In-depth reviews

Peugeot 308 SW estate owner reviews

Name: Peugeot 308 SW estate
Brand: Peugeot

"The Peugeot 308 SW is a small estate car with a huge boot, economical engines and plenty of interesting features"

by Carbuyer

3 May 2019

Carbuyer Rating

4.1 out of 5

Owners Rating

4.5 out of 5

Buy used for less at Buyacar

92%of people would recommend this car to a friend.

Owner Rating

9reviews
1reviews
3reviews

Common Problems

Gearbox / clutch (1 cases)
Electrics, Suspension (1 cases)
Other (1 cases)

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 BlueHDI Allure S\S

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

15,000 – 19,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

Peugeot have upped their game with this car. I have found it smooth, very quiet engine for a diesel and comfortable to drive. It is a great motorway cruiser but is well defined for town and country driving. Pace when you need it Fuel economy is best I have ever had. On motorways at steady 70 - 75 I achieve 70+ mpg. On my 30 mile commute to work I have got up 83mpg albeit this is at an average of 40-50mph. My overall average is 65mpg. I Love the small steering wheel and can't understand why people feel it hard to get used to, it seems so natural. The touch screen is not the best but once you get used to it it's fine although I do agree with others that climate control would be better with dials. Boot space is great. Have been on holiday with full car plus large dog without need of roof rack. The parking sensors are great with added bonus of a reversing camera and the LED headlights are superb. Downsides, not many. 1st to 2nd gear is a bit notchy. Can bog down in 2nd or 3rd gear if revs are too low, unlike other diesels I have driven where the torque overcomes this. Paintwork seems a little thin, already had some stone chips that have needed treatment for rust. Need to shop around for main dealer servicing otherwise expensive. Overall, love it, a great buy and good value for what you get.

Reliability

5 out of 5

Excellent. I've had no issues other than a recall on the clutch master cylinder

Performance

As per review notchy 1st to 2nd gear.

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Fantastic. Zero tax and average Mpg of 65 over 18000 miles

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 allure 120hdi

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

68.8

Review

I have been pleasantly surprised with this Peugeot. I think they have raised their game with this model. It's on a par with rear boot space. Much improved fuel consumption, it's reading 68.0. The seats are very good. The headlamps are impressive, too. Ride and suspension are good at tackling lumpy road surfaces. Overall I am very pleased with it so far.

Version

1.6 Diesel Allure

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

More than 20,000

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

I have recently given my 308 back as it was a company car... I was very glad to see the back of it. Good points - 52 Mpg average with lots of hilly and city driving (although never managed book figures on motorway) Parking sensors Sat nav not as bad as other standard units Boot larger than many cars it's size Bad points - Poor dash layout/too many controls on the fiddly dangerous touch screen Extremely dull to drive Rubbish gearbox. It felt like it'd done 100k miles by 10k Dangerously slow without a very heavy right foot (pulling out of junctions etc) Really uncomfortable seats A glove box only fit for one glove Not fit for higher milage users Poor ground clearance with too much plastic underneath

Reliability

I can't fault the reliability. 40k covered in just over a year.

Performance

2 out of 5

Dire. Dangerously slow. Having to dump the clutch at busy junctions to avoid death is a joke.

Running Cost

Cheap to run but don't expect book MPG figures... ever. 64mpg at 56mph in 6th max

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.2 e-THP 130 PureTech Active

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

More than 20,000

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Lovely car! Very impressed with the 1.2l 3cylr turbo petrol engine. Huge boot.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 bluetech

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

15,000 – 19,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

A great car, really enjoyable. My only complaints: 1. after 1 year, noises coming from the shock absorbers of the car and needed changing. I'm glad i have warranty, but if I didn't it would be awful. 2. Seems to be using more fuel than it should be. 3. The electronics of the driver mirror are noisy as well and need to be changed,

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

2.0GT line

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

More than 20,000

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

I love this car. About 12 years ago I owned one of the original 307SW with a panoramic roof and removable rear seats. These are the only 2 features I am missing in this new version. I selected this as my Company car, based on a very generous 1 week test drive from my fleet provider. It is extremely comfortable. The 2.0 diesel 150 hp engine does have great performance, as well as giving me a 54 mpg average for the first 6000 miles I have driven. I really like the small steering wheel, which adds to the sporty feel of the car. The sports seats on the GT line are comfortable, with the side bolsters, but may not suit larger people, as they may feel tight. I do agree with previous comments about the touchscreen having the heating controls is a bit of a fiddly feature, and I would prefer a separate rotary control for ventilation. It is a minor gripe though, as you do get used to this, and there are a couple of short cuts on the screen for the temperature. I have to carry quite bulky and heavy loads, every day for work, and the boot has proven deceptively large, and not let me down. The seats go completely flat with 2 easy release catches in the boot, and the retractable load cover will pull out easily and stow under the boot floor, on top of the spare wheel. This GT line version is more expensive than others, but does have some very nice touches, apart from the sportier styling. The full LED headlights are the best lights I have had, with a really clear white light. The rear view mirror has a sensor for bright lights, and will auto dim. There are all round parking sensors, as well as rear parking camera, which I find very clear, even in the dark, so no excuse to ding the bumper! I am very pleased I chose this car over a similarly priced Volvo V60, Seat Leon,Skoda Octavia. They are all nice cars, but I think the Peugeot has the nicer styling, and contrary to some reviews, I do find it to be good fun to drive.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

HDI 180 GT

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

I purchased this car straight from the showroom. It was previously used by the Sales manager. It had 2,700 miles on the clock and came with lots of equipment.. The car is simply great. The boot is massive, horizontally, as opposed than vertically as most cars have, which is perfect for my three Labradors (and there's enough space for a fourth one). it means that I do not have to use the back seats for them and I can clean the interior clean. The car is spacious and very comfortable; I made great use of the heated seats and occasionally use the massage option when traveling long distance. Small details that I particularly like, are the fact that the parcel shelf fits in the boot above the spare wheel when it's removed, and the touchscreen satnav is actually very intuitive. The 8-speed automatic gearbox is brilliant. It's very smooth and accelerating is effortless. I love the active cruise control which automatically adjust the speed when encountering traffic. The anti-collision system works very well as it avoided a certain collision when an "idiot" failed to stop at a roundabout. The more powerful GT engine is great and the Sport mode is great fun, it quickens the gearchanges, stiffens the steering, changes the dials and has the engine humming like a sports car. The sky roof is great, too and the leather finish is nice. My only criticism is the lack of emergency call if involved in an accident. This feature is readily available in mainland Europe or on other brands.

Reliability

5 out of 5

No issues whatsoever

Performance

5 out of 5

Effortless

Running Cost

Not as claimed but very reasonable.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

2.0 blue HDI Allure

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

Bought this car x-demo with 1,200 miles, have now done nearly 10,000, replacing a 407 SW. I tried the 1.6 diesel but found it a bit sluggish but this one was much peppier, with a good level of trim. Much better legroom in the back than the 407, and bigger boot as well if not quite so well finished trim wise. Very good fuel economy and low road tax, only one issue with reliability so far (faulty additive tank, fixed under warranty). Overall a comfortable family load hauler. Minus points; gear lever is set quite high and has a strong bias to 3rd/4th, which takes getting used to, and a reversing camera which is great during the day, and useless in the dark!

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 eHDI

Year of registration

2016

Bought Car

Used

Review

Prior to this car I owned a New 308 1.6hdi Active hatchback, in which I did around 25000 miles. We changed a little earlier than we normally would due to having a baby and more space being needed for carting the little one and associated kit to and from the Grandparents some 200 miles away. Both vehicles are of the same trim, but about 2 years apart in age so it gives me a good direct comparison. Since March the car has covered 5000 miles. I have found the SW better in every single way than the hatchback. The SW is 33cm (about 1') longer than the hatchback and a third of this has been put into legroom on in the back. This makes a massive difference to my wife sat in the back with baby on a long run and allows for discreet nursing of the baby when sat behind me at motorway services as well as added comfort. It also makes a big difference to front passenger leg room with a rear facing baby seat behind. Load space is fantastic with plenty of room for all we need for a week away with a baby, and room to spare. The small steering wheel, while looking silly, is surprisingly easy to get used to. The touch screen can be a little fiddly to use while on the move and diverts too much attention from the road. Everything, including the radio and heating are controlled through the screen. The car would benefit from a separate temperature control on the centre console. There is no CD player and a single USB socket for playing of music. A second socket would allow for a phone etc to be charged while driving and listening to music on a USB stick. The range of colours is a let down with most available colours being various shades of grey. Overall though, a good car which so far has proved to be fuel efficient, cheap to run and insure and which I would buy again.

Reliability

The car is 5 months old and has done 5000 miles. So far, so good.

Performance

The car can feel a little sluggish, especially in comparison to the hatchback when pulling away, however this should be expected with the extra weight that the estate has. The car cruises quite happily at Motorway speeds.

Running Cost

Running costs appear comparable to my last car although time will tell: my last car managed Milan to Calais on one (50 litre) tank of fuel. I will be delighted if I find this car will do that too. The car is tax band A meaning free road tax and I qualify for discounted car parking at work.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 BLUE HDI

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

More than 20,000

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

308 SW BLUE HDI 30000 MILES IN A YEAR AVERAGING 62 MPG ON RUNS HIGH 70S MPG PLENTY OF ROOM SEATS FOLD DEAD FLAT RECOMMENDED

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

2.0 HDI Allure Auto

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

0 – 4,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

The 2 litre diesel automatic 308SW is a superbly built car with great performance and excellent economy. It usually just two of us on board, along with our Golden Retrievers in the cargo section. It's exceptionally quiet even at 80+. I took a professional limo driver to Heathrow recently, he said the 308SW was quieter than his new Mercedes saloon which sells at twice the price. The automatic gearbox is a dream, revving at below 2000 in 6th gear, the kickdown for getting out of trouble giving urgent acceleration, is immediate and very fast. The seats are very comfortable with good all-round adjustment. I haven't found a problem yet, unless the govt. bans all diesel cars and they have no second-hand value!

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 Active BlueHDI 120

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

15,000 – 19,999

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

I had this car as a rental for a day in Northern Ireland, and did around 100 miles. I was impressed with the comfort and the 120bhp diesel engine, it was remarkably quiet for a diesel and had plenty of poke. However I only averaged 45mpg which isn't too special. I did not like the touchscreen for adjusting temperature etc, it is very distracting on the move - I would much prefer a real dial. Also I could not work out how to enter postcodes into the sat-nav. I liked the small steering wheel and could easily see the speedo and rev counter behind it. The main downside for me was the large metal gear knob. This may look nice but it was freezing to touch, so I would recommend wearing gloves to drive this car in winter.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.2 PureTech 130

Year of registration

2015

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Review

I love it. Had a 307 sw but did not like the old 308 shape so went for a 3008 until the new shape 308 came in . I love the car . Plenty of power from the 1.2 130hp engine . Quiet and comfortable.