The new Peugeot 308 arrives in showrooms from this month (June ). Available from €31,765 and in three trim levels – Active, Allure and, GT – the new 308 is the first in the Peugeot line up to bear the brand's coat of arms in a grille entirely dedicated to it.
This new model comes with a choice of two plug-in hybrid powertrains; a 180hp and a 225hp, both of which are powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine augmented by a 81kW (109bhp ) electric motor and a 12.4kWh lithium-ion battery, and use the e-EAT eight-speed automatic transmission. Both powertrains will do around 60km of fully electric driving, according to WLTP protocol.
The internal combustion engine options are a PureTech 1.2L petrol three-cylinder engine and a BlueHdi 1.5L diesel four-cylinder engine, both using an eight-speed automatic transmission and producing 128hp.
At the launch, Peugeot Ireland said the new 308 would only be available in automatic, with a fully electric version coming in late 2023. There is also an SW body type of the new 308 launching in July. Its slightly extended wheelbase offers more space for rear passengers, while the 20mm height reduction combined with a soft-nose visually lengthens the bonnet. The boot volume is now 412 litres with 28 litres of compartmentalised storage space, with the rear seats folded, the maximum load is 1,323 litres.
The front headlamps use LED technology from the entry Active grade. They are extended by hook-shaped daytime running lights on the front bumper. On the GT grades, the full LED headlamps are even thinner and have Peugeot Matrix LED Technology for greater efficiency and safety in everyday use. At the rear, the headlamps use Full LED technology displaying the three claws for a modern, brand-specific light signature.
Inside, the new Peugeot 308 boasts the brand’s new i-Cockpit, along with the new i-Connect infotainment system. A new compact steering wheel includes sensors which can detect the driver’s grip on the steering wheel when using the new driving aids. Ergonomic, heated (optional ), it includes all the helpful controls: radio, media and telephone. The cluster, located at eye level, has a 10 inch digital panel as standard across all grades.
In the GT trim, the cluster is three dimensional. Fully configurable and customisable, this digital cluster has several display modes (TomTom connected navigation, DAB radio/media, driving aids, Energy Flow, etc ) that can be modified directly from the stalk.
From the Allure grade, the new Peugeot 308 includes fully configurable virtual i-toggles which enable customers to create their preferred shortcuts. Each i-toggle is a touch-sensitive shortcut key to the air conditioning settings, a telephone contact, a radio station, an application launch set up according to the driver’s choice.
The centre console offers 34 litres of storage space, wireless phone charging, two large-diameter cup holders, and two USB C sockets as standard. A new high-definition 180 degree reversing camera with integrated cleaning nozzle, long-range blind spot monitoring (75 metres ), and the Drive Assist 2.0 pack are just some of the standout features offered on the all-new Peugeot 308.
