Peugeot E-308 (2025) Review

Introduction

Prepare to have any pre-held Peugeot preconceptions challenged, because the arrival of the facelifted E-308 has moved the needle for the French manufacturer.

It oozes character with distinctive good looks and has design cues to make some premium marques sit up and take notice. It’s not ostentatious or garish, just classs.

Some styling is over-the-top and just for effect, but the 308 is different. It’s elegant and the illuminated front badging with subtle lighting bars leading out to the main headlights make this car recognisable from quite a distance. It’s actually a legal requirement to have the smaller lights so the emblem is not mistaken for a motorbike headlight.

There is a choice of hatchback or SW (estate) body styles and customers can choose between hybrid, EV and plug-in hybrid powertrains, with the option of diesel for a select market. Additionally, there are three well-equipped trims to explore called Allure, GT and GT Premium.

If you want to specify the latest 308 in EV guise then it features a 58.5kWh battery (55.4kWh usable) across all trims and body styles. And all electrified cars are eligible for the government’s Electric Car Grant which sees a reduction of £1,500 on the recommended retail price.

That’s really good news for customers, especially as the starting price of the 2025/26 E-308 is a very tempting £29,495 which is considerably less than when it was first launched costing over £40,000.

Peugeot believes the hatchback will be the most popular body style, so we opted to test the E-308 GT hatch with an electric powertrain on the coastal and mountain roads surrounding Lisbon, Portugal.

At a glance

The latest Peugeot 308 is certainly a distinctive-looking vehicle, especially when viewed from the front thanks to its slimmer three-claw signature lights, new-look grille with the latest Peugeot Shield badge which is now illuminated, posher alloy wheels and upgraded tail lights which are connected by a sleek light bar.

There are curvaceous lines, body-coloured door handles, Lion emblem badging on the front wings, along with GT badging. Additionally, customers are offered a wider choice of colours and alloy wheel designs giving the five-door hatchback plenty of all-round kerb appeal.

Key features

The entire Peugeot line-up is generously equipped as standard with features including a 10-inch high-definition touchscreen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a DAB radio, six-speaker sound system and Bluetooth. There are toggle switches to access many functions, sports pedals with a foot rest, a drive mode selector, steering wheel-mounted paddles and a comprehensive list of safety features.

Allure has 17-inch alloys, upgraded to 18-inch diamond cut alloys on EVs, cloth seating with neat Quart stitch detailing, a fabric dashboard and door panel decoration, rear parking sensors, heated front seats and steering wheel (electric only), plus lots more besides.

Step up to GT and you see the introduction of navigation with live TomTom updates and Speedcam alerts, voice recognition, customisable i-Toggles, ambient lighting with eight shades, luxury carpet mats, a full grain leather steering wheel with green stitching, GT badging, upgraded seat upholstery, front and rear parking sensors, along with extended front and side body styling to accentuate this car’s dynamic nature.

Range-topping GT Premium sees the addition of a 360-degree camera, a 3D digital instrument panel, Alcantara upholstery, a massage function for front seat occupants, seat memory settings, along with the extra safety features that a Drive Assist Pack Plus brings, including rear cross traffic alert, long range blind spot detection and lane position assist. This model also gains a tyre inflation kit.

Range and batteries

All electrified versions of the Peugeot 308 feature a 55.4kWh battery (usable), with a driving range of up to 270 miles between charges. The 308 SW has slightly less range at a WLTP-tested 275 miles.

Performance and drive

With a single motor on the front axle for front-wheel drive, the latest E-308 features a 55.4kWh battery delivering 156hp and 270Nm of torque. The acceleration via the single-speed transmission is both smooth and responsive with the car feeling far quicker than the official 0-62mph time of 9.8 seconds suggests.

It has a maximum speed of 106mph, which is on a par with most electric vehicles of this style, and the combined driving range of up to 279 miles can be increased to 308-341 miles in city driving with lots of stop-and-go driving. This is where the regenerative braking comes into force, with three levels of strength that are easily adjusted via the steering wheel paddles. However, even in its strongest setting, single pedal driving is not quite possible.

When faced with twisting coastline roads or steep mountain climbs, the E-308 proved very capable with ample power to overtake at short notice. It’s beautifully balanced with confident grip levels and great steering feel. Drive modes alter the reactions and responses considerably and these are called Sport, Normal and Eco – with Sport delivering the most engaging performance. As you flick through these modes, the level of power varies accordingly with Eco offering 109hp and 220Nm, Normal mode has 145hp and 250Nm, and Sport delivers the full beans at 156hp and 270Nm.

In more congested towns and villages, the car is agile and simple to manoeuvre with excellent all-round driver visibility being another plus point.

Refinement levels impress too with a nicely cushioned ride thanks to the suspension set-up smoothing out any bumps or dips, while the cabin is well-insulated protecting occupants from any outside noises.

Charging

The Peugeot E-308 has a 58.5kWh battery (55.4kWh usable) and can be charged using a domestic socket from 20 to 80 per cent in 14 hours, 40 minutes, although an accessory cable will be required. If plugging into a more common 7.4kWh home wallbox, the same level of charge is achievable in 4 hours, 25 minutes. However, the car has the capacity to take a 100kW fast charge which reduces the time to just 30 minutes.

Running costs and emissions

All we hear about these days is price hikes and an ever-increasing inflation rate, but Peugeot bucks that trend with its latest 308 model which sees a reduction in costings.

That means the new Peugeot 308 hatchback line-up is very competitively priced, especially as the electric models qualify for the government’s Electric Car Grant which sees a reduction of £1,500. So, the entry-level 308 Allure Hybrid costs £29,995, BEV is £30,995 (£29,495 with Electric Car Grant), or £35,095 in PHEV guise.

Mid-grade GT models cost £32,095 (Hybrid), £32,995 (EV reduced to £31,495 with ECG) and the PHEV is set at £37,195.

Range-topping GT Premium is £33,395 for the Hybrid, £34,495 for the EV (£32,995 with ECG discount) and the PHEV powertrain costs £38,895.

Prices for the larger, more practical 308 SW are in the region of £1,200 extra across each trim and powertrain.

Since April this year, EV owners have been required to pay road tax for their vehicles, albeit at a reduced rate of just £10 for the first 12 months and then increasing to the standard fee of £195. But there are still rewards for running an EV. For example business drivers receive a generous three per cent Benefit in Kind tax rating and, with vehicles creeping in below the £40k threshold, there is no Expensive Car Supplement to worry about.

All, models are sold with the Peugeot Care package meaning the car comes with a standard three year manufacturer’s warranty, that increases significantly if it is maintained via a Peugeot network garage. This results in an extended warranty package providing comprehensive cover for the electric motor, charging system, powertrain and electrical and mechanical components for up to eight years or 100,000 miles – whichever comes first. This is in addition to the battery warranty that is also eight years or 100,000 miles.

All three trim levels of the E-308 sit in insurance group 26.

Interior and tech

The interior of the E-308 is modern, upmarket and neatly designed with high-end fixtures and fittings throughout. The seats are upholstered in a mix of quality fabric and leather-effect materials that look and feel very premium. These, along with the steering wheel, have green contrast stitching.

As is the Peugeot way, you get a compact steering wheel with a 10-inch digital instrument panel, that can be customised, I always find this set-up a little bit hit and miss and often find myself looking through the steering wheel or over the top to see my speed – a bit like one of those nodding dogs!

That aside though, comfort levels impress. The seats are powered apart from forwards and backwards, which is rather irritating, but they can be heated along with the steering wheel.

The main nerve centre is the 10-inch high-definition touchscreen that offers access to the plethora of on-board technology, including the wireless Mirror Screen connection to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB radio, 3D navigation with live TomTom traffic updates, a six-speaker sound system and lots more besides.

Our GT trim also featured virtual toggles offering shortcuts to functions such as the navigation, telephone, media and apps – this can also be fully customised to taste.

There is eight-way ambient lighting, luxury carpet mats, also featuring the green stitching, plus lots of physical controls to navigate drive modes.

In addition, customers can download the MyPeugeot App for the comfort of remote charging, pre-setting the climate control and keeping tabs on consumption and performance data.

Practicality and boot space

With a strong road presence, the Peugeot 308 Hatchback stretches 4,367mm in length, is 2,062mm wide (including mirrors), 1,454mm tall and has a 2,675mm wheelbase.

Up front, two six footers can sit comfortably with ample seat adjustment. Sadly, the same can’t be said for any adults asked to sit in the back, especially if the seats are pushed well back. It’s okay for a short journey, but ideally the three rear seats are best suited to youngsters. And in fairness to Peugeot, it’s closest rivals in the sector offer similar levels of rear legroom.

The boot is accessed via a manual tailgate and can hold 361 litres of luggage. This is more than the PHEV model, but less than the hybrid. With the 60:40 split-folding rear seats lowered, the capacity increases significantly to 1,258 litres. If storage space is a selling point, then the 308 SW EV has a boot capacity ranging from 505 to 1,402 litres.

Throughout the cabin additional storage space is offered via the glovebox, central cubby, door bins, seat back nets, front and rear cup holders and several trays.

For added convenience, the E-308 has Vehicle-to-Load capabilities, which means the car can be used to charge external items such as e-bikes, air pumps, lights, fridges, laptops and much more.

Safety

The Peugeot E-308 was awarded four out of a maximum five stars when it was tested for its Euro NCAP safety rating in 2022, scoring of 76 per cent for adult occupant safety, 84 per cent for child occupant, 68 per cent for vulnerable road users and 65 per cent for safety assist.

All cars feature an active safety brake system that can detect vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, plus adaptive cruise control with stop function, electronic stability programme, automatic post-collision braking system, speed limit recognition, driver attention warning, seatbelt reminders, Isofix child seat anchors to the outer rear seats and a full suite of airbags. From GT grade upwards, owners gain Matrix headlights and GT Premium models add lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert, plus long range blind-spot detect as standard.

Options

If customers want to fully personalise their car, Peugeot offers a number of optional extras and packs. For example, upgraded metallic paint costs £750 or £900, a Vision and Driver Assist pack is £680, a Sensation pack that introduces a panoramic sunroof is £880, and a heat pump costs £400 on Allure and GT models, but is standard on GT premium cars.

Rival cars

The Peugeot E-308 is battling for sales in a popular sector with rivals such as the Renault Megane E-Tech, Kia EV4, Volkswagen ID.3, MG4 and Cupra Born.

Verdict and next steps

While the Peugeot E-308 has always been a great car with bundles of kit and impressive performance figures, it was considered by many to be overpriced.

But the French carmaker has addressed that issue with the 2025/26 facelifted car that boasts even more kit and a vastly reduced price-tag.

With the constant stream of Chinese newcomers, more established manufacturers such as Peugeot are being pushed hard in order to compete for sales.

But the latest E-308 certainly ticks all the right boxes with a striking design, well-equipped interior, impressive performance, decent range and a far more attractive asking price this time round.

Where to next?

View latest Peugeot E-308 lease deals - from just £450.89 per month inc VAT**.

Call us on 0118 3048 688 or hit the green 'Enquire' button for more details.

Looking for a great leasing deal? Check out our incredible range of Special Offers and Lease Deals. 

New Estate? Read our latest Reviews and find the right model for you.

Want to know more about leasing? Take a look at our comprehensive Leasing Guides.

Interested in everything motoring? Why not catch up on all the latest Car Leasing News.

**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Peugeot E-308.

**Correct as of 04/12/2025. Based on 12 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 12 monthly payments, or £5,410.68(Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.