Peugeot 308 SW Sport

9:47am Friday 13th June 2008

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PEUGEOT'S new estate car comes already loaded - with bags of style.

From the Jimmy Hill front chin to the butt-out rear wrapped around a nice set of five-spoke alloy wheels, there's lots to admire on the outside.

Being Peugeot, this car carries the SW tag (it stands for Sports Wagon) to tell you that this is, well, an estate really, and it replaces both the 307 SW and 307 Estate models. So that's sorted then now let's have a look at what's changed from the 307 version.

I opted for the 1.6-litre diesel in Sport specification for a test drive because this is the engine that most punters are expected to plump for.

With a price tag of £17,995, you get a lot for your money, but even the standard specification S trim comes with manual air conditioning, fog lights, a radio/CD players with six speakers and remote control, electric front windows, a trip computer, folding rear bench seat, remote central locking and ABS, EBFD and EBA to help out with the ride.

But when I tell you what the Sport spec brings to the party, I suspect that you will be drawn into spending the extra.

The Sport grille adds some French flair, and 17-inch alloys replace the 15-inch steel wheels. MP3 compatibility is tagged on to the audio system, and the driver further benefits from ESP, cruise control and a leather steering wheel. A step up to the top SE spec hardly seems necessary.

But it is further back that things get really interesting. The panoramic glass roof first seen on the 308 hatchback makes an even more impressive appearance here, filling 1.68 square metres of roof to let the sunshine come pouring into the cabin.

It measures 27 per cent larger than the 307 version, and an electronically-controlled sun blind with a one-touch auto-reverse function provides shade in seconds.

As for the rest of the seating area, Peugeot has produced something of a masterclass in interior efficiency - and it remains the only car manufacturer to offer a seven-seat estate.

The second row features three individual identical seats, which can slide over a distance of 90mm by means of a lever and can be folded down or removed completely.

With stretch-out room for five adults in the first two rows, you might never need to utilise the additional third row of two seats for children up to 1.70 metres high.

These third-row seats come as a £495 optional extra in the Sport specification and standard on the SE, and your purchase will more than likely depend on family circumstances.

Now I'm not sure whether it's a trick of the exterior design, but on first viewing the 308 SW there is little to suggest that this car will carry seven people.

It has grown in length and height, has a longer wheelbase and considerably larger load area, but there is not a single hint of the unwieldy or overblown.

With dark cloth seating and a tasteful mix of brown and beige plastics, the cabin ambience is calm and assured, and the neo-retro dashboard highlighted by chrome-ringed dials fits perfectly into the mix.

It even smells very nice in there, thanks to a fragrance diffuser.

After a few brief minutes on the road, it was obvious that that the new six-speed gearbox - designed in-house - was a major improvement, providing a slicker and precise change.

In fact, just about everything was beginning to feel just right. Over B-roads and through town traffic, the 308 felt assured and confident. It is quite possibly a better drive than the hatchback because of the longer wheelbase and retuned rear dampers.

It's not a thrilling drive, but its road-holding made for composed progress through the vagaries of our road network.

And the precise steering that partners that the road-holding qualities mean that you can make the best of the willing HDi engine along winding roads.

Acceleration from 0-62mph is a mediocre 12.5 seconds, but don't get the idea that this is a sluggish load-lugger. As you press on, you will soon begin to appreciate its performance qualities.

There are four petrol engines ranging from 95 to 175bhp, and three HDi diesel engines, with a choice of automatic transmission on two petrol and one diesel model, so Peugeot have got more or less all the bases covered. Prices range from £14,395 to £20,845.

This is an immensely practical and stylish addition to the 308 hatchback. We can look forward with eager anticipation to the launch of a cabriolet version.

At a glance

Model: Peugeot 308 SW Sport HDi 110

Price: £17,995

Engine: 1.6-litre diesel

Power: 110bhp

Transmission: Six-speed manual

Performance: 0-62mph in 12.5 seconds; maximum speed:115mph

Fuel economy: 53.2mpg (combined cycle)

CO2 emissions: 139g/km.