I love driving!
It was my key to freedom when I was 17 and I made sure I worked hard all summer to pass my test by the time I went back to college as I used to have to cycle 12 miles a day to get there and back. It amazes me to look back and see that I have been driving for 24 years.
My choice of cars has changed too. I learned to drive in my Mum’s Morris Minor but my first car was a VW Beetle. I loved it so much I used to polish the chrome bumpers every weekend and I still remember the number plate.
Fast forward a few years and we are the proud owners of two cars. A Peugeot 308 which hubby drives and a Citroen C4 Picasso which we use for our family car. Both cars have their own merits and I have to admit that mine gets used most often as it has 7 seats so we can all go out as a family.
I was recently invited to review the new Peugeot 308 SW GT Line which is a stylish estate car that is daring and intuitive – perfect for those who know that streamlined doesn’t have to mean low-tech.
The car is ideal for families, groups of friends, couples and because of the space is also fantastic for days out and get aways. It also offers some great quirky features and we got to test it out for a whole week.
My Citroen C4 is only 4 years old but felt heavy and clunky in comparison to the Peugeot 308. There wasn’t a great deal of difference in length as I parked them side by side, although the Peugeot had a much lower head height.
I will admit to being a bit of a girl when it comes to cars and adored the vibrant blue colour, but the real selling point was on the interior of the car.
In the centre of the dashboard is a touchscreen computer with an in-built satnav, radio controls, air conditioning and the technical details of the car – MPG etc. It was super-simple to use and little things made it a genius piece of equipment – the satnav not only turned the radio down automatically when it was time to speak but also project the next turn on the speedometer directly in front of the steering wheel so I didn’t have to look at the screen. It also told you when to change gear too!
My favourite part of having this screen in the car was it also featured a camera on the rear of the car so you could see behind you when reversing. You still need to check that there is no-one behind you, but having guides to help you reverse made it so much easier, especially when I was in the very tight car park where we go swimming. The car also has parking sensors at the front and tells you exactly when to stop and how much gap you have at the sides of the car too.
The boot was huge at 810 litres and comfortably held all our equipment for a day at the beach and the forest. We managed to fit in a buggy, beach tent, sun shade, wind breaks, picnic, buckets and spades, a football, chairs and changing bag and all with room to spare – i wish we still had it as it would be perfect for Camp Bestival.
The only downside to the car was the backseat. It fit two car seats comfortably, using ISOFIX or just seatbelts, but there was no way I could squeeze in a third. Although Isaac could have just squeezed himself in between the car seats, we couldn’t even fit a booster and an adult would not be able to get in and sit comfortably. Without the car seats, you can comfortably sit three average size adults though.
The car kept surprising us as the week went on. We drove to Exeter for Big Fish Little Fish and I happened to glance up and was convinced I saw the sun – I did! The car had a tinted glass roof and a fabric blind that you can wind back on the press of a button. It was a revelation and the kids loved looking outside the top of the car instead of their windows.
We really enjoyed having the car to stay and found it very economical on fuel too. The 308 is the winner of the 2015 ‘International engine of the year‘ award in the 1.0-litre to 1.4-litre category, PureTech 3-cylinder petrol technology delivers a drive and performance normally associated with bigger engines but with significantly improved fuel consumption. We did just under 450 miles in it and it had just over a quarter of a tank of petrol left when we gave it back. The car itself performed brilliantly on Dorset’s hilly roads and was an absolute pleasure to drive. Getting used to having a 6th gear took some time though.
The 308 and 308 SW is an award-winning car and the GT Line goes further and offers confident, sporting lines, a sleek silhouette and extensive use of LED technology to create a unique lighting signature at front and rear, with full LED headlamps positioned alongside distinctive direction indicators and fog lamps.
The car also features 18” alloy wheels and high-gloss black diffusor and twin exhaust pipes at the rear and once inside, the sporting themes continue in a top-quality passenger compartment. Aluminium pedals and stainless steel door sills compliment high quality upholstery, defined with dramatic red stitching and finished off with chic floor mats.
Although the Peugeot 308 was not big enough to be our main family car, we all thoroughly enjoyed our time with it and I would happily recommend it to anyone who needs a 5 seater car.
I love my little Golf, nothing on this earth would be able to make me drive a bigger car LOL It would be nice to have lots of room and not to have to squash the kids in the back but I’d never be able to drive anything bigger 😉 I do love the look of the Peugeot though, my Mum and Dad have always had Peugeots and I had a Peugeot racing bike in my teens :O)
This does look like a great car! I really like the interior features, with the sat nav and that roof. It’s a shame a that the back seat wasn’t as big as you needed it. It is a nice looking car. Very informative review, thank you.
The husbeast has a 408 that is years old and he loves it.
It sounds just perfect for you and all the stuff you managed to fit into the boot is quite amazing x
It is amazing how cars have come on – bit different to the sunroof my mom had in her Capri.
What a fantastic looking car – I keep nosing at different ones as I would love a new one haha! x
My first car was a VW polo and I used to polish the chrome bumpers 🙂 This car looks amazing, I did have a Peugeot 405 once, it was my ex’s car and he left it behind so it wouldn’t have been my first choice as it felt huge. I am surprised about the back seat not being able to fit 3 car seats though. I can just about squeeze 3 in my current car (Ford Bmax) but I’m considering getting something bigger next time. The kids are getting older but that just means the car seats are getting bigger because they are not going without just yet!
Lucky you, would love to do some test drives. I love panoramic roofs, my mother in law has one in their new car and the kids love it!
What a lovely car. We have a Nissan Juke and adore it, I don’t think could change now.
What a thorough review, love that GPS system. We have an Audi A3 which I love but since having another baby we may need a bigger car! x
Great review Kara, must have been nice to give it a thorough test drive too. My first car was a Peugeot 205 which I bought from my parents then sold it back to them for my little brother. A long, long time ago obviously! x
Looks like a lovely car, shame about the space for car seats though
My first car was a peugeot 205. I also had a 307 for a couple of days from the garage when my own car broke. Both were brilliant. This looks great too!
It looks like Peugeot are really trying to up their game! It’s a lovely colour, although I’m not too keen on the overall look. My first car was a Peugeot 106 and I loved that, but my parents have had multiple other Peugeots which haven’t been too great. I’m surprised by the small amount of space in the back though for a car that comes across as for a larger family! We have an Audi A3, but then we do only have one baby. It must have been fun to try it out though and experiment with all the new techy bits 🙂
The car looks fab, I wish I learned to drive when i was 17, I’m not 23 and can’t wait to learn. Especially since having my little girl – It would make both our lives so much easier If I learned, hopefully in the future I will.
There’s some great positives with it, and it looks better than a lot of other Peugots.
I have to say I hate my parking camera. I didn’t want one, I just wanted a sensor, and it really bugs me. And I’ve got a panoramic roof (again not what I wanted because anything to do with sunroofs/glass up there causes hassles), and it’s been a pain in the neck – I prefer it closed, but then it gets condensation in there that never goes.
I miss driving. I need to get my license sorted (I’m and American expat). We don’t hve Peugeots in America but they look like great cars
This looks such a great car – I need a big car, shame the back seat isn’t that big – I wonder why they do that? Brilliant review. Kaz x
It’s one of my biggest regrets in life not learning to drive but my eldest is now 17 so will be getting her through her test so I have a driver
Got to be honest we’re not big fans of Peugeot having had a really bad experience with one of their dealerships in Hampshire and problems with a 206. However this car looks kinda nice and snazzy. Sensors are a must for my folks, as with little distractions (like me) they need all the help they can get. We’re yet to be won over….
We have the same problem – we need a car which can fit three car seats in the back. We have a 7 seater just because its so hard to find a car that can fit three in. I wish car manufacturers would listen to that as I know so many people who struggle because of it.
It sounds like a good family car. We would consider this when teen leaves home, especially if it turns out to be economical