Peugeot e-308 review

Your entry point into the e-308 range is the Allure trim (it’s actually the second trim up the ladder on the ICE version of the car) at £40,050, then £42,050 for the GT spec car and £42,080 for the First Edition spec e-308. The latter is a limited edition trim that was on sale at the time of writing this but could disappear at any moment if Peugeot sells them all.

What are the trims like? 

The Allure trim comes with 18in alloys, heated steering wheel and seats, a reversing camera and all the active safety equipment we’ve now come to expect (and occasionally get perturbed by) on mainstream cars.

GT trim adds front and rear LED lights (the headlights are matrix LEDs that can maintain a full beam without blinding oncoming cars and pedestrians), the trick 3D dials, Alcantara trim and a slightly sportier appearance on the outside. Massaging seats are a £500 option, and one well worth ticking to really indulge in the mildly luxurious ambience the e-308 clings onto as its USP.

The First Edition car offers some sporty interior touches and blue accents to the Alcantara trim. What’s the French for gimmick?

Which one should I go for?

We’d be tempted to save our money and go for the Allure model, which is well-equipped with the basics. The fancier GT spec offers you the chance to show off a bit to passengers with your fancy 3D dials and matrix headlights if you’re after some of that action.

Is the e-308 good value though?

This is a tough area for the e-308 to compete. An MG4 or VW ID.3 – two stalwarts of the small electric car class – will be cheaper to lease. And the former is probably a bit more fun to drive. You’ll have to love the way the Peugeot looks and crave the greater quality of its interior – where it beats the MG and VW hands down – to help justify its extra outlay.

It’s also worth noting that both Citroen and Vauxhall offer similarly traditional hatchbacks with this same powertrain, while Top Gear's 2023 EV of the Year – the Jeep Avenger – slots it beneath a chunkier body. Such is the breadth of the Stellantis group these days...

What about the other numbers?

The e-308 will fully charge in under eight hours on a 7.4kW wall box – overnight or a day at the office, basically – while you can top up from 20 to 80 per cent in under half an hour with 100kW rapid charging.

The car is warrantied for three years and unlimited mileage, its battery over eight years or 100,000 miles. Both are right on par for the market as a whole. Servicing is every two years or 16,000 miles.