Peugeot is offering motorists the opportunity to swap their old car or van for a safer, greener new car at a generous discount ranging between £1,750 and £7,000 across the range and the 308 is available at a discount of up to almost £4,000.

All petrol and diesel-powered passenger cars and vans registered before 31st December 2010 are eligible for the scrappage discount, which can be redeemed against any Peugeot from the 108 supermini to the the Boxer Van.

The initiative means motorists will be able to upgrade to vehicles with the latest safety features and preventative technology – like the autonomous Active City Brake system, lane departure warnings, adaptive cruise control and intelligent speed limit recognition.

All vehicles traded in under the scheme will be scrapped to help remove less safe, higher polluting vehicles from the roads.

Peugeot’s 308 is one of the best cars the brand has ever built and it was the first SUV to be named European Car of the Year.

It was launched last year and more than 15,000 UK drivers bought one with 200,000 sold around the world and sales continue strongly as the car continues winning award after award.

The 308 arrived on our roads three months ago and it is the most connected and safest yet with a range of technology and styling enhancements.

There is a 9.7” capacitive touchscreen which puts the driving functions at the fingertips of the driver with dual zone climate control to 3D Connected Navigation and TomTom Live updates and a brilliant new infotainment.

Other driving aids offer intelligent Speed Limit Recognition, Adaptive Cruise Control, with stop functionality and an Active Blind Spot Monitoring System.

And there is a windscreen-located camera reads speed limit signs and displays them on the car’s dashboard. Signs for specific vehicles, such as HGVs, are filtered from the information feed.

The option of Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop function detects vehicles in front of the car and adjusts the speed automatically using the brakes to retain a safe distance. An Active Blind Spot Monitoring System also alerts the driver to the presence of another vehicle in the blind spot to avoid any potential danger. City Park, a smart park assist system completes the safety and convenience offering.

The 308 offers a new range of engines and the award winning three-cylinder PureTech petrol engine has been upgraded and is coupled with a new six-speed manual gearbox for improved efficiency and control.

Exhaust emission controls have been designed for efficient pollution reduction; high-precision injection control on the 1.2L PureTech 130 Stop&Start engine enhances combustion efficiency and exhaust gases pass through a catalytic converter followed by a passive-regeneration particle filter.

The 308 is also the first Peugeot Group model to adopt the new 1.5L BlueHDi 130 S&S diesel engine, a four-cylinder unit that also implements at-source and at-exhaust emission control.

The new eight-speed automatic transmission coupled with the 2.0L BlueHDi 180 Stop&Start completes the new engine range, while the 308 GTi is powered by a 270 PS THP Stop&Start unit, enabling 0-62 mph in just 6.0 seconds with CO2 emissions of just 139g/km.

On the inside, new seat fabrics for Active and Allure trims enhance the comfortable interior, and all new 308 models benefit from the Peugeot cockpit layout with its trademark compact steering wheel. The cabin is further enhanced with the inclusion of a panoramic fixed cielo glass roof on Allure, GT Line and GT versions.

The 308 handles pretty well and the Peugeot range continues to improve every time they bring out a new model.

Even though Peugeot and Citroen are part of the same family it is the Peugeot which is the best French model these days.