Peugeot Australia recently attracted some media attention when they dropped the price on the e2008 by $25,000. Yes, $25k! It was biggest discount for a model runout the new car market has ever seen. Hopefully it generated some foot traffic through dealerships to see the other models in the Peugeot range because they are worth a peek.
I recently drove the Peugeot 508 wagon PHEV and my experience spawned this headline. After driving many, many, many Chinese, Japanese and Korean hybrid vehicles, the Peugeot 508 felt like a sophisticated warm embrace.
Maybe it was the fleet price point I was playing in, but it felt like all the new energy technology was being packed into value priced cars where you got to tick the low/zero emission box but lost the soul of the motoring experience.
As European designed and built cars, the entire Peugeot range feels different to the Asian designed and manufactured cars that have dominated the new car market in Australia. And after spending a week in the 508 Sportswagon PHEV, and later a week in the Peugeot 308 wagon, I was longing for a grown up car which provided the little luxuries you appreciate in your later years.
The latest generation Peugeot 508 was launched in 2019 and the PHEV Fastback arrived in Australia in 2023. The Sportswagon came in 2023 with a current RRP of $82,915 plus on-road costs. It’s not a cheap car but the sleek innovative design and immersive, luxurious driving experience, it’s not hard to justify the price tag.
PHEV powertrain
The Peugeot 508 Sportswagon Plug-In Hybrid offers drivers 165kW of power delivered by a 133kW PureTech engine combined with an 81kW electric motor and combined total of 360Nm of torque. The PureTech engine is combined with the e-EAT8 8-speed automatic transmission (Electric Efficient Automatic Transmission – 8 speeds).
With a 11.8kWh capacity lithium-ion battery, the 508 Sportswagon Plug-In Hybrid provides a WLTP test range of 55km. More than enough for the average daily commute of 33km (ABS figures).
The new PEUGEOT 508 Sportswagon Plug-in Hybrid offers 4 driving modes from the mode selector:
- Electric Mode: When sufficiently charged, this is the default mode for Peugeot plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
- Hybrid Mode: Hybrid mode allows the driver to utilise the most efficient combination of electric or internal combustion engine depending on driving style and the type of road during the journey.
- Sport Mode: take full advantage of maximum engine torque. Sport mode allows the driver to combine the power of both engines to enjoy a dynamic driving experience with firmer suspension and firmer electric power steering.
- Comfort Mode: Comfort mode combines all the benefits of Hybrid mode with the additional comfort of electronically controlled active suspension.
What makes it beautiful?
European design cues are evident across the exterior of the 508 Sportswagon with the iconic Peugeot cat claw LED 3D lights framing the rear and the signature LED front headlights at the front. The designers have used frameless doors to lengthen and lower the Sportswagon’s silhouette.
Inside the cabin, the 508 Sportswagon Plug-In Hybrid offers a distinctive style that exudes sophistication. With a refined blend of soft touch materials with chrome and high gloss finishes, the 508 Sportswagon Plug-In Hybrid is a luxurious place to be.
The multi-function leather steering wheel, with “Aikinite” copper stitching and GT badging, compliments the dashboard’s carbon effect interior trim and blue ambient lighting.
Comfort is also prioritised inside the 508 Sportswagon Plug-In Hybrid with heated front and passenger seats with multi-point massage function. The 508 Sportswagon Plug-In Hybrid features Nappa full grain leather seat trim with ‘Aikinite’ copper double top stitching.
Storage space throughout the cabin has also been designed with practically and ease of use in mind. At the front, door pockets combine with a wealth of storage spaces in around the centre console.
Further elevating the onboard convenience, the 508 Sportswagon Plug-In Hybrid also includes Wireless Smartphone charging as well as four USB sockets (two front and two rear) for easy connectivity.
Safety technology
The Peugeot 508 Sportswagon Plug-In Hybrid boasts a full suite of the latest driving aids and safety features, as standard, to help protect both its occupants and other road users.
Among the list of standard features, 180o colour reversing camera with top-down view, plus front and rear parking sensors, and the semi-automatic parking assist not only help keep you and other road users safe, but also makes navigating tighter parking spots and spaces simple.
Other additional standard safety technologies include Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Braking Distribution (EBD), Emergency Braking Assistance (EBA), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Active Lane Following Assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Forward Collision Warning, In-crash braking (multi collision braking), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) with unmarked road edge detection, and Advanced Driver Attention Alert (DAA3)
The 508 Sportswagon also features keyless entry, remote central locking and adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, speed limit recognition and recommendation, and a speed limiter function.
Warranty
This is an important consideration for fleet and novated lease buyers. It’s also provides some confidence when considering a new brand.
The PEUGEOT Warranty coverage is 5 years / unlimited kilometres (Passenger Vehicles) or 5 years / 200,000 kilometres (Light Commercial Vehicles or LCV). In addition, you are protected by a 3 year paintwork warranty and a 12 year corrosion warranty.
