Road test: Peugeot 308 GT PHEV

Friday, 2 June 2023

The Peugeot 308 GT PHEV is a plug-in hybrid hatchback filled with French flair.

We like the new Peugeot 308 here at Stuff Motoring. It’s extremely good-looking inside and out, boasts plenty of tech in GT trim and goes well with the 1.2-litre triple. But what if that package was electrified? Off the bat, I’d assume it’d be a direct improvement, but sometimes things have a way of surprising.

In this case, the surprise came because, for whatever reason, I had it in my mind the GT PHEV used the existing 1.2-litre triple paired with plug-in hybrid electricals. It doesn’t, and it never did, instead using a 1.6-litre four-cylinder with plug-in hybrid electricals.

There are serious style points with the 308.

This is largely the same system as in the 3008 PHEV but without the Hybrid4 all-wheel drive system. That means both the engine and electric motor feed power to the front axle through an eight-speed automatic. The 308 is also a bit less powerful than its SUV twin, offering 165kW/360Nm versus 220kW/520Nm. That difference is due to the 3008 having an extra electric motor in the mix.

The torque of the electricals fills in the empty air before the turbo spools up, offering nice low-down thrust. You can force the car to run on battery power alone if you’d like, with around 48 real-world kilometres achievable. That’s enough for most people’s daily commute and a bit on the side, and can be easily recharged overnight on a three-pin charger, but could also be better now that PHEVs are hitting 80km-plus fairly regularly.

The battery is in the boot, which adds 345kg to the total weight and cuts into luggage space.

* Road test: Peugeot 308 GT

The third-generation Peugeot 308 is the first to wear its new badge, and the first 308 to come with plug-in hybrid power.

* Road test review: Peugeot 3008 GT HYBRID4

* Cupra debuts production Born electric hatchback

Being the GT model, you get Peugeot’s new i-Toggles inside, which are great.

But if you want extra pep, Sport mode engages both forms of propulsion, ups the ante with the gearbox, and turns the GT PHEV into a genuinely fun car. The plug-in hybrid guts means this version produces 69kW more than the regular GT and 130Nm more torques. However, the battery and associated cabling adds an extra 345kg to the PHEV for a 1633kg total weight.

Unfortunately, a high price means the 308 GT PHEV is a tough recommend.

The chassis is the same though, meaning a crisp, agile drive with plenty of front-end grip and rear-end stability. The steering is good too, with weighting that slowly increases the faster you drive. It’s good to have the extra power too, although the weight does occasionally show itself.

The engine can sound and feel quite coarse too, but thankfully you can get away from that by driving on battery power.

Brakes are quite good too, although they do have the EV vagueness at the start of travel. They work well when engaged though.

Fuel consumption is rated an optimistic 1.0L/100km, which might be achievable if you’re onto it with charging. If you don’t, expect closer to 5.0L/100km.

Unfortunately, opting for more electrics also adds quite a bit to the price. The PHEV is $21,000 more expensive than the petrol-only version, both in identical GT form. This one had the optional Premium Pack fitted, which adds Nappa leather, an AGR-certified driver’s seat, heating/massage for front occupants, a Focal sound system and special 18-inch wheels… and pushes the entire thing very close to $80,000. Not over, though, so you still get the Clean Car rebate.

So it’s expensive. But you get one of the most stylish hatchbacks on the market right now with angry narrow headlights and downward slashes housing the daytime running lights. The main beams are adaptive and LEDs as well.

Around the back are slim 3D taillights, a little roof spoiler, and hidden tailpipes. The profile gets a full-length crease, linking the lights at each end, and a small character line in the lower part of the doors.

Inside is, as you might expect, the same as the petrol 308 GT. That means the tiny squished steering wheel, the latest version of Peugeot’s infotainment system and the configurable ‘i-Toggles’, which are a set of customisable touchpads below the main infotainment screen. They work really well, easy to tap while moving, although they do fingerprint easily.

Unfortunately, the battery does eat into boot space a bit, with rear storage shrinking from 412L to 361L.

But are those looks enough to justify that price? After all, after about a hundred price cuts, you can now get a Tesla Model 3 for under 70k before any rebates come into play and a Model Y for not much more. Then there’s the just-released Cupra Born, a sporty EV hatchback with very similar outputs to the 308 GT PHEV.

Or, if you don’t want the plug-in hybrid stuff, the Golf GTI is still around. All of these are stiff competition for the Peugeot for sure.

If you do want the gorgeous 308 looks, the PHEV is a tough recommend. I’d probably lean towards the petrol GT and save the money, or go elsewhere and fully electric. Like, perhaps, the e-308, due later this year.