Meet Peugeot’s New 308 Station Wagon With PHEV Technology:

Just a couple of months after unveiling its new 308 hatchback lineup, Peugeot has pulled the covers back on its latest 308 variant – 308 SW (Station Wagon). With crossovers representing a huge portion of Peugeot sales, the French automaker who is now under the Stellantis umbrella is not abandoning the station wagon category. 

Although it adopts most of the 308 Hatchback’s styling and features, the 308 SW offers much more cargo capacity than the hatchback model. Thanks to an adjustable 40/20/40 rear bench seat, the 308 SW opens up the possibilities of different sized cargo and seating positions to be arranged in the vehicle. The seats can be easily folded thanks to a set of controls cleverly placed on the sides of the rear cargo area, offering an instant and struggle-free folding operation.

On those models with an internal combustion engine (ICE), there is storage located below the floor which offers an additional 24.17 cubic feet (or equal to 608 liters of water) of storage. On all models, once the rear seat is completely folded the 308 SW cargo capacity goes up to 57.7 cubic feet (1,654 liters of water). It also allows for up to 6 feet (1.85 meters) in length inside the vehicle.

To make the cargo area more practical on a day-to-day basis, the rear cargo area is equipped with a 12-volt socket just inside to the right of the liftgate, LED lighting throughout, two storage nets, and bag hooks to secure items.

The liftgate itself can be opened and closed by the owner walking up to the rear of the vehicle with the key in their pocket and kicking their foot underneath the vehicle. This means you can access the rear with your hands full of groceries or other items.

As for the air inside the cabin, the new 308 SW is equipped with the AQS (Air Quality System) which constantly monitors the quality of the air entering the passenger compartment and can activate the air recycling system on its own. From the GT level upwards, this is complemented by the Clean Cabin, an air treatment system that filters out polluting gases and particles. The air quality is displayed on the central touchscreen.

Peugeot’s design team really outdid themselves, incorporating the brand’s latest design language the new 308 has a low-slung sleek profile from the side. This is due to the design team actually lowering the roof height, less than an inch over the previous model. 

Upfront, the new 308 features the new Peugeot “fang” LED daytime running lights running vertically under the LED headlamps. The bold styling of the corporate grille features the all-new Peugeot brand lion logo and creates a much sportier performance-oriented look to the vehicle, compared to the 308 models in the past. The new lion badges also adorn the front fenders, similar to the four-leaf clover on the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio models.

The lion motif continues at the rear of the vehicle, with the brand’s signature “three claw” signature taillamp design. The vertical lines running across the hatch, make the wagon look as if it is as wide as most large sedans. While angular dual rear exhaust bezels and rear back-up lights are carefully placed down low on the rear fascia.

Inside, we can see just how different the PSA-side of Stellantis is when compared to the FCA-side we have all come to love. The new 308 features a lot of angular shapes across the instrument panel, giving the vehicle a less refined take and more of a modern look. The brand’s familiar i-Cockpit design features a 10-inch digital instrumental cluster, something we are seeing as a trend across all of the Stellantis brands. On GT models, the screen can also a 3D feature.

Located in the center of the dash is a large 10-inch infotainment system featuring configurable i-toggles next to the screen. Sorry, there is no Uconnect 5 infotainment here, but it does Peugeot’s new i-Connect infotainment software package allows for 8 different driver profiles and offers a wireless screen mirroring function. Like Uconnect, i-Connect allows for two smartphones to be paired to the system at once.

Seats can be equipped with Alcantara and embossed leather, depending on the trim. There are also available 10-way power seats for both the driver and passenger, as well as a multi-programable message feature (that right, no need to pay the big bucks on a Grand Cherokee L or Grand Wagoneer to get that feature here). 

Underpinning the all-new 308 is Stellantis’ Efficient Modular Platform 2 (EMP2) platform. Its EMP2 platform also underpins the Citroën C5 Aircross, and DS7 Crossback and is capable of using gasoline, diesel, and electrified powertrains. This means that for the first time, the 308 will be available with plug-in hybrid options, two options to be exact. The plug-in hybrid models use a gasoline turbocharged four-cylinder internal combustion engine (ICE) with either 148 horsepower or 178 horsepower combined with a 109 horsepower (81 kW) mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Both systems use a 12.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack allowing the 308 Hybrid to travel up to 37 miles on electric power alone. The system can be charged with a 7.4kW charger in under two hours.

For those who are looking to be more conventual, there will be a 1.2-liter PureTech three-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine offering either 108 horsepower or 128 horsepower. For those who want diesel power, there is a 1.5-liter BlueHDi four-cylinder with 128 horsepower. The higher-performance gas engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic, while the other powertrain options come with a 6-speed manual.

While crossovers continue to take over the majority of sales across Europe, Stellantis currently sells 6 different wagons in the market. There is the Peugeot 308 SW and 508 SW, the Opel Astra Sports Tourer and Insignia Sports Tourer (also badged as Vauxhall’s in the UK), the Fiat Tipo Station Wagon, and the new Citroën C5 X. This tells us that the station wagon is alive and well.

2021 Peugeot 308 SW Hybrid Image Gallery:

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