Company Car Review of the Peugeot 308 SW e-THP 130

What is it?

IN a bid to match Ford’s award-winning 1.0-litre turbo-charged three cylinder engines matched to family/executive sized vehicles, Peugeot has launched its own 1.2-litre triple and popped it into its own award-winner, the 308SW European Car of the Year 2014.

And it works a treat benefiting from even more torque, 169ft-lbs against the Ford’s 125ft-lbs, from the slightly bigger displacement. And a BIK  company car tax rating of just 15% for company user/choosers who opt for the small petrol matches that of the larger capacity 1.6-litre diesel option.

But does all this make for a sensible grown-up company car able to take on that last minute business trip to the Continent fully loaded with all the required business and presentation tackle?

I set off to find out with a typical working trip to Germany via P&O’s regular ferry link to Calais from Dover. (By the way business users, always book the Club Lounge travel option – it provides an elegantly quiet lounge environment on all of the P&O ferries, with free newspapers, unlimited tea and coffee and even a glass of champagne, plus priority boarding from just £13 a head. It’s a must-do for professional company car drivers, especially during the holiday season.)

One essential user/chooser box was ticked immediately on the E40 out of Calais – cruising at the legal speed limit with just 2,500rpm on the rev counter means the punchy little engine had plenty enough go to produce a relaxing long distance ride.

As with the Fords, the lighter petrol plant sharpens up the car’s steering and lends a surprisingly sporty feel to a ‘sensible’ family runabout. So much so, that I took the estate to Germany’s infamous old Nordscheife circuit next to the F1 Nurburgring track.