Daring not to be different may be the way to go in the EV era. Let’s put that to the test
Why we’re running it: To find out whether an EV still appeals without the bells and whistles
Month 1 – Specs
Life with a Peugeot e-308: Month 1
Welcoming the e-308 to the fleet
We are already several years into the electric car revolution, yet it appears that many members of the buying public still demand look-at-me styling, endless electronic gimmickry and outrageous power outputs to even consider having their heads turned from their familiar internal-combustion-engined cars. This Peugeot e-308 is intriguing because it’s doing none of that. It’s commendably, well… normal.
For a start, it’s a conventional estate car – still a comparative rarity in this category. And it’s an estate car with ‘only’ 154bhp. The inverted commas are there because not so long ago that would have been considered a lot for a compact family car, but when the baseline for small crossover EVs appears to be around 200bhp, that feels relatively abstemious. And it’s not a million miles away from the 129bhp of the entry-level petrol and diesel versions.
With a 54kWh battery pack, that gives a claimed range of about 250 miles, and 0-62mph in 9.9sec with a 106mph top speed – useful figures, but hardly startling in the current climate. And it comes in the same Allure and GT specs as the ICE models, albeit not in the entry-level Active trim, where presumably the profit margins are too slender for an EV. What makes it interesting is its sheer ordinariness.
One thing that isn’t ordinary, however, is the way the e-308 looks. Few small estate cars are as handsome as this SW version. With its neatly drawn proportions, muscular wheel arches and crisp detailing, it makes the best of Peugeot’s latest family look – especially when specified, like mine, in attractive Selenium Grey. For me, of all the Stellantis brands, Peugeot is the one with the clearest and most appealing identity.
It looks good on the inside too, in particular the attractive brushed-metal band that wraps around the top of the dashboard and incorporates the air vents. It appears modern without being uncomfortably angular, like some of sibling brand Vauxhall’s interiors. There are appealing flashes of colour and I really like the touch-sensitive shortcuts beneath the infotainment screen, which you can set up to give rapid access to the functions you use most often.
I am still trying to get my head around Peugeot’s contentious (but very much here to stay) i-Cockpit set-up. I’m either comfortably reclined and thus completely unable to see the dashboard, or I can get a good view of the dash over the tiny wheel and find myself uncomfortably close to the ceiling. I suspect I just need to spend a bit more time playing with the relationship between the seat and wheel to find a good compromise.
If I want to put my kids in the rear seats then I can’t push my chair as far back as I’d like anyway, because rear leg room is surprisingly restricted. The SW has a 55mm-longer wheelbase than the 308 hatchback, but rear leg room is unchanged.
As a result, it’s not a car I’d recommend using to carry four adults for any length of time, but on the plus side there’s a very useful boot – at 548 litres, it’s not too far behind the ICE version’s 608 litres.
I’ve ignored our road testers’ sage advice and gone for the plusher GT trim level rather than the perfectly adequate (and around £2k cheaper) Allure spec, and have picked a few choice options in addition to that swish metallic paint.
The 360deg Vision and Drive Assist Plus Pack plus Smart Electric Pack adds a very useful 360deg camera system, an electric tailgate with foot sensor, front parking sensors and a host of driver aids including adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, long-range blindspot detection and lane position assist.
I’ve also added a wireless smartphone charger (which works well once you find its sweet spot, but that isn’t always easy) and the Driver and Passenger Seat Pack. The latter is a real luxury, with a relaxing massage function for both front seats that offers all manner of soothing effects (including one that replicates a cat walking up your spine), plus an electrically adjustable driver’s seat and electric lumbar adjustment for the front passenger. Pretty much the only option box left unticked was the glass roof – which I was pleased about in the recent heatwave. Combine that little lot with the GT trim’s huge standard kit list and it leaves you wanting for very little.
As for that all-important switch from ICE to electricity, this car has probably the most conventional-feeling EV powertrain I’ve experienced. You still get that lovely surge of performance from 199lb ft of instant torque mated to a single-speed transmission, but it’s delivered without the usual scrabbling front wheels or accelerative punch to the gut.
It feels linear and perfectly suited to the car. The range in the real world is a fairly realistic 200 miles or so, and on a fast (100kW) charger it will get from 20-80% battery power in around half an hour. Stiff springing means that the e-308 SW doesn’t feel its 1716kg, either, although it does result in a pretty firm ride that can get wearing at times.
So the early signs are promising. It’s not exciting – but it is capable and, yes, normal. And surely that’s what most people are looking for in a small family estate car?
Second Opinion
The e-308 is a good car. It’s comfortable, well sized and for me, unlike the smaller e-208 I’m currently running, gets the seating position for the i-Cockpit spot on (due to a better digital instrument cluster layout). I’ll be keeping a keen eye on Al’s reports to see if he finds the same after an extended period with the car.
Will Rimmell
Peugeot e-308 SW GT specification
Specs: Price New £43,320 Price as tested £45,630 Options Selenium Grey metallic paint £750, 360deg Vision and Drive Assist Plus Pack plus Smart Electric Pack £960, Driver and Passenger Seat Pack £500, wireless smartphone charger £100
Test Data: Engine 1x front-mounted electric motor plus 54kWh battery Power 154bhp Torque 199lb ft Kerb weight 1716kg Top speed 106mph 0-62mph 9.9sec Fuel economy 4.7mpkWh (claimed) CO2 0g/km Faults None Expenses None
