ge4651165452576434642
6
Carsales Staff19 Aug 2008
NEWS

Peugeot launches 308 Touring

The wagon version of Peugeot's 308 has arrived in Australia -- with the option of seven seats

Peugeot launched the 308 Touring range globally at the Melbourne International Motor Show earlier this year and now the small wagon is appearing in Peugeot's local showrooms, less than six months later. The French importer expects the new model to make the same sort of impact as the 308 hatchback has and anticipates selling 2000 units next year.


Some of those sales, according to Peugeot, are expected to come from disgruntled owners of V6-engined SUVs, fed up with the fuel bills. The argument goes like this: with fuel so expensive, the diesel variants of the 308 Touring provide the packaging qualities of smaller SUVs without the operating expenses.


The interior space of the 308 Touring approaches that of some compact SUVs, since it doesn't have the extra drivetrain components to encroach on interior space. Compared with its predecessor, the 308 Touring is 72mm longer, 53mm wider and 16mm lower -- that's also 224mm longer than the 308 hatchback with an extra 100mm in the wheelbase. Despite the supersizing, the 308 Touring remains a relatively compact vehicle externally -- measuring 4500mm in length.


With the additional interior room of the 308 Touring liberated by the larger external footprint, Peugeot is in a position to offer the new car with a seven-seat option, as reported earlier (more here), for $1180 extra. The option is based around two kids-only seats in a third row. These seats are interchangeable with seats in the second row and both rows of seats can be folded for added luggage space or removed altogether.


The third-row seat option is a squeeze for anyone other than kids and it's located in the rear crumple zone of the car -- in apposition to Peugeot's safety commitment. In the current safety climate -- and especially when you're a French car manufacturer -- it's invariably difficult to top the previous model for safety and stay ahead of your peers, yet Peugeot claims to have done so.


In addition to front, side and side-curtain airbags, there's the option of a knee airbag in the range-topping XSE models. Stability control is an option for the XS petrol and XS 1.6 HDi variants, but, along with ABS, EBD and Brake Assist, is standard for all other variants.


For the 308 Touring, Peugeot has introduced two small but useful safety items, one of which is also favoured by Renault in the new Clio -- that being a system to activate hazard warning lights during heavy braking. The other is a Wi-Fi connection for the rear seatbelts.


Since the second (and third)-row seats can be removed altogether, Peugeot has developed this Wi-Fi system to monitor whether the seats are actually present in the car and are occupied without the seatbelts fastened.


If automotive safety were as wide-ranging as workplace health and safety, Peugeot would have thought twice about offering the 308 Touring with a full-length glass sunroof in this country, but the new Peugeot at least provides some surcease from the sun with an electrically-operated blind, running up from the rear of the car.


Other comfort and convenience features fitted as standard at the XS level include: a trip computer, remote central locking, electric windows/mirrors (with heating), height-adjustable front-passenger seat, MP3-compatible six-speaker CD audio system with remote controls on the steering wheel, cruise control/speed-limiter, front and rear fog lights, picnic tables for the second-row seats, dual-zone climate control and 15-inch steel wheels.


In addition, the XSE grade features: 16-inch alloys, stability control, auto-on/off headlights, rain-sensing wipers, reverse-parking assist, leather-bound steering wheel and lumbar adjustment for the front-passenger seat.


The nine exterior colours are metallic, other than Bianca White. Those metallics are Perla Nera Black, Aluminium Grey, Moondust Grey, Lunar Mist, Shark Grey, Montebello Blue, Taranga Blue and Babylon Red.


The seven variants in the 308 Touring range span two levels of trim, four engines and three transmissions. Priced from $30,590, the range starts with the entry-level XS petrol and peaks at $38,390 for the XSE HDi variant with automatic transmission.


In between, there's a manual XS HDi with 1.6-litre diesel for $32,590, a similarly specified car with 2.0-litre diesel and automatic transmission for $35,990, the petrol XSE auto for $32,990, the XSE Turbo auto for $35,190 and the XSE HDi manual for $36,190.


The 1.6-litre petrol engine in naturally-aspirated form develops 88kW of power at 6000rpm and 160Nm of torque at 4250rpm. This engine, with turbocharging, produces 103kW at 6000rpm and 240Nm at 1400rpm. On the diesel side of the fence, the 1.6-litre HDi engine's peak power of 80kW arrives at 4000rpm and 240Nm of torque occurs at 1750rpm. Fitted in both XS and XSE grades, the 2.0-litre turbodiesel develops 100kW at 4000rpm and 320Nm at 2000rpm.


Both naturally-aspirated and turbo petrol engines drive to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission only. The 1.6-litre HDi engine is only available with a six-speed manual, whilst the larger 2.0-litre HDi engine is coupled to a six-speed automatic in both XS and XSE grades, with the further option of an XSE variant featuring a six-speed manual.


Peugeot has engineered the 308 Touring's suspension to match that of the hatchback; MacPherson struts at the front and torsion beam at the rear. Similarly, the brakes comprise ventilated front discs and solid rears.


The 308 Touring is officially on sale now.


To comment on this article click here


 


 


 

Share this article
Written byCarsales Staff
See all articles
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
Meet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Subscribe today
Love every move.
Buy it. Sell it.Love it.
®
Scan to download the carsales app
    DownloadAppCta
    AppStoreDownloadGooglePlayDownload
    Want more info? Here’s our app landing page App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
    © carsales.com.au Pty Ltd 1999-2025
    In the spirit of reconciliation we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.