2008 Peugeot 308 Touring First Steer
August 16, 2008 by David Twomey
Versatility, emphasised by the availability of seven seats is the hallmark of the new Peugeot 308 Touring, the wagon version of the French company’s popular 308 Hatch range.
-David Twomey
While it shares the familiar look of the 308 Hatch up front, it’s all change at the rear, thanks to a distinctive window profile and longer bodywork.
The standard across the range panoramic glass roof is huge and is even bigger than its predecessor’s, and the vehicle’s extra length means there is enough space for a pair of occasional seats in the back.
This optional third row makes the 308 a seven-seater, while the trio of individual seats that make up the second row are identical in size and are all easy to remove.
This provides endless seating combinations, meaning the Touring can be a two seater load-lugger a five seater, a six seater or a seven seater, you decide.
Without the third-row and with the modular second row in place, the 308 Touring can accommodate an impressive 674 litres of cargo under the load-bay cover.
Remove the second-row seats as well, and the spacious Touring can swallow a cavernous 2149 litres all the way up to the roof.
Compared to the 308 hatch, the Touring has its wheelbase stretched 100mm and the rear overhang has been pushed out by an additional 124mm.
Particular attention has been paid to the vehicle’s modularity so that it can be adapted simply and efficiently according to the requirements of its occupants.
Also in the 7-seat configuration two occasional seats are fitted in the third row. These seats, however, when required can be folded and with the second row seats folded as well, create a flat floor which makes loading of bulky items much easier.
Seating is theatre style, meaning each row is a little higher than the one in front, which helps to provide children with a much better travelling experience.
The 308 Touring is available with a range of two petrol and two diesel engines, comprising a 1.6-litre VTi engine that produces 88kW and 160Nm and a 1.6-litre turbo engine that produces 103kW and 240Nm, both coupled to a four-speed automatic gearbox, while the diesels are the 1.6-litre Hdi producing 80kW and 260Nm coupled to the 6-speed manual or the 2.0-litre Hdi producing 100kW and 340Nm coupled to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox.
Suspension setting and wheel size options are taken from the 308 Hatch but have been revised to suit the greater load carrying requirements of the Touring.
The electro-hydraulic power steering seems to give even better feel and precision than in the hatch, despite being the same.
Driving the Touring is an assured and pleasurable experience and the extra length in the wheelbase may account for a somewhat better feel on the road. In the past we’ve had mixed feelings about the 308 handling but the Touring definitely feels more planted and assured than its Hatch sibling.
At the front braking is taken care of by 283mm ventilated rotors, which are increased to 302mm on the 1.6-litre petrol turbo and the 2.0-litre diesel models.
The 308 Touring is equipped as standard with ABS that includes Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBFD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and automatic activation of the hazard lights during emergency braking.
Peugeot continues to make ESP either standard or optional, at a cost of $450, according to the model, despite the strengthening trend towards this life saving technology being considered an essential safety item.
The 308 Touring is available in two trim levels, XS and XSE, the latter offering a high level of luxury including leather upholstery and satellite navigation.
Prices start at $30,590 for the XS petrol 1.6-litre automatic and rise to $38,390 for the XSE with 2.0-litre diesel and six-speed automatic.
Combine that with the more aggressive styling of the new range and the 308 Touring shapes up to be a compelling package for European buyers looking for some extra versatility without losing the driving dynamics and economy of a conventional small car.
Print it: 
“Another practical touch is the rear tailgate window, which opens separately to improve access to the load space.”
On Peugeot’s own Australian website it claims that the opening rear window is not available in Australia.
So which one is it, does it open or not?
The exterior styling will soon be more ghastly than Ssangyong, if it isn’t already. That rear trapezoid window is just awful and the front end open clam is getting tiresom and has never been good. Lets face it, Magna buyers didn’t even like the small open-mouth grille, and this has a gaping gob.
Peugeot, some of us like sunroofs that open – to let in fresh air, not just the light, and we wouldn’t buy a car that does not offer an opening roof – either factory or locally installed – not possible with your glass roof.
And what about seats that actually fold into the floor, not removable seats – lots of other makers can manage it?
Unfortunately high marks for gimmicks – lower marks for practicality – a Mondeo diesel hatchback offers more capability for the same price.
The designers on this one really took to the front end with the big hitter ugly stick didn’t they. I’m keeping an eye out at the moment for a well designed wagon with the option of 7 seats, but the design of this just puts me off.
There’s definitely no separate opening rear window/tailgate.
The cargo volume figures quoted are deceptive, as they’re measured with the seats removed. I don’t believe this to be a real world scenario. Most owners will have enough trouble folding the seats down, let alone removing them altogether, and then storing them.
I still think the C4 Picasso is a much more practical vehicle, and IMHO much better looking. At least it’s seats fold flat into the floor.
Yes, the front end on this Peugeot is hideous!!
That is one fugly looking car! They just keep getting uglier and uglier……way to go Peugeot you’re almost there with Ssayng Yong!
My dog could design the exterior of a peugeot and make it better looking than the peugeot design team! Now that is sad!
lol
thats so ugly its hilarious.
designed by homer simpson!
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!
Looks like the Peugeot designers weren’t really sure what they were doing… the front both in profile and 1/4 view looks like 1/3 of em thought that they were designing a coupe the middle looks like 1/3 of them were working on a sedan then the rear looks like a wagon or people mover…. which is why overall the car looks completely wrong,
However; if you welded lopped off the roof from b pillar you would have a awesome looking ute or if you welded the doors shut and covered up the side windows you would have a pretty cool looking delivery van
I think this car looks great, and I love the front end.
Hmmmm not really a hard choice for me. A car that looks fresh, different and God forbid, interesting! Or a Falcodorre or a Toyota or any of the other anonymous-mobiles.
I would choose the 308 in a heartbeat.
Only one of you has bothered to consider this cars virtues versus its failings in your post? Perhaps we could consider how well this car handles well, its ability to be usefull and still have its own sense of style.
Take a good hard look, because this could be the direction family cars will take in the future with petrol heading up and up. Sure the look is not to everyone’s taste but the concept is brilliant.
Lose the 2 rear seats and you still have an extremely useful and luxurious small wagon.
If I were a fisherman, I’d say it looked like a cross between a flat-head and a toad fish. Fugly… to say the least and Peugeot designers tried to jam in every optional gimmick possible, but where is the kitchen sink? It’s not for me (as if they care)
I love it. The difference between Peugeot’s designers and Ssangyong’s is that the Peugeot guys know they’re pushing the envelope whereas Ssangyong’s guys know they’ve gotta do an envelope…somehow…
How different did a 504 look to a HK Kingswood in 1968? About the same as what you see here.
Give me a Pininfarina design like the Pugs of yore anytime
Hate to say it, but better off with the LESS-UGLY Skoda one…
Cheers
F-0
Yeah Pugphile, Pininfarina did some beauties, although I would never call the 504 classically beautiful. Like this one, it had some pretty strong character lines for the time and I loved it all the same. I even owned one.
Same with this and the Skoda Roomster, and maybe even the Citroen DS from years earlier, the classic “ugly car/roach look-alike” for people who can’t and never will understand. They invoke immediate rejection and horror for their undecipherable and unpalatable differences, despite being the love children of the belle and beau of the ball.
You have to watch them grow up.
True misshapen and mismanaged ugliness can be found much closer to home and I’d like to nominate the Datsun 120Y, the twin rear wiper blade Camry wagon and the previous model Camry sedan, all unquestioningly bought and driven by people who find things like the 308 and Roomster ugly.
Interesting comments about how ugly or ‘challenging’ the look is – I for one (just my opinion) wish there was a bit more elegant simplicity to the design. Citroen are leading on that front by combining careful shaping of the form with nice touches that surprise and delight. This look unfortunately has had little restraint and no thought at all in it. And yep it would fit in beautifully in the SsangYong lineup!
Golfschwein, how dare you use the words DS and ugly in the same sentence?! :o
BTW, all this talk of ugliness is a little overstated. I’ve seen it in the flesh, and it looks a lot better in real life than it does in photos…. it’s just not very photogenic.
I know Foggy! It’s one of the most sublime shapes ever created, but the majority of Australians just never got it.
In some cases I would say, just because it’s different doesn’t mean it’s good. However, in this case, different IS good. I bought a 308 Hatch recently and saw this wagon in the showroom – it looked sublime from the front. Maybe you guys should go and have a look at it. Prefer this over the Australian models any day.
i have to agree with the comments about ugly.
As as avid subaru fan the recent’ugly’comments about the current impreza are completely unfounded especially in the light of manufacturer’s current global styling reaching these WTF levels.
Practical doesnt have mean ugly.
Move over SSanyong, Peugot is threatening your crown!
LOL…WVB…I thought the previous Impreza was a fugly duckling and the new one was a vast improvement.
Well, I think it is fab – doesn’t look like a people mover, doesn’t guzzle fuel like a people mover, is a dream to drive (wins hands down over my 2nd choice C4G). A great option for those needing 7 seats some of the time. Mine arrives next week – can’t wait!
The XSE has leather and Sat nav only as options, they are not standard.
Also the maximum torque figures quoted here include the ‘overboost’ function which is only applicable in certain gears at a certain RPM. Normally they produce 240 and 320nm for the 1.6 and 2.0 turbo diesel respectively
A car that looks fresh, different and God forbid, interesting .. Its ok with mee …
Love the look, liked the drive, only questions are around the quality of the build. Is it going to be another 307, or will it be much, much better? Early signs are promising with the 308 being the most popular car by a country mile according to internal European owner satisfaction surveys, something that could never have been said about the 307.
I am not sure if these comments get read months after, but I looked at one in the flesh, last week & then drove it – wife whose taste is infinitely better than mine also looked & drove & we are converted. It is very elegant & I like the way it pushes the design envelope even more than the Bangl’d BM’s & guess how many have copied the much maligned 7 series rear bootlines. The Golf too is now boring in comparision.