By James Stinson
We expect French manufacturers to push the envelope when it comes to designing eye-catching cars but that hasn’t always been the case, especially in recent years. Peugeot has produced some of the dreariest cars of the last two decades – the 407 and 307 were especially forgettable. But it seems Peugeot’s design department has found its mojo again. While high-riding, boxy SUVs are all the rage these days they don’t exactly set the pulse racing. At the upper end of the market, Audi, BMW and Mercedes have successfully introduced fastback versions of their big, expensive SUVs.
With a sloping rear roofline, they present a more striking silhouette than boxy alternatives, providing something for buyers who value style as well as practicality. Peugeot has done something similar with this new 408 – what some are calling a coupe SUV. It sits between the 308 family car and the larger 3008 SUV in a market that feels distinctly underserved, with only the Citroen C5 X offering something similar. It looks and feels good on the inside too, defying common perceptions about French cars. The cabin is spacious, especially in the front with plenty of legroom too for passengers in the rear. The one downside is that rear headroom isn’t as commodious as standard SUVs, thanks to that sloping roofline. It’s not cramped though and only becomes an issue if you are carrying round a couple of six footers on lengthy journeys.
The 536-litre boot is good for this class. The seats split 60:40 and can be folded via levers in the boot area itself to reveal a 1,611-litre capacity. The seats don’t go completely flat so there’s a slope at the rear of the load area to contend with. As part of its commitment to offer an electrified variant across its entire model line-up, the new 408 is available with two Plug-in Hybrid powertrains, as well as one PureTech petrol engine. The Hybrid 225 e-EAT8 combines a 179hp PureTech petrol engine with an 81kW electric motor for a total power output of 225hp, while the Hybrid 180 e-EAT8 models come with a 150hp PureTech petrol engine that’s combined with an 81kW electric motor for a total power output of 180hp.
A 12.4kWh battery is featured in both hybrid models and depending on version are capable of achieving an electric-only range of 40 miles – probably closer to 30 miles in real world driving. The plug-in hybrids are a complete no-brainer for company car-types, benefitting from a Benefitin- Kind (BIK) rate of just 8%. The plug-in hybrids deliver the best performance and are capable of reaching 62mph from a standing start in around eight seconds. The standard 129 bhp three-cylinder petrol is no slouch either with a 0-62mpg time of 10.4 seconds.
Headline consumption figures of 215mpg for the hybrid cars are misleading as you’d need to be doing relatively short journeys and charging every night to get anywhere near it. However, these plug-in hybrids are just the ticket for diligent drivers with cheap overnight electricity tariffs. The petrol only version will deliver mid-forties mpg. Trim levels run from the entry-level Allure through Allure Premium to GT. All models get Peugeot’s i-Cockpit and the i-Connect Advanced infotainment system that manifests itself on a 10-inch central touchscreen and a 10-inch digital instrument display.
There’s connected navigation available with live traffic updates and overthe- air software updates but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity are also standard. The entry-level Allure variants have 17” alloy wheels, LED headlights with Peugeot’s Smartbeam auto-dipping functionality, a reversing camera and ambient lighting for the cabin. The Allure Premium adds 19” wheels, ‘Open & Go keyless entry, adaptive cruise control and various other driver assist systems. The GT models have design upgrades including large Peugeot lion badges on the front doors and 3D technology for the instrument display. The Driver Sport pack brings driving modes (Normal, Eco and Sport, plus Hybrid and Electric for the plug-in hybrid models) that alter the steering, throttle and gearbox settings. Prices start from £31,050, with Plugin Hybrid models starting from £38,400.