David says: IF YOU whizzed through a list of what makes the perfect family car, there would be a few must-haves.

Plenty of space, versatile seating, and decent luggage carrying capacity are all essential. Introduce the likes of a big, light airy interior and a massive glass roof and things are literally looking up.

Throw in aircraft-style, flip-up tables for rear seat passengers, along with built-in sunblinds, and most people would be more than happy.

Add the option of occasionally carrying an extra pair of passengers, in flip-up seats mounted in the rear loadspace, and it’s not hard to see why Peugeot’s 308 SW oozes family-friendly appeal.

But the real beauty of this seven-seater is that, while it has serious carrying capacity, it remains as nippy and fun to drive as the hatchback model.

It has a slightly longer wheelbase than the hatchback and a longer rear overhang, but the chassis delivers an excellent combination of road-holding and comfort and a real alternative to people carriers.

Fuel economy has also been given a boost by tweaks on all petrol and diesel engines, combined with weight-saving measures and the use of new Michelin Energy Saver tyres, which were first introduced on the 308 hatchback. Peugeot says its fuel consumption, compared to similar engines, can be up to 13 per cent lower than the 307 SW.

It is also available with the full range of safety equipment fitted to the hatch model, such as automatic illumination of the hazard warning lights under emergency braking, electronic stability program and traction control.

Priced from about £15,500, the 308 SW is available in the UK in three trim levels, S, Sport and SE. Replacing both the Peugeot 307 SW and the 307 Estate models, upmarket models of the 308 SW comes with a much larger panoramic glass roof and a practical opening rear tailgate glass.

When you get to the SE level, equipment is lavish, including the likes of dual-zone air conditioning, automatic headlamps and wipers and tyre pressure sensors.

On the test model, two occasional seats were fitted in the third row. These seats can be folded flat and with the second row seats folded as well, makes loading of bulky items much easier.

The front passenger seat can also be folded flat, allowing loads up to a length of 3.1 metres to be carried.

Marie says: ONCE in a while you can try on a piece of clothing in a shop and instantly feel it is a perfect fit.

Once in while you get into a car and instantly know it’s right. Peugeot’s 308 SW is one of those just-right cars.

Not too big, not too small, yet more than capable of handling anything that family, or business, life can throw at it, the 308 SW is an all-round winner.

From the moment you open the door, everything possible is done to smooth your way.

The test car came in the upmarket SE specification, and was fitted with every bell and whistle imaginable.

Start the quiet 2.0-litre diesel engine and a satellite navigation screen whirrs up in the centre of the dashboard. If you are travelling in the day the large sunroof screen can be rolled back at the touch of a button to reveal a huge panoramic glass roof, allowing even more light into an already bright interior.

And at night the super-bright headlights are linked to the steering to follow the road and improve visibility.

If you are reversing, the good all-round visibility is aided by both audio and visual parking sensors. The visual display takes over the satellite navigation screen to show which part of the front or rear of the car is close to an object, giving you that extra confidence even when parking into the narrowest of spaces.

But the ace up the 308 SW’s sleeve is its ability to turn into a people carrier. The middle row of seats can move forward and back independently, and folded in the floor of the loadspace are two extra seats.

Peugeot calls them occasional seats and that’s spot-on, as although they are big enough for an adult, getting into them is a bit tricky and you would not want to travel a long way in them.

The boot is really large and there is also a hanging cargo net that holds individual bags and items in place, and a roll-back cover to keep all this from view.

Whether you are trickling around town in traffic or going with the flow on dual carriageways, packed with people or luggage, the 308 SW copes with it all beautifully.

It is not cheap but, if something fits so well and looks so good, it is usually worth that little extra.

Auto facts Peugeot 308 SW SE HDi 136

  • Price: £20,845 Insurance group: Ten
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 37.8mpg
  • Top speed: 125mph
  • Length: 450cm/177.1in
  • Width: 181.5cm/71.5in
  • Luggage capacity: 23.8 cu ft (in five-seat mode)
  • Fuel tank capacity: 13.2 gallons/60 litres
  • CO2 emissions: 155g/km
  • Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles