Peugeot 308 SW 1.6 HDi 110 SE (2008) CAR review

Peugeot’s new 308 SW is piece three from the French manufacturer’s five-part mid-sized jigsaw. Coming after the three- and five-door 308 hatches launched in late 2007, and arriving before the CC and RC Z version is this estate bodystyle. It offers a high roofline and a stretched wheelbase over the regular 308, which means the SW majors on space and can seat seven.

So what’s new about the Peugeot 308 SW?

In the switch from 307 to 308, the Estate has been abandoned leaving just the SW. But to accommodate buyers of both previous models Peugeot will offer the SW in two distinctive layouts.

Opt for S or SR trim and you get a model more in keeping with the old Estate, and designed for fleet buyers. That means a steel roof and rear bench seats.

Sport and SE spec models come with a frankly enormous panoramic glass roofs and three identical second-row seats. The sixth and seventh seats only come as standard on the SE models, but you can add them separately at £300 for one or £495 for two. Not cheap, but then again it’ll cost you £1000 to add two seats to your Citroen C4 Picasso. In the 308 SW they’re for occasional use only, but row three is still roomy enough that the RSPCA won’t be round anytime soon.

All cars are 117mm longer in the wheelbase than the hatch, so there’s plenty of room inside.

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