Does adding space and a bigger boot up the Peugeot 308’s local appeal? It seems so…

SINGAPORE – Things are definitely looking up for Peugeot. The 308 SW recently beat the electric BMW i3, the Citroën C4 Picasso, Mazda 3 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, to win 2014’s European Car of the Year.

Here in Singapore, Peugeot, like the other French brands, still excel when it comes to filling the grey area between the Japanese and Germans.

The 308 SW is a stretched out version of the hatch with a longer wheelbase — a good 110mm more, and ultimately more legroom.

Unlike the previous generation, which had seven seats, the design team decided that it was more practical to have a very big boot instead. With a minimum capacity of 660-litres (it can carry maximum of 1,660-litres with the seats down), all of your family’s barang barang could probably fit nicely even if you’re going on a month-long road trip. 

The best thing about the Peugeot 308 SW however, is that despite it being so big and beautiful, its turbocharged petrol engine displaces 1,199cc  and makes just under 130bhp, placing it under Category A for COEs. This means you’ll be paying the government much less to drive your new station wagon on the road.

The materials used in the interior of the 308 SW feel a class above the East Asians — although, we’d like to give a special shout out to Mazda which in recent times has gone above and beyond in terms of quality.

ALSO READ: Mazda CX-5 facelift review

To make the deal even sweeter, the basic 308 SW package comes with panoramic glass roof with retractable one-touch shade, keyless entry and start-stop system, a 9.7-inch touch screen navigation system and electric folding side mirrors as standard.

Despite being a family mover, the SW is actually two millimetres lower than the hatchback and comes fitted with front sports seats and rear spoiler.  So it does have a bit of that sporty wagon image going on.

This is a fun and friendly city cruiser, ultimately. It’s spacious, easy to drive, offers an unobstructed view of the sky, and despite the extra rear end grafted on, is still easy to maneuver in tight spaces.

The Peugeot 308 SW invites you to sit quietly. Go above the 3000rpm mark, the engine is peppy and full of torque despite being small capacity.  

For those of you who decide to give the car a go, do not let the steering wheel’s low and especially small circumference put you off. You might feel a little awkward driving it the first few minutes especially when doing a u-ey (a slang the Australians use for U-turn), but the car’s electric steering wheel does the job well.

Today everyone loves SUVs, but Peugeot proves you still need to give station wagons a go, with a subtly convincing package of practicality paired with a decent price tag.

Peugeot 308 SW 1.2
Engine 1,199cc, 12V, inline 3, turbocharged
Power 129bhp at 5500rpm
Torque 230Nm at 1750rpm
Gearbox 6-speed automatic
Top Speed 200km/h
0-100kmh 10.7 seconds
Fuel efficiency 5.2L/100km
CO2 119g/km
Price $129,900 with COE

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Also Consider: Hyundai i40 SW