Peugeot 308 News

While utes and family SUVs dominate the top ranks of the sales charts, small, affordable cars remain extremely important to anyone who doesn’t need so much car.That’s why it’s one of the key categories we’re paying attention to in the 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year (COTY) awards, in this case specifically those models with entry prices below $50,000.Rather than just hatchbacks and small sedans, we’re including small SUVs in the category given the dwindling number of hatches on sale, and consumer tendencies to opt for a small SUV, even as a first car.Based on review data from our team of journalists, our shortlist of 10 finalists below (in alphabetical order) is a broad group with some interesting variety in their offerings.And, as you’ll notice, the cars eligible for the award don’t necessarily have to be new as of this year - they just need to be on-sale as of January 1, 2026, with a variant under the $50K mark.This category's winner and two runners-up will be announced on February 6, 2026. The Hyundai i30 has been a favourite for years, with its current-generation hatch nearing a decade old. From first cars to fleet cars and hire cars and even sports cars, the offering is broad.But there’s a recent development that judges have strongly considered, and that’s the discontinuation of the standard i30 hatchback in Australia. The well-liked but less popular sedan and the spicy N versions in both hatch and sedan have all been enough to secure the i30 a place amongst the finalists, though.We’re fans of the i30 Sedan, formerly the Elantra, for its packaging and its efficiency in its hybrid form, and the N version has been widely regarded as one of the best-value hot hatches in the world. With pricing from $29,250 before on-roads and the hybrid only $4000 more expensive, the i30 Sedan offers up decent value for money. Even the N only just sits over the $50K mark with its $52,000 starting price. Extremely strong points for the judges to consider.Well-loved by the CarsGuide team, the Kia EV3 is as good as we wish the larger and better-selling EV5 was. But Kia’s small electric SUV faces strong competition from cheaper entrants from China that offer strong showroom presence.Starting from $47,600 before on-roads, the EV3’s line-up stretches to a hefty $63,950, but most agree the base model is the smartest buy as well as the nicest to drive. Key points that have drawn judges to the EV3 are its cute (but not tacky) styling, its clever packaging, and the useful but not extravagant features.It’s one of the more expensive competitors in our finalists, and it’s being outsold by rivals quite convincingly, but the CarsGuide COTY doesn’t reward showroom figures. Game on.Like the i30 earlier in this list, the Mazda3 is a veteran of the new small car market, with its current generation having been unveiled in 2018.Once seen as pricey compared to rivals, the Mazda3 is now a rather budget-friendly option as cheaper cars have disappeared over the years - and its sleek styling has held up nicely to boot.Starting from $31,310 before on-roads, the Mazda3 has gradually changed with the times, having been through a couple of tech and line-up changes. The hatch and sedan both offer up a competitive front-row environment and engaging dynamics, and despite its age is still one of the best-selling small cars alongside the i30, both trailing the ever-popular Toyota Corolla.Judges have always noted its small boot and lacklustre rear seat, but the former still beats the Corolla and there aren’t many truly spacious second rows in hatches. Is standing out where it matters enough for the judges?Furthering the mix of old and new in the finalists for the category, the MG S5 EV has found favour with judges for backing up its excellent first impressions.Newcomers in the field of budget small SUVs have tended to disappoint, especially dynamically, but the CarsGuide team was impressed by not only how the MG S5 fares compared to the brand’s earlier efforts, but also how it performs even without comparing it to other MGs.Available from $40,490 drive-away and costing just $47,990 for its top-spec variant, its extremely competitive price and solid list of features bolster an already strong offering.Scoring highly in every category across CarsGuide’s review format, the MG S5 EV shouldn’t be considered an underdog in the COTY fight. Mini, even with its less traditional models, is near-universally loved. So it should be little surprise that one of its new models sits in this list.The Countryman is now available in both petrol and electric, though its starting price is a hefty $49,990 before on-roads for the base Countryman Core. That means it just sneaks into this COTY category, even if getting into its EV version starts from $64,990.Still, Minis are rarely on shopping lists for their value offering, and the Countryman offers impressive tech and features, plus dynamic driving and of course that fun Mini styling.In a category where value and convenience are key, it’ll be a hard sell, but the current Countryman is essentially a BMW for less money, and arguably more interesting. Take that into consideration, and things are looking up.It’s been a big couple of years for the Qashqai, with Nissan’s small SUV scoring a big facelift quite quickly after its current third generation showed up. In early 2026, the Qashqai will go hybrid-only and start from $45,640 before on-roads with its front-wheel-drive-only, 140kW e-Power hybrid the only option. But its petrol offerings fell within the bounds of the COTY judging timeline, and so are also part of the consideration.Attractive styling, smooth power delivery and handling, and a now up-to-date interior with practical features all contribute to a convincing package, but the imminent loss of its petrol-only models will mean the Qashqai is set to become around $10,000 more expensive than before at its base level.Nissan’s extremely competitive ownership offering (the warranty is 10 years and 300,000km if you service with Nissan, five-year/unlimited kilometres otherwise) makes the Qashqai even more tempting. Ticking a lot of boxes there.Stylish, niche, quirky… French. The Peugeot 308 in its current generation leans in hard to all of these things, not least because it’s only available in a single, high-spec hybrid variant for $48,990 before on-roads.It’s gorgeous inside, outside, and to drive, but it’s cursed with limited commercial and perceived value appeal - only 88 were sold in 2025.The 308’s features list is strong enough to rival much more expensive alternatives, and its strongest points in terms of dynamics are most likely to appeal specifically to driving enthusiasts.There’s a lot to like about the Pug 308, it’s just that most people forget it exists. A CarsGuide COTY trophy in the cabinet would surely help with the latter issue…Toyota’s baby icon has gone through some changes lately. In the last few years, we’ve seen it grow up from the simple, affordable ‘first-car’ option it once was to be a simple, much less affordable option. Oh, and now there’s a version of it that’s basically a rally car for the road.A Yaris used to be something you could reasonably buy new as a teenager if you were thrifty, now it’s a $28,990 (before on-roads) option at its entry level thanks to its increased level of safety kit and having gone hybrid-only,Fortunately, it’s still an excellent light car, and even though it’s outsold by all its rivals it still does exactly what a city car should do - getting you around efficiently and with no fuss.In terms of how it snagged a spot in the finals for this category, it helps that the GR Yaris hot hatch is one of the two best drivers’ cars Toyota currently builds.Getting into a German SUV doesn’t have to be an expensive operation, and the $34,990 starting price (before on-roads) for the VW T-Cross is proof. Even the top-spec R-Line comes in at $41,490, and the features list is healthy.To boot, the T-Cross is fun to drive, and judges enjoy its practicality inside, plus the sharp styling outside.While not as efficient as some in its class, nor as cheap to own in terms of servicing, the T-Cross offers a step-up from rivals in the class that are seen as practical budget offerings.Still, its last update was in 2024, so it’ll have some work to do to convince judges it’s still up to date.Alphabetically, and probably in terms of public familiarity, the last to make the shortlist is the Zeekr X, a small electric SUV designed in Sweden but built in China.Cousin to the Volvo EX30 and Smart #1, the Zeekr X has good pedigree and the performance to back it up.Liked by judges for its value, bold style and on-road performance, the Zeekr X is one of the bigger unknown quantities in this COTY category.A recent price cut makes it a $49,900 offering before on-roads, meaning it only just slips into the sub-$50K contest, but with its list of features it should prove a compelling contender. 

Peugeot has lifted the lid on its refreshed 308 small car range which benefits from a makeover and improved driving range for the fully electric version.The third-generation 308 made its debut back in 2021 so this update comes towards the back end of its life cycle.The biggest changes for the 308 are visual, with the already striking small car gaining a new front-end look with a fresh three-claw headlight signature, a redesigned grille and illuminated Peugeot badge. Higher grades get short vertical lights surrounding the vertical logo.It also comes with a new bumper and air intakes, new wheels and a new Lagoa Blue hue, while the rear end gets 3D lights across the board. Previously they were kept for the top-spec grades only.Inside the changes are less pronounced, with new fabrics and fresh instrument cluster graphics - 3D on some grades - while safety gets a small boost, too.In Europe the 308 is available with four powertrain options, including a 97kW 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engine, a 108kW mild hybrid turbo-petrol engine with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, and a 145kW plug-in hybrid.The PHEV has a 17.2kWh battery offering an extra 20km of range, ensuring an EV driving range of 85km on the WLTP cycle.Finally the E-208 EV gains more driving range as part of the update. It has a 115kW/270Nm electric motor paired with a 58.4kWh battery. The new range is 450km (WLTP) which is a 34km boost compared to the previous version.CarsGuide has contacted Peugeot Australia to see if the updated 308 is set for a local launch.Expect the mild hybrid in hatchback guise to be the sole model offered Down Under.While the 308 remains a popular pick in regions like Europe and the United Kingdom, it has a much lower profile in Australia. Despite solid reviews, including from CarsGuide, the 308 is seen as a premium niche model here, which is reflected by its sales figures.To the end of July this year Peugeot has sold 57 examples of the 308, a 37 per cent drop off compared with the previous year. That makes it the slowest-selling model in Australia’s premium small-car segment.Peugeot Australia recently changed its model strategy, moving away from fully electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains - for now - to mild hybrid and hybrid offerings.The 308 shifted from PHEV and petrol power to a mild hybrid powertrain late last year, with Peugeot also taking the opportunity to drop the slow-selling wagon version at the same time.Pricing for the current MY25 308 GT Hybrid is $48,990 before on-road costs.A quick look at the Peugeot website reveals there’s still some stock of the MY24 petrol-powered 308 from $48,465 drive-away.Peugeot offered the all-electric E-308 hatch as part of a limited offer of just 14 examples last year, priced from $65,990 drive-away. Of that allocation it appears just one example of the E-208 is left, according to online classifieds.

Does size matter? It’s an age-old question but when it comes to cars, it’s complicated.Most car reviews - rightly - will cover whether the model represents good value for money. That will usually include a focus on what is and isn’t included in the standard features list, the safety offering, quality of materials and more.Often this will include whether you get enough metal for your money. Is the car big enough for the price?My question is, should size factor into the value of a car? And how do you fairly determine value when each buyer has a different budget?I understand that everyone has different requirements when looking for a new car. A family of five will require more space than a family of two, or a single person, for example.But I would argue that size should not determine whether a car represents good or bad value for money.Again, I appreciate that many people will want as much car as they can get for their money, based on how they will use it. But surely things like overall vehicle quality, the drive experience and how the car makes you feel are just as important.Here’s an example. A Honda Civic e:HEV L costs $49,900 (drive-away). When compared with old foes like the Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla, it is seen as being quite a lot of money for a small hatchback.For roughly the same price as the Civic, you could buy an entry grade large seven-seat SUV like a Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, Isuzu MU-X, or a Toyota Kluger.But just because you can get a bigger car for the same price, should you?If you don’t need the space, then I say you shouldn’t. And not just for reasons like the environmental impact of large vehicles, or the sheer space it takes up on the road. Although those reasons are also valid.If a smaller car ticks other boxes including being fun to drive, that should be enough.Back to my example - the Honda Civic hybrid is an excellent car. I would argue it’s the best small passenger car (as in, not an SUV) on sale in Australia. It has excellent build quality, a solid standard features list, a handsome design, nicely executed interior and an exceptional and efficient powertrain.Something like that is a perfect car for me. And I don’t feel like I would be ripped off buying this instead of a larger car.Similarly, if someone has the means to buy a premium car instead of something from a mainstream brand, that’s fine. As Donna Meagle famously said in Parks and Recreation, “Treat yo’self!”Sure, a circa-$60,000 BMW 120 hatch may not have the same level of standard features as a higher grade Toyota Corolla or Mazda3 - which cost $20,000 less - but who cares?If you have your heart set on a premium car like a BMW and you’ve got the money for it, then it doesn’t matter if it’s missing a few features.Whether it’s the materials in the cabin, the way it drives or the feeling you get when driving a premium European car, a model like that often just feels more special.A couple of years back I lived with a Peugeot 308 Premium GT hatchback for four months. That specific grade at the time was priced at $48,990 before on-road costs. Again, there was a lot of commentary about that being a lot of money “for a small hatchback”.I am not suggesting it’s cheap - it clearly isn’t. But that is an excellent little car that made me smile every time I got behind the wheel. I would be happy - proud even - to own one.To reiterate, there is nothing wrong with trying to get as much car as possible for your budget. If you want as many standard features as you can possibly get for $40k, and you are less fussed about how the car drives or its perceived quality, terrific. And there’s no shortage of options, especially with the growing number of Chinese brands offering affordable models.But equally, no one should be shamed for spending big bucks on a car that isn’t the size of a boat, or if it doesn’t tick every single box on the standard features list.

Sometimes the best cars are amongst the worst sellers.

Peugeot Australia has dumped electric passenger cars for now, having removed the E-2008 from its website despite previously promising the facelift version’s arrival in 2024. While Peugeot is bringing in the E-308 electric hatch, only 14 examples of the BYD Dolphin and MG4 rival are arriving in an ‘exclusive’ program — CarsGuide understands that after those are sold, that will be the end of the E-308 in Australia. The brand has also rolled back its plug-in hybrid range in Australia, discontinuing the funky 408 plug-in hybrid in favour of a mild-hybrid version.After contacting Peugeot Australia about its electric car future, a spokesperson issued the following statement to CarsGuide.“Peugeot Australia is committed to its electrification journey. In addition to our expanding hybrid range, this includes bringing the best range of 100 per cent electric vehicles to the Australian market, as such, the E-408, E-2008 and new E-3008 form part of our consideration for future product in the local market.”The brand had also previously been vocal about its interest in the E-3008, an electric mid-size SUV that CarsGuide sampled at its global media launch in March 2024. The  E-3008 was expected to arrive in Australia’s hotly-contested electric family SUV segment to compete against the Tesla Model Y and BYD Atto 3 with 700km of WLTP driving range.CarsGuide was told the E-3008 was on schedule for the second half of this year at its launch but Peugeot importer Inchcape is now non-commital about the E-3008’s arrival. Next it was the E-208 small car facelift, scheduled to arrive in 2025. In pre-update guise the small car was already sold in New Zealand, however it has now been withdrawn from both markets despite being approved for sale in Australia via the government’s Road Vehicle Register (ROVER). Peugeot sells two electric vehicles in Australia: the E-Partner van ($59,990) and E-Expert ($79,990, both before on-road costs). One of the main barriers has been price, and Peugeot’s importer learned the importance of this when it slashed E-2008 prices by $20,000 — pretty much 30 per cent — back in May. A few days later, the remaining stock had sold out. Looking at Peugeot’s plug-in hybrids, at $67,990, before on-road costs, the discontinued 408 PHEV was a lot dearer than the BYD Sealion 6 Premium ($52,990) and close to the larger seven-seat Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Exceed ($69,290, both before on-road costs). Only 71 new 408s have been registered in 2024. Peugeot is moving to where the industry’s big growth appears to be, introducing an all mild-hybrid 2008 range and promising the new 3008 will arrive with a hybrid system that achieves 4.9L/100km in the combined cycle to target the Toyota RAV4.Hybrid sales have jumped in 2024 and are currently 80 per cent ahead of 2024, while plug-in hybrids have doubled in popularity. Relatively, EVs are growing at a slower rate, up 16 per cent on 2023 so far.With reviews to Australian Design Rules (ADR) in progress now, it’s possible Peugeot will be able to be more nimble and adapt to changing market conditions in the near future. For Peugeot’s immediate Australian plans, the immediate future is mild and strong hybrid with 308, 408, 2008, 3008 and 5008 all getting some form of electrification. For now, more electric vehicles remain off limits. 

Peugeot has revealed pricing and specification for its new mild-hybrid hatchback, the 308 GT Hybrid, as the brand moves to scrap petrol and plug-in hybrid variants from the range, including the 308 wagon.Just one hybrid variant of the 308 will be available across the line-up once it arrives in Australia in early 2025, with pricing for the 308 GT Hybrid set to commence at $48,990 before on-road costs.That is $5000 more expensive than its outgoing petrol equivalent but more than $10,000 cheaper than the electric E-308, which is priced at $65,990 drive-away.Once drive-away pricing is calculated for the 308 GT Hybrid, it will likely be a few thousand cheaper than its key rival, the Honda Civic e:HEV LX, which starts at $55,000 drive-away.It will pack less power than the Civic, carrying a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol three-cylinder hybrid engine paired to an 0.9kWh battery pack and a single electric motor that delivers 100kW/230Nm combined to the front wheels via a six-speed electric dual-clutch gearbox.The hybrid Civic, on the other hand, carries a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine paired with a single electric motor and a 1.05kWh battery pack to deliver 135kW/315Nm to the front wheels through an electronic continuously variable transmission.Both vehicles share the same fuel consumption figure of 4.2L/100km, with the Peugeot 308 GT Hybrid emitting a fraction less carbon at 95g/km compared to the Civic hybrid’s 96g/km.It’s 1.1L/km more efficient than its petrol counterpart and produces 23g/km less carbon. It’s 3.1L/100km thirstier than its plug-in hybrid counterpart, which uses just 1.3L/100km.In terms of styling, the 308 GT Hybrid shares most of its design highlights with the rest of the Peugeot 308 range, using Peugeot's distinct fang-shaped LED daytime running lights and full-LED ‘claw-effect’ 3D lighting at the rear, which sits above twin chrome exhaust tips.As standard the Peugeot 308 GT Hybrid gets 18-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, and full-matrix LED headlights, automatic rain-sensing wipers, a heated rear windscreen and wiper blade, auto highbeam function and dusk-sensing headlights.Inside, there are twin 10-inch digital screens, one for a configurable driver’s display and the other for touchscreen multimedia functions, the latter is compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.It also gets a multi-function steering wheel in full-grain leather with “Adamite” green stitching, Alcantara and synthetic leather upholstery, an air purifying system, a premium Hi-Fi speaker system, wireless charging and eight-colour ambient lighting, among other features.Advanced driver assistance systems include Autonomous Emergency Braking with low light pedestrian and cyclist detection, Long-range Blind Spot Detection, Lane Departure Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control and front and rear parking sensors.Customers can spend an additional $690 for several metallic paint options or $1050 for ‘Elixir Red’ paint. The 308 GT Hybrid comes standard in Obsession Blue.The Peugeot 308 GT Hybrid comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, with interested customers encouraged to contact their local Peugeot dealer for pre-order.The outgoing 308 range has struggled on the sales charts this year, with sales down 41.7 per cent to just 140 sales to October this year as buyers increasingly favour cut-price Chinese rivals in the electrified hatchback segment, such as the MG MG4 and GWM Ora.Customers who are interested in purchasing a petrol 308 variant are encouraged to contact their local Peugeot dealer to secure one of the limited remaining vehicles.

Pricing for the 2025 E-308 battery electric hatchback has been announced. 

Is it really the end of 2023 already? How did that happen so fast?? Well, it's time once again to review my year in cars and whittle down everything I have driven into a short list of five of my top picks.

Peugeot is now more expensive than ever as it doubles down on its high-spec range of electrified cars, but it says the move is bringing new buyers to the brand whilst being popular with its existing fanbase.

Australian pricing and specification of the 2023 Peugeot 308 hatch and wagon has been confirmed by the French brand's local arm, with an entry price to the range that's now well into premium territory.With four main variants across the range confirmed for