Summary

The Peugeot 308 is a medium-sized family car, available as a five-door hatchback and as estate (called the 308 SW). This model was unveiled in late 2013, before going on sale in the UK in early 2014. The hatchback was followed by the SW about six months later. It ceased production in 2021, replaced by an all-new model in 2022.

The 308 received generally good reviews from the UK motoring media across its seven-year lifespan, although the scores tend to trail the class leaders. This was partly due to the car’s somewhat polarising interior design, which utilises Peugeot’s i-Cockpit layout that has divided both reviewers and car buyers.

Aside from the dashboard layout, the Peugeot 308 received particular praise for its smooth, comfortable and refined driving experience, as well as its efficient engines. Criticisms have been directed at the car’s tight rear seats and a lack of driving enjoyment.

The higher-spec 308 GT model also tended to score lower than the regular models. There was a high-performance model called the 308 GTi, which is not covered here.

In its 2021 owners’ survey, What Car? rated the Peugeot 308 as the second-worst car on its list of the most reliable family cars up to five years old, with only the SEAT Leon diesel scoring worse.

Key specifications

Body style: Five-door hatch and estate
Engines: petrol, diesel
Price: From £20,505 on-road

Launched: Summer 2013
Last updated: Autumn 2017
Replacement due: Summer 2021

Image gallery

Media reviews

Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Auto Express+

Model reviewed: (SW estate range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“When it comes to compact estates, the Peugeot 308 SW is the space leader, with a classy cabin and efficient engines.”
Read review

Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 is a stylish and well-equipped family hatchback, with a big boot and punchy engines.”
Read review

Autocar+

Model reviewed: SW (estate) range review
Score: 8 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 SW has strong appeals, including an attractively designed interior, a clean and unfussy exterior, and good all-round refinement.”
Read review

Model reviewed: (hatchback range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 is an admirable, likeable effort. It’s worthy of mention among the class best.”
Read review

Car+

Model reviewed: (range review)
“The Peugeot 308 is not an exciting car, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Comfy, refined and efficient, it’s a worthwhile alternative to the usual mid-size hatch suspects.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 308 SW GT Line estate
Score: 8 / 10
“There’s much to like about the Peugeot 308 SW; it has a genuinely distinctive interior (marred by the awkward touchscreen), dynamics biased towards comfort make it a great motorway cruiser but its chassis is adept enough on B-roads too, and it has so much luggage space it feels almost like a car from the size class above. “
Read review

Model reviewed: 308 GT
Score: 6 / 10
“The petrol and diesel versions of the 308 GT feel like remarkably different cars, and neither quite hits the spot from a performance perspective. They also face tough competition from aggressively priced rivals.”
Read review

Carbuyer+

Model reviewed: (SW estate range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 SW is a small estate car with a huge boot, economical engines and plenty of interesting features.”
Read review

Model reviewed: (hatchback range review)
Score: 7.8 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 hatchback is an attractive alternative to rivals that’s comfortable, spacious and reliable.”
Read review

Carwow+

Model reviewed: 308 SW estate range
Score: 6 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 SW is a sleek-looking estate with a big boot, plenty of equipment and a classy cabin, but not everyone will get on with the driving position.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Hatchback range
Score: 6 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 looks great, comes with loads of kit as standard and it’s pretty practical, too – just don’t expect passengers to enjoy sitting in its rather cramped back seats.”
Read review

Evo+

Score: 7 / 10
“The 308 is a polished and competitive family hatch, but could irritate buyers with iffy ergonomics.”
Read review

Honest John+

Model reviewed: (SW estate range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 SW offers a great blend of comfort, style and practicality. Add in low running costs, easy driving dynamics and impressive refinement and there’s a lot to like.”
Read review

Model reviewed: (hatchback range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“This 308 is the closest Peugeot has yet come to building a car that’s genuinely good enough to compete with the likes of the Honda Civic and ever-popular Ford Focus.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 308 SW estate
“A car with enough pleasing technical advances and so good to drive that its European Car of the Year accolade genuinely seems to be justified.”
Read review

Parkers+

Model reviewed: Hatchback range
Score: 8 / 10
“Understated and underrated hatchback hero – GTi is a highlight”
Read review

Model reviewed: GT
Score: 7 / 10
“There are some very appealing aspects – such as the looks, level of standard kit and how comfortable it is – along with some less-impressive attributes. We found the handling left us wanting, and the diesel version doesn’t seem to make much sense at all.”
Read review

Model reviewed: SW estate range
Score: 9 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 SW is competitively priced, has impressive luggage volume figures and the new engines are excellent. With its smart, unusual interior it has a little more character than most of its rivals, too.”
Read review

The Sun+

Model reviewed: 308 GT
“The Peugeot 308 GT is the middle ground for those who want to drive something a bit premium but who aren’t in the market for a mid-life crisis. It’s like a hot mum — not turning heads everywhere it goes, but still hot enough to be checked out in Asda.”
Read review

Model reviewed: (hatchback range review)
“The Peugeot 308 may not have the precise ride and handling of the class-leading Ford Focus — but it’s getting very close.”
Read review

The Sunday Times+

Model reviewed: 308 GT
Score: 6 / 10
“Turning the heat up to tepid.”
Read review

Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“High-tech hatchback has a few real-world issues.”
Read review

The Telegraph+

Model reviewed: 1.2-litre petrol automatic Allure
Score: 6 / 10
“A smart and well-equipped family car, but one with too many niggles. It’s neither comfortable nor easy to drive, the new automatic is a let-down, and while the boot is vast, the rear seats certainly aren’t.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.5-litre diesel manual Allure
Score: 6 / 10
“Visually the Peugeot 308’s facelift is modest to the point of being unnoticeable, but the new 1.5-litre diesel engine has real merit. It’s smooth, reasonably powerful and should be cheap to run, too.”
Read review

Model reviewed: (hatchback range review)
Score: 6 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 is well priced and equipped, and the diesel engines are some of the most efficient around. However, it isn’t as good to drive or as easy to live with as many rivals, including the SEAT Leon and VW Golf.”
Read review

Model reviewed: (SW estate range review)
Score: 7 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 SW has a huge boot and is well priced and equipped, plus it’s available with some of the most efficient engines around. Just bear in mind that it isn’t as fun to drive or as spacious in the back as the Ford Focus Estate or VW Golf Estate.”
Read review

Top Gear+

Model reviewed: Hatchback range
Score: 8 / 10
“This is the best family hatch Peugeot has ever made. Smooth, refined, and comfortable.”
Read review

Model reviewed: SW (estate) range
Score: 7 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 SW is among the best compact estates on sale (partly because it isn’t really compact at all).”
Read review

What Car?+

Model reviewed: (SW estate range review)
Score: 6 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 SW has some efficient engines and a large boot, but it’s disappointing to drive and rear space is tight.”
Read review

Model reviewed: (hatchback range review)
Score: 6 / 10
“The Peugeot 308 has some frugal engines, but it falls way short of its best rivals to drive and rear space is tight.”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: November 2013
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 92%
Child protection: 79%
Vulnerable road users: 64%
Safety assist: 81%

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

The Peugeot 308 was not lab tested by Green NCAP during its production life.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

Total claims: 239
Average repair cost: £427.99
Last updated: January 2024

Reliability score

All data based on MotorEasy average workshop costs for extended car warranty claims

The Peugeot 308 has a reliability score that’s middle of the pack, according to warranty and workshop data provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our partners at MotorEasy. This score covers this version of the 308 and previous (pre-2014) models. The newest iteration is has only been on sale since 2022, so is a little too new to be included here.

A popular choice for UK buyers, MotorEasy has received warranty claims for repairs in every different category from 308 owners, but fortunately costs are comparitively low across the board.

Nevertheless, if you’re looking at a used Peugeot 308, make sure any extended warranty cover you purchase covers all of these potential problem areas.