First Drive: Peugeot’s 508 has all the ingredients to be a sales success

What is it?

Peugeot has been on something of a push to move up the car market. It recently introduced a new corporate design to give a premium look, brought its innovative i-Cockpit tech into production and all while retaining the functionality the firm’s machines are known for.

One piece has been missing from the premium puzzle, though — a genuinely appealing saloon offering, which is something the French firm hasn’t really had for a couple of decades. Well, now one’s here — introducing the Peugeot 508.

What’s new?

The 508 is now in its second generation, but this is effectively a rewrite of the saloon in order to make a real impact on the market.

First up is the new design — taking Peugeot’s latest corporate look and placing it in perhaps its most complete form yet, with a sleek body and impactful, angular front fascia. The flagship-like look continues inside the car, with the firm’s i-Cockpit the star of the show.

There’s also a ton of tech on-board, including night vision — a claimed first for the segment — allowing drivers to catch obstacles otherwise difficult to see when driving in pitch-black conditions.

What’s under the bonnet?

We got behind the wheel of the Peugeot 508 in GT BlueHDi 180 EAT8 flavour, meaning it’s powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine paired up to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The powertrain develops 177bhp and 400Nm of torque, capable of taking the saloon from 0-60mph in 8.1 seconds and up to a top speed of 146mph. As for efficiency, Peugeot claims it can achieve 60.1mpg on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 124g/km.

It’s an engine that’s extremely well suited to a cruise. Sitting on a motorway in Comfort mode, it’s well-refined with little noise being fed into the cabin. It’s potent enough for a bit more spirited driving, however, it begins to feel a tad gutless when strung out higher in the rev range.

What’s it like to drive?

The Peugeot 508 delivers a driving experience that matches the looks. It feels agile and capable of taking pretty much anything you’ll throw at it when pushing it on a B-road.

Steering is very well-judged while the chassis itself appears finely tuned — an engine with more poke under the bonnet could very well create a serious performance machine. (Did someone say 508 GTI?).

Despite delivering on the hard-driving front, it manages to be a comfortable cruiser too. The suspension is supple and road noise is pretty limited in the cabin. Switch on the adaptive cruise control (albeit once you find the oddly-located switch) and you could easily chew up hundreds of miles without hassle. It is, however, a little let down with poor rear visibility which can make the 508 difficult in tighter spots but sensors all-around aid that.

How does it look? 

Peugeot’s current corporate design is one we’re big fans of, and the 508 might just be the epitome of it.

The sleek body allows the sharp fascia and LED headlights to make a striking impact on the overall design, and the walrus-esque daytime running lights create something of a concept car effect. We’d go as far to say this is the best-looking Peugeot of the decade.

If it was our money, we’d be going for the Ultimate Red paint finish. It stands out from a crowd of subdued greys and really makes the best of the sharp bodywork.

What’s it like inside?

Step inside the Peugeot 508 and you’ll find perhaps the best application of its aviation-style i-Cockpit technology to date — you almost get the sense the car was designed to fit around the interior, rather than vice versa.

The jet plane-like effect works seriously well here, with a low-down driving position creating a sense of being in a sports-focused machine — enhanced further by the compact steering wheel.

It’s not all rosy, though. Premium-feel materials in the car aren’t exactly bad to touch, but they’re by no means the most convincing in the segment.

As for practicality, you’re looking at 487 litres of boot space while seating five people — all of which can be comfortably in the car, even adults.

What’s the spec like?

Prices for the Peugeot 508 start at £25,000, although our GT test car comes in at a seemingly hefty £36,400.

There’s a good amount of equipment thrown in for that price, though. Assistance tech includes adaptive cruise control with lane keep assist, all-round parking sensors and blind spot detection.

Luxury kit is generous too, with electric seats that boast a massage function along with heating, dual-zone climate control, the i-Cockpit cabin and a 10-inch infotainment display with support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

On top of all that, there are full LED headlights with automatic high beams and 19-inch alloy wheels to build on that sporty appearance.

Verdict

The Peugeot 508 is the best car the firm has produced in a long, long time. It’s a genuinely desirable saloon — something the firm hasn’t delivered in a long time — and one that deserves to sell well.

It manages to achieve that difficult blend of a good-looking car that’s great to drive while also being even better suited for the everyday commute. It’s not without its flaws, but none are earth-shattering and there’s no reason to not buy the 508 in comparison with rivals.