With the rapid electrification of the new car market, Peugeot is staking out its territory with some success. It had Europe's best-selling electric small car (E-208) and small SUV (E-2008) in 2023, and currently has seven electric cars available to order, with two more due later this year. One of the latest additions to the brand's EV line-up is the model tested here, the E-308 SW lower-medium estate - the Stellantis group cousin of the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric tested by Business Car last month.

Like the Vauxhall, the E-308 SW features a 156hp electric motor and a 54kWh battery. This gives the Peugeot an official WLTP range of 254 miles between charges (two miles down on the Astra). A heat pump and 11kW onboard charger are standard, while 100kW DC charging capability allows a 20-80% charge in less than 25 minutes. 

Although this powertrain also features in small cars such as the E-208, it still feels punchy enough in this lower-medium model on the road. As for the rest of the driving experience, we would describe the E-308 SW's ride as firm-ish, but not uncomfortable. However, this bias towards firmness doesn't provide the expected dividends in terms of handling sharpness, with the car's front end feeling softer than expected when turning into a corner. Perhaps also this is a symptom of the small steering wheel provided with Peugeot's i-Cockpit set-up creating a false expectation of sportiness. 

Our test car was in the Allure equipment grade, the mid-range version in the regular 308 range, and the entry-level E-308 variant below the top-spec GT. For a mid-range spec, Allure cars feature a decent amount of leather and leather-effect trim, creating a luxurious impression. However, this doesn't apply throughout - the material used on the doors, which looks plush at first glance, actually feels more like a thin carpet applied over plastic.

A standard driver display screen works very well, providing all the info you need on the road including a sat-nav map. However, we're less impressed with the central infotainment set-up, which (unlike the Vauxhall) features no direct shortcut toggles to adjust the cabin temperature. Instead, you need to open up a climate menu, then change the temperature on the screen itself.

Headroom in the back of the E-308 SW is good, and while we would describe the amount of legroom available as only okay, this is boosted by there being room for rear passengers' feet to slide under the seats in front. As for boot space - always an important consideration in an estate car - the E-308 SW benefits from 548 litres with the rear seats in place - 32 litres more than the Astra Sports Tourer Electric (although 60 litres down on petrol or diesel 308 SWs). Remote seat-folding levers help with loading.

In a cost comparison, the E-308 SW Allure undercuts the equivalent Astra Sports Tourer Electric GS on P11D. However, it should be pointed out that the Astra is also available in a lower-spec Design grade, which comes in cheaper. Also, as we noted with our Astra review last month, the MG5 remains a cheaper, budget EV estate option - though as Business Car editor Martyn Collins reports, there are compromises involved with that.