Peugeot e-308 review

Introduction

Choosing the Peugeot e-308 electric car is a bit like opting for a veggie burger instead of a beef one – it’s a greener, more environmentally friendly choice. While the standard Peugeot 308 can be had with petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) power, the e-308 offers a cleaner, all-electric alternative that’s better for the planet.

While they draw their power from different sources (with only an extra letter separating their names), they look pretty much identical inside and out. The same goes for the estate version – the Peugeot e-308 SW. It’s based on the Peugeot 308 SW but is fully electric.

Peugeot e-308 video review

So is this electric car formula worth a look? After all, the class is incredibly competitive these days, with rivals including the Cupra Born, MG4 and Renault Megane.

What’s new?
November 2025 – We drive the updated e-308 after testing it in Lisbon, Portugal.
August 2025 – Facelifted versions of the e-308 and e-308 SW are revealed, with refreshed styling inside and out, a bigger battery and more.
November 2023 – We drive the e-308 SW in Barcelona, Spain.
September 2023 – We drive the e-308 in the UK.
September 2022 – Peugeot reveals the fully electric e-308 and e-308 SW.

Overview

The all-electric Peugeot e-308 has a smart interior and is comfortable on the move, but doesn’t stand out elsewhere. While the e-308 SW estate car brings flexible rear seats and a bit more versatility than the hatchback, both versions aren’t as well-rounded as rivals, which offer longer ranges and more spacious interiors. If you do buy either car, we recommend the entry-level Allure trim.

Pros

• Controlled, comfortable ride
• Classy interior
• Decent kit as standard

Cons

• Rear seat space is tight
• Rivals have bigger boots
• No big battery options

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Performance & drive

What it's like to drive, and how quiet it is

How fast is it and which engine is best?

Every Peugeot e-308 and e-308 SW has a 154bhp electric motor driving the front wheels.

In the e-308, 0-62mph takes 9.3sec, which is similar to the Vauxhall Astra Electric (9.2sec). While that’s not bad and enough to keep up with everyday traffic, plenty of rivals sprint up to speed with much more vigour. The entry-level Cupra Born, MG4 and Volkswagen ID 3 are all faster, while a Tesla Model 3 RWD takes just 5.8sec to get to 62mph.

In the e-308 SW, the same sprint takes 9.5sec, which is similar to the Astra Electric Estate.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

The e-308 handles tidily, but it’s not as tightly controlled as the Born, while a Model 3 is in a different league entirely for agility. The steering is well-weighted and direct enough, but it’s not as quick as a Born’s.

The e-308 rides pretty well over most surfaces. It has a slightly firm edge so you do feel the initial impact from road imperfections and potholes, but they’re dealt with quickly and the e-308 is more settled than the softer Astra Electric.

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

The e-308 is slightly quieter than the Astra Electric on motorways, but lags behind the Born and ID 3 when it comes to filtering out noises from the outside world. The Renault Megane is even more hushed, with less road noise.

The power in the e-308 is easy to manage. As you press the accelerator, it comes on smoothly and progressively, even under hard acceleration. The brake pedal is also firm and predictable, which makes stop-start traffic a smooth experience. By comparison, the pedal in the Megane is more sensitive at low speeds.

What’s the range and efficiency like and how quickly can it charge?

The e-308 and e-308 SW’s official range of 267 miles is good, being similar to the entry-level Born, MG4 Long Range and ID 3 Pro. However, those cars are all available with bigger batteries that can take them even farther. The MG4 Extended Range and Model 3 RWD, for example, can officially cover up to 323 miles, while the Born can do up to 346 miles.

When it comes to charging, every e-308 has a maximum charging rate of up to 100kW. With a fast enough charger, it should be possible to charge from 20-80% in around half an hour. Most rivals can accept a faster rate, while the Model 3 also gives you full access to the brilliant Tesla Supercharger network. Using a 7kW home EV charger the e-308 should charge from 20-80% in about five hours.

“The Peugeot e-308’s small steering wheel won’t be to everyone’s taste, but I find it easy to turn when threading my way around a multi-storey car park.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

The lay-out of the Peugeot e-308 and e-308 SW’s interior is identical to what you'll find in a Peugeot 308 or Peugeot 308 SW. In terms of quality, the e-308's interior compares well with rival electric cars. The materials look and feel pleasant, and it’s easily better than what you find in an MG4 or ID 3.

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

The e-308 has Peugeot's i-Cockpit driving position, which gives you a small steering wheel you look over – rather than through – to see the 10in digital driver's display. Some people find that set-up really awkward, so try before you buy.

Upgrading to the range-topping GT Premium trim adds a 3D effect to the driver's display. The idea is to make it clearer to read at a glance, but the reality is that it feels like a bit of a gimmick rather than something helpful.

The driving position is otherwise sound, with lots of manual adjustment for the seat (including for lumbar support). You also get a good view of the road ahead, although the Cupra Born or VW ID 3 have higher, more SUV-like driving positions. This makes them feel less sporty than the e-308, though.

Chunky rear pillars and a small rear window obscure the view out behind you, but all e-308s come with standard-fit rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera. The mid-spec GT also gets front parking sensors, while GT Premium adds a 360-degree camera.

Bright LED headlights come as standard, making for great visibility at night. GT models swap them for full matrix LED headlights that adapt their full beam automatically so they don't dazzle oncoming drivers.

Are the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

Every e-308 gets a 10.0in infotainment touchscreen. It's generally impressive in its look and lay-out, although the response time could be a little sharper. Standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring allows you to wirelessly run your smartphone apps on the screen.

Below the main touchscreen there's a separate panel with touchscreen shortcut buttons that are helpful for hopping between different menus. On GT trim, they are also configurable (called i-Toggle) so you can set your preferred ones.

Unfortunately, the climate controls are mostly adjusted through the touchscreen, which is more fiddly and distracting to use while driving than traditional buttons and knobs. Most of the e-308’s rivals have this setup, though.

“I like the customisable i-Toggle shortcut keys. I set them to control the heated seats to save me having to dig into the main menu on the infotainment touchscreen.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

How much space does it have for people?

Continuing the trend, the Peugeot e-308 and e-308 SW have identical footprints to the petrol, diesel and PHEV 308s, meaning the space inside is also largely identical.

As a result, even your tallest friends won’t find themselves struggling for head or leg room in the front, and the decent interior width means you won’t be rubbing shoulders with your front-seat passenger. The Cupra Born and VW ID 3 feel slightly more airy.

You also get plenty of storage space, with helpful cubbies strewn around, including within the standard armrest and large door bins.

Rear space varies more between the hatchback and estate car versions. The e-308 has enough head and leg room for children but is tight for adults. It’s similar to a Vauxhall Astra Electric and more accommodating than a Renault 5. The e-308 SW has a little more rear head room, but leg room remains tight.

How much room does it have for luggage?

As you might expect, the e-308 SW has the largest boot of the two versions, offering 505 litres of space with the rear seats in place. That's a little less than the Astra Sports Tourer Electric (516 litres). The rear seats fold in a versatile 40/20/40 split and fold flat, which is really handy when you have rear-seat passengers but need to load long items into the boot.

The hatchback e-308 has 361 litres of space in the boot, which is more than the 308 PHEV (314 litres) but less than the regular Peugeot 308 (412 litres). It’s pretty much the same size as the boot in the MG4, while the Cupra Born’s is bigger. The hatchback's rear backrest folds in a less versatile 60/40 split, but GT trim gets a ski hatch in the middle of the back seats. Disappointingly, neither version of the e-308 comes with any under-bonnet storage so you’ll lose some boot space to your charging cables.

“Rear seat space is a bit tight and I found that the e-308's small door openings made access to the back seats a bit tricky.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Buying & owning

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

The Peugeot e-308 is competitively priced against its closest rivals. It’s cheaper than a Cupra Born, Tesla Model 3 RWD and Vauxhall Astra Electric, but similar to the VW ID 3 in pricing. An MG4 is considerably less.

With the e-308 SW, non-premium electric estate rivals are scarce. As such, its main competitors are the Vauxhall Astra Electric Sports Tourer, which costs slightly more, and the larger VW ID 7, which costs considerably more. The MG5 is no longer on sale.

To keep costs down, we’d stick with entry-level Allure trim. It comes with lots of standard equipment, including 18in alloys, climate control, adaptive cruise control, rear privacy glass, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

If you’d like extra features, such as keyless entry, ambient lighting, an illuminated grille and the 3D driver's display and parking aid upgrades, you’ll need to jump up to GT. The range-topping GT Premium adds Alcantara upholstery and a 360-degree reversing camera, but it’s too expensive to recommend.

Is it reliable and how long is the warranty?

The e-308 didn’t feature in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey, but the regular 308 did, finishing in 11th place out of 30 family cars, with a score of 94.6%. As a brand, Peugeot came 11th out of 30 manufacturers, putting it above MG, Renault and VW, but below Kia and Tesla.

Peugeot’s electric cars come with an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty that covers the battery, electric motor, charging system and key electrical and mechanical components. To get the full eight-year coverage, the car must be regularly serviced at a Peugeot dealer. This beats the warranties from Hyundai and Kia, but falls short of the 10-year, 100,000-mile service-activated cover from Toyota.

How safe is it and is it easy to steal?

There's no safety rating specifically for the e-308, but the regular 308 was given four stars out of five when it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2022. While it scored well in most areas, the testers commented that the protection for the driver’s chest was fairly weak. The rival Born and Megane both scored five stars under the same test.

“I think it’s great to see a range of colours available for the e-308, with a metallic Lagoa Blue finish as standard.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Buy it if…

-You want a quiet, comfortable electric car

-You value a high-quality interior

-You want lots of standard equipment

Don’t buy it if…

-You regularly carry passengers in the back

-You want an electric car with a long range

-A slick infotainment system is a top priority

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