Peugeot has high hopes for the new 308 SW despite many customers deserting compact station wagons for SUV-styled crossovers.

The 308 SW was No. 9 in its segment in Europe last year (see chart below) but Peugeot hopes that the 2014 European Car of the Year award won by the 308 hatchback will boost the wagon variant, along with better fuel efficiency and improved dynamics compared with the current 308 SW.

Peugeot has also added technologies found in more upscale models, such as automated parking assistance.

“The 308 SW offers the utility and simplicity of a station wagon with features found in premium-class cars,” said Vincent Devos, the 308 line’s product chief.

The 308 SW is underpinned by parent PSA/Peugeot-Citroen’s Efficient Modular Platform (EMP2), which helps to make the car lighter than the current model, resulting in reduced CO2 emissions.