Peugeot 308 SW Hybrid 225 GT Pack - an attractive estate
The hybrid Peugeot 308 SW, upgraded with the GT pack, is a very attractive French estate that turns heads. The interior is very well finished, and the car can swallow a lot of luggage. Unfortunately, despite the advanced technology, its performance shows that the 'GT' badge is something of an overstatement.
GT design and dimensions
The Peugeot 308 is one of the most boldly styled compacts currently on sale. Long 'fangs' with built-in daytime running lights give the car a predatory look, and the play of lights when you unlock and lock the car makes for a dynamic show. The huge grille with built-in chrome details - a hallmark of the GT version - black mirrors, roof rails, 18-inch wheels with low-profile tyres and the lowered silhouette create an aggressive whole that fully deserves a badge bearing the king of the beasts.
The French estate is only about 4.6 m long and 1.85 m wide, but it is relatively low. A height of 1.44 metres means that getting in will take a little gymnastics, but it is precisely by drawing the roofline so low that the designers managed to make the body look longer and more attractive.
Interior, 3D display and boot
Inside the car you notice that the emphasis on attractive looks has come at the cost of visibility. Fortunately, there are several systems that give you a good picture of what is around the car on every side: the parking sensors and reversing camera prove very helpful.
The manufacturer's concept of a tiny, flattened steering wheel with the instruments placed above it will certainly not be to everyone's liking. The most common criticism is that the top of the steering wheel rim hides the dials.
The display in front of the driver shows a 3D image, with several possible settings, including graphics typical of an electric car, such as those illustrating energy flows. For those who are not keen on the three-dimensional image, you can switch back to more traditional 2D. The colours on the display depend on the selected driving mode: blue is the 'eco' colour, while yellow marks the 'sport' setting.
It is good that Peugeot has not completely abandoned traditional buttons below the touchscreen. The screen also has 'shortcuts' to some functions. In the model we tested, we could quickly switch on the seat heating (3 levels) and the heated steering wheel.
The Peugeot 308 SW plug-in takes slightly less luggage than the conventional combustion versions - the changes needed to accommodate the extra equipment have reduced the boot by 60 litres (548 litres compared with 608 litres). Fold the rear bench and the load space grows to 1574 litres.
Hybrid powertrain, e-SAVE and charging
The driving mode selector is on the centre console. It is not particularly sophisticated, but it does its job well. The 'B' button increases the level of regeneration.
Whenever possible, the hybrid Peugeot's powertrain will set off on electric power. The switch to combustion mode is very smooth, with no noticeable jolts. Once you are driving in combustion mode, the engine sometimes revs rather irritatingly high. It is also worth noting that switching to 'sport' mode changes little in the way the powertrain behaves - the car does not seem to make use of the combined 225 hp of the two units. On its own, the 1.6 turbo petrol engine produces 180 hp and the electric motor 110 hp.
The hybrid Peugeot is fitted with an e-SAVE system that lets you charge the battery while driving. This option can be useful when you want to be sure that your car will run emission-free once you reach the city centre. The battery of the French Peugeot 308 SW Hybrid has a capacity of 12.4 kWh, and a 3.7 kW on-board charger comes as standard. A faster 7.4 kW unit is available at extra cost.
Test summary
The greatest strengths of the Peugeot we tested are its attractive looks, sporty silhouette and interior finish. The roomy boot and the technology are also among its assets. Its weaknesses include performance that falls short of what you would expect from a car badged 'GT'.
