Peugeot 308 SW review
by David Finlay (12 May 2008)
Stand directly in front of the new Peugeot 308 SW and you might take some convincing that it is any way different from the hatchback. The changes start behind the B pillar, where the SW proves to be an exceptionally convenient and adaptable car.
It can carry seven people, thanks to the provision of a third row of "occasional" seats (optional on some models, standard on others) which might conceivably hold small adults, though they're more suitable for children. That's quite a useful feature, but the central row is even more impressive. There are three seats there, and they can all be reclined, slid forwards and backwards and adjusted for height.
They are also all the same size, so they're freely interchangeable. They can even replace the occasional seats in the back if you need to do that for any reason. All five of the rear seats can fold to create a large platform several inches higher than floor level, and if that still doesn't provide enough space - and if you have enough room in your house or garage to store them - you can remove them altogether, thereby turning the SW into a well-upholstered van.
How much space are we talking about here? It depends on which measuring system you use, but according to Peugeot's own figures the SW has 674 litres of fresh air up to the window line with the third-row seats removed, and a deeply impressive 2149 litres to roof level if you remove the centre ones as well.
Loading the SW is a simple matter, since the rear sill is very low, so you don't have to lift heavy objects too far off the ground before inserting them. If the objects in question are light, and space behind the car is limited, you can leave the tailgate shut and put them into the car through the independently-opening rear window.
Most of what you've read so far applies to all versions of the SW, or at least it can do; you have to buy the range-topping SE if you want the third row of seats, though they're available as options on the entry-level S and the mid-range Sport, while the S doesn't get the separately-opening rear window or the modular seating.
The S also has a standard roof, but the Sport and SE come with a huge panoramic glass sunroof which is 27% larger than that on the outgoing 307 SW. If you don't like sunshine that much there's a full-length cover which deploys in either direction in just a few seconds at the touch of a button.
The S is quite well-equipped, with 15" wheels, air-conditioning, foglights, central locking, a trip computer and a useful boot net, among other things. As well as the steel roof, it's also the only SW with the "Classic" front grille - the others get the Sport version.
For £1400 more you get the Sport, which has 17" alloys, cruise control, ESP, all-round electric windows, a leather steering wheel, a steering column airbag, and of course the split tailgate and the modular seating.
A further £1200 buys you the SE, which has all the equipment of the Sport (apart from 16" wheels) plus dual-zone air-conditioning, a tyre pressure sensor, tinted rear windows, electric folding door mirrors, a dimming rear view mirror, automatic headlights and wipers, Ambiance and Comfort packs and the third row of seats as standard.
I hope I haven't led you astray with talk of those price premiums - the fact is that not every S has an equivalent Sport model, nor every Sport an SE. Each trim level has its own range of engines, and the only engine available in every type of SW is the 110bhp HDi turbo diesel.
Other engines in the range are a 95bhp 1.4 petrol (S only), a 120bhp 1.6 petrol with manual or automatic transmission (S and Sport), three examples of the 1.6 turbo petrol co-developed by BMW, Peugeot and Citroen (140bhp with automatic only, 150bhp and 175bhp with manual only), a 90bhp HDi (S only) and a 136bhp HDi with manual or automatic transmission (Sport and SE only).
That makes sixteen engine/gearbox/trim combinations altogether, of which so far I've driven two. The 150bhp turbo petrol is, as we've seen in several other cars, a very nice unit, and if you want your SW to be partly a hot hatch as well as a combination of mini-MPV and glossy van this one is probably your best bet; the 175bhp version is of course quicker, but I suspect it might be slightly too powerful for its own good.
The other SW I've tried is the Sport with the 110bhp HDi turbo diesel, and I must say I'd be surprised if any of the other engines did the job any better. This one has as much power as most owners will need, along with combined fuel economy of 53.2mpg and 139g/km CO2 emissions, and thanks to some excellent work on noise suppression it's barely any louder than the petrol engine.
Both cars also ride very well, though there was a lot of jiggling over small bumps (they were both Sports, with the lowest-profile tyres, so I imagine this isn't an issue with either the S or the SE). The other thing I didn't like much - and this applies to all models - is the lack of rear visibility, though fortunately the rear side window design isn't as barmy as it is on the 207 SW, so the situation isn't as bad as it might be.
Prices for the 308 SW start at £14,395 for the 1.4 petrol S and extend to £20,845 for the 136bhp HDi auto SE (the only one to break through the £20k barrier without options). The 175bhp petrol turbo, available only in Sport trim, is naturally enough the fastest with a top speed of 133mph and a 0-62mph time of 9.0 seconds, while for maxmimum fuel economy you want the 90bhp diesel, which scores 60.1mpg on the combined cycle and has a CO2 rating of 125g/km.
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