The sharp-suited new Peugeot 308 hatchback will arrive in UK showrooms this December with prices starting at £24,000. The Volkswagen Golf rival will land on these shores with a bold new look inherited from the 208 and 508, as well as the option of eco-friendly plug-in hybrid powertrains.
Customers will get a choice of five core trim levels, with the entry-level Active Premium model joined by the Allure, Allure Premium, GT and GT Premium versions. All but the cheapest Active Premium and top-end GT Premium models will be available with a choice of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
But in exchange for £24,000, you’ll be looking at the base-spec Active Premium versions. Despite sitting at the foot of the range, the cars come with 16-inch alloy wheels and EcoLED automatic headlights and automatic windscreen wipers. A digital instrument display is also standard, along with a 10-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plus rear parking sensors.
The next rung on the 308 ladder is the £25,850 Allure, which gets part-leather upholstery, green stitching and ambient lighting. Satellite navigation is included as standard, along with front and rear parking sensors, 17-inch alloy wheels and a rear-view camera. Upgrade to the Allure Premium and the price rises to at least £26,750, but you get wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, and the Drive Assist Pack with its adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring.
Next is the £28,650 GT model, which provides 18-inch alloy wheels, full leather upholstery and GT badging to mark it out from its stablemates. Also included is dark chrome trim on the grille and extended sills to make the car look sportier, not to mention the 3D head-up display, heated steering wheel and Driver Sport Pack, which allows the driver to adjust the steering and throttle response.
Finally, the range is crowned by the GT Premium, which costs £30,250 in its cheapest guise. That money gets you all the goodies of the GT, but adds a Focal hi-fi system, a more supportive driving seat and a 360-degree manoeuvring camera.
At launch, there are just four engine options. The petrol choice is the 129 bhp PureTech 130 engine, while the diesel option is the 129 bhp 1.5-litre BlueHDi 130 unit. Both come with eight-speed automatic gearboxes as standard.
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Then there are the hybrid options. The cheaper Hybrid 180 is joined by the more powerful Hybrid 225 version, but both essentially combine a 1.6-litre petrol engine, a 109 bhp electric motor and a 12.4 kWh battery pack. That means they can do up to 37 miles in electric mode before the petrol engine is needed, while CO2 emissions from 25 g/km make them more attractive to company car drivers.
“The 308 has been one of Peugeot’s biggest-selling vehicles and, with the latest edition, buyers now have the power to choose the powertrain that best meets their needs,” said Julie David, the managing director of Peugeot UK. “With a bold new design, it is the first model to wear our new-look lion logo and the new 308 arrives at an exciting time for Peugeot, as we continue our commitment to provide electrified variants across our entire model range by 2025.”
Gallery: Peugeot 308 (2021)