The French answer to the Octavia Combi: The Peugeot 308 SW has a large trunk and an interesting design

The hatchback is followed by a station wagon, which is an unwritten rule that Peugeot has followed several generations of the compact model with the number 3 in the name: 306, 307 and now the third generation of the 308 model boasts an extended version, which has the Škoda Octavia on the Czech market. Combi.

However, the French lion is also a fairly important model in the store; within the 308 series, the station wagon has been on top for several years, and fleet clients, for example, have liked it. The head of Peugeot in the Czech Republic, Marco Venturini, also noted at a press conference that the brand has slightly more orders for the station wagon than for the hatchback, but above all the novelty significantly exceeded the second generation 308, which ended last year.

The alpha and omega of every compact station wagon is the interior space, and here 308 SWs are done more than decently. Although the platform is the same as the hatchback, the designers have managed to stretch the wheelbase by 57 mm, so there is an above-average 2732 mm (the same number as in the previous generation, but the novelty is longer, wider and lower). This ranks 308 SW at the very top of the segment, moreover, the dimensional comparison with selected competitors can be found in the table below.

Dimensional comparison with selected competition

The suitcase certainly doesn’t have to be ashamed of its volume, with space under the floor it has 608 to 1634 liters, the plug-in hybrid without a double floor has 548 in the base and 1574 liters when the seats are folded down. By folding the seats, a flat loading surface is created, and the carmaker then draws attention to the possibility of having a vertical net in the trunk separating the luggage from the crew compartment and also to the electric opening of the trunk lid. This is available as standard in the highest GT Pack equipment and for 15,000 crowns in the GT equipment.

Under the hood, the station wagon prepared no surprises. The basis is a supercharged three-cylinder twelve-cylinder with an output of 81 kW, followed by its stronger version with 96 kW. The only turbodiesel also has 96 kW. The more powerful petrol engine and diesel engine can then optionally have an eight-speed automatic. The novelty is plug-in hybrids, the weaker has a total of 133 kW, the stronger 165 kW. Both are based on a 16-liter petrol engine with an output of 110 and 132 kW, respectively, and also have a 12.4 kWh battery. It is enough for about 60 km of pure electric range and is charged from the home socket in about seven hours (7.4kW Wallbox will reduce the time to less than two hours).

However, Peugeot product manager Miloslav Doupal admitted that the range of engines may change in some way in the near future, due to the advent of the Euro 6.4 emission standard. At the same time, he also confirmed that the Peugeot 308, including the station wagon, will have a fully electric drive next year. The 308 SW will thus be one of the first cars in its segment with an emission-free powertrain. A close relative in the form of the Opel Astra also gets the same technique.

Like the original hatchback, the station wagon attracts at first sight with its exterior design, which is dominated by the brand’s new logo and redesigned rear section. The appearance is strong, but not overly aggressive. Of course, the big mask, together with the headlights, whose daylight diodes reach the bumpers, may not appeal to everyone.

By the way, the headlights are already illuminated in the basic equipment by diodes at the front and rear, in the front there can also be matrix LED headlights with covering of oncoming vehicles. The composition of colors is also interesting: forget the “poisonous” green from the promotional photos of the hatchback, another is the blue metallic supplied at no extra charge. A purely metallic with the Platinum designation is then made purely for the station wagon.

If the body does not have to fit everyone, the interior goes even further. The solution called i-Cockpit with a smaller steering wheel and higher alarm clocks does not stop dividing the motoring public even after ten years, although finding the ideal position is not such a problem in the end. In any case, it is almost perfect, it is also offered with a three-dimensional display, and the alarm clocks are already fully digital.

They are followed by a touch screen of the multimedia system with ten inches, from the second equipment also supplemented by virtual controls, the function of which can be adapted by the driver. Infotainment can also be updated remotely. Peugeot also draws attention to AGR-certified orthopedic seats. The specialty of the accessories is a mobile phone holder or glasses created in a 3D printer.

The new 308 SW is at first glance an interesting car that would Octavia et al. could flood properly. One of the decisive factors, however, will be the price, which starts at 555 thousand crowns. This is a bit lower than the basic Octavia, but at the same time it places the French somewhere in the imaginary top of the compact station wagon category (currently the Astra Sports Tourer price list is missing, for example), although the Golf Variant or Corolla Touring Sports start a bit higher.

Basic prices of selected competitors

But Peugeot relies on a wide range of equipment, so the Active Pack basics include emergency braking, lane assistants, dual-zone automatic climate control, digital alarm clocks with a 10-inch central display, rear parking sensors and LED lights at the front and rear. Some engines also have alloy wheels.

Price list – Peugeot 308 SW

The higher the interested party goes, the more interesting equipment elements 308 SW can offer. In the second stage of the Allure there are online navigation, reversing camera or front parking sensors, the Allure Pack also has adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring, the GT adds headlights, 3D alarms or a heated steering wheel and finally the highest grade GT Pack also boasts front massage seats. 360-degree camera system or lane keeping. The most expensive 308 SW with a stronger plug-in hybrid drive then costs 1.14 million crowns at no extra charge.