We review the Peugeot 308 SW from price to economy and all its features
THE 308 hatchback is already the European Car of the Year - a great base for the new SW estate version to build on.
Its designers and engineers have done such a great job, you could argue the estate is even better.
Impressive... The Peugeot 308 SW
The designers have given the SW swish, flowing lines that make it much more dynamic than the average estate. It is beautifully proportioned, with both elegance and sportiness, starting with the floating chrome grille and expressive LED-backed headlights.
The SW offers bags of room for passengers and 660litres of boot space, including 70litres under the floor
Its interior is identical to the 308's, with the bonus of even more space for driver and passengers or a mountain of luggage.
Interior... Identical to the 308's but with more space
It features Peugeot's i-Cockpit, key elements of which are a dinky steering wheel and a head-up instrument panel just in front of the windscreen that shows information so the driver doesn't have to take his eyes of the road. The other instruments are housed in a tall centre console with a 9.7in touchscreen providing easy access to all the infotainment which is now part of the driver's armoury.
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The display gives access to driver assistance systems, satnav, air-con and heating and vehicle settings, all of which are easy to use.
You also get the option of a huge 1.6metre panoramic glass sunroof with an electric blind that gives the SW the airy feel of a sportscar.
A real delight The ride and handling are impressive. For a biggish estate the SW feels light and agile to drive, with responsive steering and braking and a nicely cushioned ride to cope with our potholed roads.
1.2litre engine... May seem small, but the turbocharged motor doesn't disappoint
But the real delight of the SW is the brilliant new 1.2litre, three-cylinder engine. That may seem underpowered for an estate but the engine is turbocharged and its performance is excellent. There's even a sport button for the enthusiastic driver, but the bonus is fuel economy of 60.1mpg - although Peugeot engineers clocked up an amazing 99.1mpg on a circuit test drive, equal to 1,124miles on a tank.
If you fold the ";magic flat" rear seats that disappear in one simple movement
There is also the option of impressive 1.6 and 2litre diesel engines, with the smaller of the two returning around 90mpg and CO2 of 82g/km.
The SW offers bags of room for passengers and 660litres of boot space, including 70litres under the floor for valuables or wet stuff.
If you fold the "magic flat" rear seats that disappear in one simple movement, the space shoots up to a cavernous 1,660litres, turning the SW into a genuine family workhorse.
So if you are looking for a spacious, great-looking and great-driving estate car, don't overlook the SW.
Prices start from just under £17,000 and rise to £25,145. On sale now, with deliveries in June.
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