With the current vogue for SUVs, Peugeot should be applauded for producing the stylish and sporty 508 Fastback. It’s not the roomiest car in its class by any means, but with its attractive looks and entertaining handling it should satisfy drivers who want a bit of fun from their family saloon. There’s a good range of engines that offer decent performance with reasonable fuel economy and relatively low emissions ratings, too, which should make the 508 attractive to company car drivers.
Combine this with a well thought out interior that not only looks good and is well finished but is also laden with plenty of hi-tech equipment, and Peugeot could well be onto a winner in this competitive class.
If a car was purely judged on its exterior design, then the Peugeot 508 would certainly be amongst the class leaders with its eye-catching looks and considerable showroom appeal. It’s certainly far more stylish than its predecessor, moving away from the traditional three-box look for a more curvaceous and cohesive appearance.
Its bold new nose echoes the current sporty Peugeot look, and while the headlights aren’t the most distinctive, the blade-type LED daytime running lights certainly catch the eye. The 508 is equally stylish from the rear, with mildly extended rear wheel arches and a black panel running across the tail which incorporates the LED rear light clusters. It’ll certainly stand out in an office car park populated by more traditional designs.
Inside the sporting theme is continued, with a real coupe feel about the interior. It accentuates the difference between this car and an SUV, where you sometimes have the impression you’re sitting on it, rather than in it. The curving and swooping dash continues the stylish appearance in combination with the small steering wheel and Peugeot’s i-Cockpit electronic display.
And the quality look is backed up by material quality and a fit and finish that has a nigh-on premium feel to it It’s almost good enough to tempt buyers away from BMW’s 3 Series and Audi’s A4 perhaps.
There’s certainly enough in the way of standard equipment to keep most buyers happy too, and even the entry-level Active trim level doesn’t feel poorly specified. You’ll need to upgrade to the Allure model to get the larger (10-inch versus 8-inch) of the two centrally-mounted touchscreen systems offered, and it’s worth it for the greater functionality it brings.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
All 508 models come with sat nav – an 8-inch screen in the Active model, a 10-inch screen in all other models – and it works pretty well in practise. Many of the 508’s functions are accessed either through the touchscreen – hence the need to opt for the larger version – but there are also a series of ‘piano key’ shortcuts which make navigating through the various menus much simpler.
All models come with Bluetooth, DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with voice recognition. Allure adds USB inputs in place of a 12v output and also gains a full colour reversing camera system. The GT Line models add a Smartphone charging plate while the GT and First Edition models have an impressive Focal Audio premium hi-fi system which does sound significantly better than the standard equipment.
There are an impressive array of safety systems as standard – automatic emergency braking, a distance alert system and lane keeping assistance, while Allure and GT Line models add blind spot detection and an advanced driver attention alert system. The GT has adaptive cruise control too. While most of it works well, we weren’t hugely impressed with the GT’s adaptive cruise control or the lane keep assist system, which is somewhat jerky in operation and not up to the standards of rivals
As befits its sporting looks, the 508 offers a surprisingly involving drive. Perhaps not to the extent that it’s going to trouble a BMW 3 Series, but it’s certainly at the more dynamic end of the spectrum when it comes to the way it drives.
The 508 is based on the same platform as that of the 3008 SUV, and given that car’s impressive ride you might expect the same to be true of the 508. For the most part, it obliges, but it’s not quite so adept at soaking up lumps and bumps as the SUV. Peugeot has set up the 508’s suspension to be somewhat firmer than the family-orientated SUV, and as a result, some imperfections are transmitted through to the cabin, especially on models fitted with the largest 19-inch alloy wheels. However, it’s by no means uncomfortable and while there’s some low-speed fidget, at motorway speeds the firmer ride comes into its own, soaking up undulations in a well-controlled manner.
The flipside of the coin is that the firmer set up on the 508 gives far less body roll when cornering. It feels dialled-in to the tarmac, with impressive grip levels. Initially the small steering wheel feels a little odd, but it makes the steering very responsive and gives the 508 an agile nature when compared to the majority of its rivals. The steering is well weighted too and allows you to place the car with precision when driving on flowing back roads.
All the engines feel up to the job, although naturally enough the entry-level 1.5-litre diesel doesn’t feel quite as lively as the rest of the range. The 1.5-litre diesel is also the only engine that can be had with a manual gearbox: all the other models come with Peugeot’s EAT 8 automatic, which can also be added to the 1.5-litre engine as an option.
The automatic does work well, shifting between the ratios pretty seamlessly and when changing gears manually with the steering wheel-mounted paddles. The paddles themselves are slightly small, though – you can lose them when cornering enthusiastically – and the gearbox itself can be a little jerky when coming to a stop.
Engines, 0-60 acceleration and top speed
When it comes to the engine line-up for the Peugeot 508, the company has most bases covered from fugal and efficient diesels to higher-powered petrol models. However, it’s worth noting that not all engine variants can be ordered in all trim levels, with the most powerful petrol and diesel engines reserved for the top of the range GT models.
At entry-level, Active spec is only available with the 129bhp 1.5 BlueHDi 130 diesel. This is also the only engine in the 508 line-up that can be had with a manual gearbox. With the manual transmission, it can accelerate from 0-62mph in 9.7 seconds, the eight-speed auto takes a further 0.3 seconds to cover the same increment. Top speed for both versions is 129mph.
Two further diesels are offered, both 2.0-litre units badged as BlueHDi 160 (with 161bhp) and the BlueHDi 180 (175bhp), and both engines have an identical torque output of 400Nm. They will accelerate from 0-62mph in 8.4 and 8.3 seconds respectively and both have top speeds in excess of 140mph. The BlueHDi 160 is likely to be the bigger seller and it offers plenty of punch, even when fully laden when the 1.5-litre unit can feel a little strained.
Two 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engines are also available, the PureTech 180 and PureTech 225, and if you’re after the ultimate in performance to go with the sporty style of your 508, these would be the models to go for. The 179bhp PureTech 180 has 250Nm of torque and will accelerate from 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds on its way to a 143mph top speed. The PureTech 225 has an additional 50Nm of torque, a 7.3-second 0-62mph time and a top speed of 155mph. However, while the 225 is a strong performer, it’s only available in the limited run First Edition or the GT model which starts from around £36,000, so it’s likely to be a rare sight on the road.
Peugeot has a good reputation for safety these days, and this is borne out by the 508’s five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, earned in 2018. The car scored an impressive 96 per cent for adult occupant safety and 86 per cent for child occupant safety – virtually identical to the figures posted by the Volkswagen Arteon saloon, which Peugeot hopes the 508 will also attract buyers away from.
While the 508 was too new to be featured in our 2018 Driver Power survey, the 3008 SUV which shares its engines, running gear and technology with the 508, came home in first place which certainly bodes well for the 508. However, despite being the overall winner, a worrying 11 per cent of 3008 owners did say their car had gone wrong at some point. This will account for why Peugeot as a company only ranked in 17th out of 26 manufacturers.
Warranty
Peugeot’s new car warranty is pretty average – three years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. While this matches companies such as Volkswagen and Vauxhall, it falls short of some premium rivals from which Peugeot are hoping the 508 can steal sales – both BMW and Mercedes, for example, offer three-year unlimited mileage policies. And, of course, they’re all a long way short of the five-year and seven-year warranties offered by Hyundai and Kia respectively, although the i40 and Optima that these makers offer in the class are feeling old in comparison to the Peugeot.
Servicing
Peugeot offers a variety of different servicing plans for the 508, and the model will require a yearly service. Naturally, the cost of the service plans will vary depending on each model’s requirements, but prices start from around £15 a month for a three-year, 30,000-mile servicing plan or about £18 for a five-year, 50,000-mile plan. Your Peugeot dealer will be able to advise on costs for individual models, and it’s also worth noting that you have up until the car’s a year-old to decide whether or not to take out a servicing contract.
In moving away from the traditional three-box saloon to a more fashionable fastback look for the 508, Peugeot has sacrificed something in the way of practicality. But while this does have a couple of downsides – mainly rear headroom – overall the 508 is a comfortable and roomy proposition.
The interior apes the car’s sporty fastback look, with a stylish cockpit that feels coupe-like yet is still comfortable. The dashboard design features swooping curves, and with a high centre console, you feel nicely cocooned and insulated when sitting in the front seats. All models have at least part-electric front seat adjustment, and from Allure models up there’s lumbar support and heated seats as standard.
One thing that’s worth noting is that the 508 has Peugeot’s i-cockpit set up, where you look over the steering wheel to see the instruments. While it works well for the most part, some drivers may feel they don’t have a clear view of the dash pod when the steering wheel and seat are adjusted to their liking.
The 508 offers a comfortable ride both around town and on the motorway, and while there is some low-speed fidgeting when fitted with the largest 19-inch alloys, this will be less of a concern for most buyers. If you opt for the top of the range GT model, then there’s also active suspension to keep the ride comfort at an optimum level.
Size
Where most cars are becoming ever larger, the 508 bucks this trend by actually being slightly shorter than the outgoing model. At 4,750mm long the 508 Fastback is nearly 15 centimetres shorter than a Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport, but a little longer than premium rivals such as the new BMW 3 Series saloon.
Leg room, head room and passenger space
Those up front will be more than comfortable with plenty of leg, elbow and headroom. But those in the rear will be slightly less fortunate, especially if they are six-feet tall or above. The sloping roofline really does make it tight for rear seat passengers in terms of headroom, and it’s likely their heads will be brushing the headlining. The 508 SW improves the issue slightly, but not by quite as much as you might have expected.
Legroom is adequate without setting new standards for the class, as it doesn’t offer the same amount of space as you’d find in the back of a Skoda Superb or Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport. However, Peugeot doesn’t see the 508 as a model which will primarily be bought by those intending to have the rear seats occupied by adults on a regular basis and the accommodation offered will be more than enough to keep the 508 as a practical family car.
Boot
The 508 saloon’s boot has a 487-litre capacity when the rear seats are raised, which increases to 1,537 litres when they’re folded flat. While this is a decent size, it’s no more than average for the class – similar in size to a Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport but put into the shade by models such as the Ford Mondeo (550 litres) and Volkswagen Passat (586 litres).
The 508 SW does offer a larger carrying capacity, but perhaps not by as much as you might think. The SW has a luggage area of 530 litres which rises to 1,780 litres when the seats are lowered – easily done via a button in the boot – but while it’s only slightly smaller than an Insignia Sports Tourer’s 560-litre capacity, it falls some way short of the largest boot in the class, the Skoda Superb’s 660-litre load area.
Despite its sleek looks, the Peugeot 508 shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg to run, offering reasonable economy and CO2 levels for competitive Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company car tax ratings.
It shouldn’t come as a great surprise that the 1.5 BlueHDI 130 model is the most fuel efficient, offering between 52.5 and 59.8mpg under the latest WLTP guidelines. That’s with the six-speed manual gearbox, the figures are 51.4 to 58.6mpg with the eight-speed auto. This compares well to the Volkswagen Passat 1.6 TDI diesel with the seven-speed DSG transmission, which records figures of between 49.6 and 52.3mpg. With commendably low CO2 emissions figures starting at 99g/km for the automatic and 101g/km for the manual the Peugeot 508 1.5-litre diesel sits in favourable BiK bands.
Choosing the more powerful 2.0-litre diesel in the 508 does affect economy, with the BlueHDi 160 returning 45.2-51.1mpg and the more powerful BlueHDi 180 posting official figures of 45.0 and 50.6mpg. That’s slightly less economical than the 2.0 TDI Volkswagen Passat, but more economical than the similarly powerful Vauxhall Insignia Gran Sport. CO2 emissions for these models start at between 118 and 124g/km respectively.
The two faster petrol models are less fuel efficient than their diesel counterparts, the PureTech 180 returning between 38.0 and 41.8mpg and emissions of 123 and 127g/km. The more powerful PureTech 225 isn’t far behind, with economy of 36.3-39.8mpg and emissions of between 130 and 132g/km.
Insurance
When it comes to insurance, it’s likely that the 508 will be broadly competitive with its class rivals. But some competitors do have lower groupings, especially for entry-level models. The 1.5-litre diesel will be the cheapest to insure, with groups ranging between 22 and 24. The Vauxhall Insignia starts at group 15 for its 134bhp diesel, while the slightly less powerful Volkswagen Passat 1.6 TDI starts with a group 12 rating.
The more powerful 508s fall into groups 29 to 32 for the diesels and 28-34 for the petrols. By way of comparison, the Passat has the highest insurance group of 28.
Depreciation
From launch, the Peugeot 508 has residuals in the 43-45 per cent range, which isn’t bad when you consider that the family hatchback class is falling out of favour with new car buyers. In comparison, the Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport has values in the region of 34-41 per cent, with the VW Passat scoring similarly.
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