2026 Peugeot 308 overhauled

Four years after its debut, the 2026 Peugeot 308 hatch has gone under the knife as part of mid-life tweaks. The French small hatch adopts a fresh face, a cabin overhaul and wider range of upgraded powertrains But will it be enough to curb stalling sales Down Under?

The 2026 Peugeot 308 has been updated with a striking new face designed to enhance efficiency.

Other tweaks inside and under the bonnet have been ushered in to keep the French hatch fresh for a few more years.

It is likely to touch down in Australia in the first half of next year with local details released closer to launch.

The big news is the Peugeot 308's 'fangs' are no more. Instead, the current car's LED daytime running lamps are replaced by a set of three LED claws on either side.

The redesign improves aerodynamics for enhanced efficiency, although the French car brand has not detailed by how much. The changes also align the hatch with the newer 3008 and 5008 SUVs.

On high grades the familiar Lion badge is now illuminated.

The new split front lamps introduce the firm's latest matrix LED headlamps, while new diamond-cut 17-inch and 18-inch alloy wheels have been rolled out with a new Lagoa Blue paint for the hatch and Ingaro Blue for the wagon.

Other small changes include banishing the chrome from the current hatch and the addition of gloss black tailpipes.

Three-claw LED taillamps are now standard across the range.

Inside there are new 3D graphics for the 10-inch digital instrument cluster and the 10-inch infotainment but the hardware carries over unchanged.

Under the bonnet the big change is focussed on the all-electric e-308.

While it carries over its single 115kW/270Nm e-motor to spin up the front wheels, it combines that with a new 58kWh (+4kWh) battery pack that raises the range from 415km to 452km.

More relevant to our market, the mild-hybrid petrol 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder now pumps out 107kW - 7kW more than before, while averaging just 4.7L/100km.

A small 96kW 1.5-litre turbo-diesel is available in some markets and a 142kW plug-in hybrid 1.6-litre at the top of the range.

Combined with a 17.2kWh battery, the PHEV can now cover up to 85km on a single charge, a 6km improvement on the old model that was sold Down Under.

In Australia distributor Inchcape sells just one variant of the current Peugeot 308, the mild-hybrid GT hatch that's priced from $48,990 before on-roads costs.

Both plug-in hybrid GT Premium and wagon body styles were recently axed.

From January to July 2025, just 57 Peugeot 308 hatches have found homes in Australia, a 37 per cent fall on this time last year.

With the inevitable decline in hatchback sales as buyers flock to small and medium-sized SUVs, it's doubtful a small power bump and fresh look will be enough to turn around the 308's fortunes Down Under.