Peugeot

408

The Peugeot 408 is the French company’s first completely new model for 13 years. It boasts distinctive styling, a wealth of tech and impressive handling.

Test Drive

Peugeot 408 – First Drive (2023)

Peugeot has unleashed its first all-new car for 13 years and it has the looks, performance and appeal to make quite an impact.

It’s called the 408 and boasts somewhat unconventional, yet still very eye-catching and appealing styling cues, offering a blend of SUV, coupe and fastback looks.

There are three power outputs and three generously-equipped trim levels to choose from with prices ranging from £31,050 to £44,700.

Customers have the option of a 1.2-litre PureTech 130hp petrol engine, or two efficient plug-in hybrids. The Hybrid 225 combines a 1.6-litre 179hp PureTech petrol engine with an 81kW electric motor for a total power output of 225hp, while the Hybrid 180 features a 150hp PureTech 1.6-litre engine working with an 81kW electric motor for 180hp of power. All models are equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Trim levels are called Allure, Allure Premium and GT and they are available across the range of engines apart from Allure which cannot be matched to the higher-powered hybrid model. There was also a limited-run First Edition model at launch, but all 50 available cars were quickly snapped up.

There’s no denying the Peugeot 408’s eye-catching design with its mix of fastback and SUV styling offering a commanding stance. Features include a new tinted front grille with the Peugeot shield – the GT model gains vertical body-coloured accents on the grille which look magnificent.

There are LED ‘fang’ daytime running lights, a rippled bonnet, muscular shoulders, a rear spoiler, a roofline that tapers away after the rear passenger area, three-claw rear lights and ‘Monolithe’ diamond cut alloy wheels (on GT models) that certainly look the business.

The spacious interior of the five-door, five-seater, like all modern-day Peugeot cars, is beautifully crafted with a clutter-free, upmarket and premium layout.

Our high-end 408 GT Hybrid 225 test car was loaded with tech and creature comforts, such as a Nappa leather upholstered seats, a panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, a FOCAL sound system with DAB digital radio and plenty more besides. The contrast stitching around the steering wheel, doors, seats and centre console gives the cabin a real sense of refinement.

It has the latest i-Connect technology with the i-Cockpit compact steering wheel, a 10-inch colour touchscreen which is angled towards the driver and a fully configurable 10-inch 3D digital driver display.

Eight driver profiles can be saved and the car offers luxurious touches such as massaging seats and a heated steering wheel, as well as smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with wireless charging pad, a full navigation set-up, plus over-the-air software updates.

The test car was priced at £44,700 although a few optional extras saw the cost increase to £46,100. With its 1.6-litre, four-cylinder petrol electric hybrid powertrain delivering 225hp and 360Nm of torque, it could sprint from 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds and topped out at 145mph. The top speed in pure electric form is 84mph and this car has an EV-only driving range of 40 miles. The combined fuel economy figure is 211.3-269.5mpg with carbon emissions of 26g/km.

Obviously that WLTP-tested fuel efficiency figure would only be possible if the 408 was driven in EV mode a lot of the time and the 12.4kWh battery was charged regularly. This takes one hour and 40 minutes from 0 to 100 per cent via a 7.4kW wallbox.

When it comes to performance the front-wheel drive Peugeot 408 is a pleasure to drive, especially our test model which is the most dynamic in the line-up. It’s sharp out the starting blocks with bundles of power on tap making light work of overtaking. It’s poised and balanced through twisting bends and the ride is perfectly cushioned with minimal sign of any body roll. In addition, the nicely weighted steering offers ample feedback.

There are drive modes called Electric, Hybrid and Sport that significantly alter the handling and the steering wheel paddles can be used to flick through the gears manually.

The 408 is an accomplished motorway cruiser, quickly reaching 70mph and effortlessly eating up the miles. It’s also quite agile in busier town centre settings although you will need a large parking space as the car stretches almost 4.7 metres in length.

All the controls, dials and readouts are perfectly positioned for driver usability and the quick-access toggles to access the many features such as navigation, radio or phone, can easily be changed for preference. In fact, my only real gripe was the exceptionally slow sat nav instructions that seemed to take an age to get to the point. Speed up woman for goodness’s sake!

But that aside, space within the cabin is vast with ample room for three adults to stretch out in the back. The boot can swallow 471 litres of goodies, increasing to 1,545 litres with the split-folding rear seats dropped flat and there are numerous storage options throughout the cabin, including deep door bins, a central cubby, glovebox, front and rear cup holders, plus seat back nets. And, of course, there are ample USB-C ports to keep all devices connected and charged.

We also had a run out in the purely petrol-powered 408 in Allure Premium trim driven by a 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine delivering 130hp and 230Nm of torque. This model could complete the 0-62mph dash in 10.4 seconds and maxed out at 130mph, while achieving a combined 41.0-48.1mpg with carbon emissions of 136g/km.

Costing £32,175 (£32,315 with options), this 408 is good to drive, but not quite so exhilarating as the more powerful hybrid variant. The three-pot engine is more vocal when pushed hard and it lacks the smoothness when fizzing through the quiet B roads.

But it’s worth remembering this version is much cheaper and offers a perfect option to anyone on a slightly lower budget. It is still packed with high-end tech and still oozes class with quality fixtures and fittings throughout.

When you factor in the seemingly endless list of safety specifications and driver assistance aids, including advanced night vision and long-range blind spot detection, the 408 is an accomplished all-rounder that will be an ideal vehicle for any active family while doubling up as an executive working car during the week.

And with a fully electrified version of the 408 on the horizon, Peugeot has also just announced it will be launching five new battery electric vehicles during the next two years. Exciting times.