Peugeot E-308 SW (2023 - ) Electric review

The E-308 SW historically looked rather expensive. However, Peugeot has reduced the price of both trim levels to enable the E-308 SW to qualify for the government’s Electric Car Grant. This is good news, but standard kit isn’t particularly generous, and costs climb quickly as you work your way through the options list. At least the E-308 SW will now cost you less in VED (or ‘road tax’) because it sits below the £40,000 threshold for the ‘expensive car supplement’. If you can charge at home overnight on a dedicated EV tariff running costs should be minimal, plus if you are also a company car driver you’ll gain Benefit In Kind advantages for going fully electric.

French cars have had a rocky reputation for reliability in the past, but in recent years it’s been a different story. Helped by the shared parts and know-how from the wider Stellantis group with brands including Vauxhall, Fiat, Citroen and Jeep, Peugeot has clawed its way up the reliability rankings to a respectable mid-table position. All electric models are now covered by Peugeot Care which includes a standard three-year warranty plus an extra year of cover every time you get your car serviced by an approved Peugeot garage for a further five years or up to 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, giving total peace of mind.

The E-308 SW comes with the usual standard safety systems including lanes keeping assistance, emergency braking, a speed limiter, cruise control and traffic sign recognition. However, you’ll either need to move up to range-topping GT trim or add an optional package if you want the most useful features such as a 360-degree camera, front parking sensors, adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring. That said, we found the cruise control’s self-steering was skittish and made constant adjustments rather than gently guiding us along. We also experienced a blip in our test car when mid-journey all the steering wheel buttons stopped working so we couldn’t use the feature until we stopped and turn the car off and on again. It didn’t instil us with the most confidence, so we simply drove the car without the aid of its systems instead.

The E-308 SW’s interior feels cocoon-like rather than cavernous. While there’s plenty of room in the large boot (woohoo for estates), the interior space is a little cosier. It’s a comfy place to be, though, as the E-308 SW swaddles you in its classy blend of cloth and faux-leather upholstery. In true French style the E-308 SE rides nicely over uneven surfaces cushioning you from bumps in the road. We love the low stance so the car doesn’t lean in the corners, but we couldn’t find a driving position where we could see the full display without catching our knees on the steering wheel – an ergonomic trade off for Peugeot’s stylish 'i-Cockpit' layout. In the rear two adults should have enough space but three will feel rather squeezed and the central lump in the floor leaves the middle passenger with little room to put their feet.

There are two trim levels: Allure and GT. Allure models feature a reversing camera, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a 10-inch touchscreen. Moving up to GT you’ll gain useful extras like keyless entry and built-in satnav. We like the ‘i-Toggles’ which sit below the main screen offering personalised shortcuts to your favourite features and we also appreciate there are physical toggles for some of the heating settings. Our range-topping test car was also had the luxury of massaging front seats which came in very handy on long journeys. However, the built-in sat-nav didn’t make it as easy to find charging points as the Google-powered tech in the Renault Megane E-Tech and we did find ourselves browsing a range of apps on our phone to weigh up our options.

To keep things simple the E-308 SW comes with just one 156 horsepower option and an official range of 254 miles. This may look modest on paper but strikes a sensible balance in the real world. On a rainy September day we drove our test car from Manchester to Worcestershire (around 125 miles) which used just over half of the battery. This left plenty in reserve to drive a further 50 miles before we needed to stop and charge. After a quick top up on a public charger we were good to go again, demonstrating you don’t need a massive battery for longer journeys. The E-308 SW zips around town and smoothly gets up to motorway speeds, but it’s not fast by electric car standards. The lower driving position provides a sense of sportiness, though the E-308 SW can feel a little heavy and even in ‘Sport’ mode it’s not the sharpest electric car to drive. However, it is efficient and laid-back making it easy and relaxing to live with.