Peugeot is turning its new 308 into a stately estate

PARIS: Most people buying a car in the compact class these days prefer to drive an SUV, but Peugeot is staying loyal to the estate and has decided to bring the new 308 back as an SW with a large hatch - and a lot going on the inside.

The 308 isn't even on the market yet as a five-door model, but Peugeot already feels confident enough to announce an estate version, saying the 308 SW will go on sale outside of France at the start of next year.

In its new generation, the 308 has become somewhat flatter, grown in wheelbase and length by 6cm each and now stretches to 4.64 metres. This makes it 21cm longer than the hatchback.

The estate offers correspondingly more storage space behind the hatch (electrically operated as an extra) with a luggage compartment that now holds 608 litres. With the help of the three-way folding rear seat, it can be extended to up to 1,634 litres.

Initially, the drive will be provided exclusively by two plug-in packages with system outputs of 180 or 225hp. According to Peugeot, they can cover up to 60 kilometres in pure electric mode. Conventional petrol and diesel engines will follow later.

Just as for the five-door model, the interior of the estate car will also feature a more developed cockpit with digital displays and 3D animations, as well as a larger touchscreen and less analogue buttons. In addition, there are significantly more storage compartments than before.

The assistance systems are also getting smarter, recommending the right speed for the route and providing support when overtaking, for example.