Peugeot 308 (2007-) Review

Comfort and Equipment

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The body of the 308 is neatly designed to conceal just how big inside it is. There's 35mm more front elbow room and 28mm more rear knee room than the 307, thanks to the seats being carefully shaped. They're also very comfortable.

The boot is a good size: 430 litres up to the parcel shelf, or 1,398 litres with the rear seats folded down. The parcel shelf itself has a slender compartment built into it, big enough for a couple of Gameboys or tennis racquets. Its lid is doubly hinged, so it can be opened from inside or outside.

Refreshingly, Peugeot has not got into an MPV-style cubbyhole frenzy. Instead, you get usefully big door pockets, a couple of cupholders, a curry hook in the front passenger footwell and not much else. The glovebox is, however, a bit gimmicky, with mouldings to house your sunglasses and mobile phone; fine if your sunglasses and mobile phone are the right size and shape, but a waste of space if they're not.

All models come with electrically operated mirrors and front windows, and a single-CD player. S models gain front foglights, air conditioning, and body-coloured mirrors and door handles. Sport adds rear electric windows, front armrests, a cargo net in the boot, a leather steering wheel, body-coloured rubbing strips, an MP3-compatible audio system, a different grille and 17" wheels. Plush SE spec includes a scent diffuser, ambient lighting, a full-length glass roof, automatic lights and wipers, climate control, 16" alloys and a different rear bumper. GT involves carpet, half-leather seats, the glass roof, tyre pressure sensors, rear parking sensors, headlamp washers, directional headlamps, a Bluetooth hands-free kit, 18" alloy wheels and a colour screen.

Options include an impressively comprehensive multimedia system called RT4, which features sat nav, a phone and a 30GB hard drive for storing up to 180 hours of MP3 music files.