Peugeot was once known for its incredibly athletic models, specifically the GTI hot hatches of the 80s and 90s. In recent years the French brand has been too busy sending its cars upmarket to focus on hot hatchbacks. The 208 and 308 GTI were great cars but they stopped selling them a few years ago and neither was available with a plug. That’s where this comes in, Peugeot’s 508 Sport Engineered SW hybrid is a plug-in hybrid but it also happens to be quite a powerful Peugeot with 355 horsepower which makes it a rival for the Volvo S60 and V60 as well as the BMW 330e, the Audi S4 and BMW’S M340i.
Special mention : Those looks, athletic with the right balance of aggression. Low, sleek profile glides through the air. Economy aided by Hybrid technology, dynamic chassis, good boot space for adventure weekends.
Needs work : The addition of hybrid lets down the full dynamic roar that this car could have. There’s no audible drama, just an electric whirr or slightly strained engine noise. There’s a bit of a throttle pause sometimes while the car works out if you want electric or engine powered push.
| BHP 355 BHP | Petrol / Auto |
| 0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds | Road Tax €140 |
| Price: €70,460 | Boot space 530 / 1,780 litres Range 35 km |
This is the SW or estate version of the 508 but there’s a five-door hatchback model available as well. It stands out from the crowd with its high vis green trim and brake calipers, 20” alloy wheels and a body kit with a deeper front bumper and a big diffuser at the back. It uses a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, in similar tune to when it appeared in the 208 GTI hot hatch, combined with a pair of electric motors – one for each axle – for 355bhp and 384lb ft peaks, plus it has 520 Nm of torque. This means it’s really quick with zero to 100 km/h taking just 5.2 seconds. It all feeds through an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and is limited to 250 km/h top speed. It’s 4WD, but the rear wheels are only driven by a 113bhp motor. On start-up, the car defaults into electric-only where it’s mostly RWD and you’re promised up to 35 km of emission-free driving.
You’ve got to hand it to Peugeot, the 508 is a great looking car with standout LED lights and a sport engineered body kit making it look really assertive and athletic. The estate version is a no-brainer because it looks better and has added practicality. The suspension is 4mm lower than the standard 508 as well as being 50 per cent stiffer and allied to three-stage adjustable damping. The tracks are wider (up 24mm at the front, 12mm rear) and you’ve massive 380mm brakes behind mock-carbon 20″ alloys covered in Michelin tyres.
As this is the plug-in hybrid the best way to get the most out of the powertrain is to charge up every night at home. This is true for both performance and economy as you’re going to want to use electric mode for short trips to keep costs down as well as set aside some juice in the tank for full power on a twisty road. The relatively small 11.5 kilowatt hour battery takes about an hour and 45 minutes to charge up using a home wall box or seven hours if you use a three pin household plug. It’s doable overnight even if you’re stuck somewhere without a wall charger.
Peugeot’s official figures show that the car gets 42 g/km fuel consumption 2,03 l/100 km but that’s typical of a plug-in hybrid because these cars ace the official tests. In real-world driving you’ll get less especially if you run the battery down and you’re only using the petrol engine. There’s about 45 km of electric range which is below average in the plug-in hybrid world but it might be enough to get to work and back for some people. It also means tax on the 508 is cheap even if the car itself definitely isn’t the most powerful Peugeot road car ever.
You probably guessed that it’s quick but what’s not obvious from the 0 to 100 km/h time is that it doesn’t feel like the lively hot hatches Peugeot was once known for. The petrol engine sounds a bit strained and since most of the punch is coming from a near silent electric motor it doesn’t have that ‘joie de vivre’ of a French hot hatch. It feels a lot more grown up in a lot of ways, there’s adjustable suspension as standard and because the suspension is stiffer than in a normal 508 and you get sticky Michelin tires which means loads of grip plus the brakes have been beefed up so the 508 is a pretty serious performance machine. In comfort mode the ride is firm but there’s not much body roll even though the steering is quick partly because of the small steering wheel it’s well weighted so it’s really good on twisty roads.
The driving position is good and reminiscent of a BMW 330e and when you want to settle down and commute to work, the 508 does that too. In electric mode it glides along nicely and even when the engine’s on. Motorway cruising is quiet too but it would enhance the experience if the engine sounded beefier to match the brawny looks.
The estate version of the 508 PS has 530 litres of boot space which is quite a bit more than the 410 liters you get in the BMW 330e Touring. Fold the seats down and there’s a healthy 1780 litres which is excellent for a performance car and really adds to the model’s appeal. In the back it’s definitely not the roomiest family estate car around but there’s still plenty of space for adults, a VW Passat GTE has more legroom but isn’t anywhere near as good looking. The seats are a little on the firm side but they should soften up with time if you get some use out of them and they look really smart. In the front you can enjoy the quality leather and alcantara seats and the soft touch materials dotted around the cabin. Unfortunately the 508 doesn’t feel as upmarket as some of its German rivals as it’s got some cheap feeling plastics and the infotainment isn’t quite up to scratch.
The infotainment screen measures 10” and it’s got some useful features such as a section that’s unique to the plug-in model, plus some handy physical shortcut keys that take you to all the necessary features. It’s just a shame that the screen isn’t as pin sharp as you’d expect from modern tech. The 12.3” screen behind the steering wheel is nice though, it takes a bit of getting used to with the steering wheel controls so it’s a bit fiddly. Overall the cabin is good but they could add a few more distinguishing touches considering its high price tag of €70,460 but we do still like the design of the dash and it’s unlike anything else in this kind of car.
The 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered is really well equipped as standard though along with the two screens which have Sat Nav, Android Auto and Apple Carplay you get a 360 degree camera and heated massage seats plus a premium stereo and 20” alloy wheels. The list of safety kit is also lengthy. Peugeot has proven once again that they know what they’re doing when it comes to performance cars, the 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered is fast, quiet, great to drive, relatively efficient and it looks good. It makes for a great everyday car whilst also delivering loads of performance, it’s a shame it doesn’t sound like a sports car and the interior feels a bit cheap considering the hefty price tag. otherwise it makes a great alternative to a sporty BMW, Volkswagen or Volvo plug-in hybrid, particularly for company car users who are lucky enough to pick one.