Hatchbacks have been getting more and more insane over the last decade. It started with 150 kW being the perceived optimum output for a front-wheel drive hatch, now we’re seeing upwards of 180 kW in most cases. Now with four-wheel drive, vehicles like the Golf R can happily pump out over 200 kW with the Merc A-Class A45 AMG making a massive 265 kW. Peugeot now, with the help of hybrid technology claims its 308 R Hybrid churns out 368 kW and 730 Nm of torque.

Four-wheel drive

Firstly the Peugeot 308 R Hybrid is four-wheel drive to help put the power to the ground, the track width is also 80mm longer. Two batteries are also plugged into the power make-up and work in tandem with a 1.6-Litre turbo petrol motor. The petrol motor on its own pushes out 199 kW and 330 Nm of torque. The two batteries make up the rest of the power, contributing 85 kW and 200 Nm of torque each.

In a sprint to 100kph the Peugeot 308 R Hybrid wipes the floor with every hot hatch, claiming 4 seconds flat. Top speed is limited to 250kph but Peugeot says that the 308 R Hybrid is built for track mode.

4 Modes to choose from

The toggle button on the central console is used to select one of the four driving modes: – Hot Lap mode is the most powerful, harnessing the full potential from the three power sources to reach a total of 368 kW and maximum torque of 730 Nm. – Track mode delivers 298 kW and 530 Nm, mainly from the petrol engine and the rear electric motor. The front electric motor serves as an additional booster when accelerating. – Road mode is specially designed for road use with power of 223 kW and torque of 400 Nm. The petrol engine delivers its full potential while the rear electric motor helps during accelerations. The front electric motor is not used in this mode. ZEV makes priority use of the rear electric motor to drive the 308 R HYbrid. The front electric motor comes into play, depending on the pressure applied by the driver on the accelerator pedal.

308 R Hybrid details

Obviously being a hybrid model its fuel consumption will be impressive as it can run in full electric mode. Peugeot hasn’t got a fuel consumption figure yet but claims 70g/km of CO2 is emitted. Weight is kept down to a minimum and is distributed throughout the chassis with a 60/40 bias towards the front.

Inside the 308 R Hybrid has four individual bucket seats and paddle shifters for the six-speed gearbox. There’s dashes of Alcantara and leather throughout the cabin and a heads-up display unit. Those wheels are 19-inches and two-tone colour scheme seems set to stay.