious ambience the e-308 clings onto as its USP.
As for living with it? The e-308 will fully charge in under eight hours on a 7.4kW wall box – overnight or a day at the office, basically – while you can top up from 20 to 80 per cent in under half an hour with 100kW rapid charging. The car is warrantied for three years and unlimited mileage, its battery over eight years or 100,000 miles. Both are right on par for the market as a whole. Servicing is every two years or 16,000 miles.
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