Peugeot 508 PSE: long-term test review

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Early signs suggest the PSE card has potential. Performance is okay but the frame and steering are a bigger attraction. We like the look and much of the interior, but in a £56k estate, utilitarianism is intrusively compromised.

• Mileage: 2.257
• So economic: 44.7mpg

Once, if you want fast Peugeot, it will be powered entirely by gasoline and be relatively affordable. Plus – given that it may have a GTi badge on the boot – you know that, for the most part, it will run and handle just fine. Peugeot has recently returned to form with hot hatches 208 and 308 GTi, which makes it all the more interesting that it is limited to the ‘GTi’ in the history books – and I’m sad about that.

However, I don’t shed tears for long because the future is bright. In fact, it’s acid green, because of the accents on this sleek look 508 SW real estate denotes its aura status as a Peugeot Sport Engineered model – new card of the French brand for its quick services.

And green is appropriate, because PSE is dip into the mixturewith the company using electrification to deliver efficiency, but with less environmental impact as a result – or so in theory.

In the coming months, that’s what we’re aiming to find out: whether this Peugeot Sport Engineered 508 SW, as it’s full name, delivers more than just a performance Peugeot for the era. modern and brave new electrified world, but also on its £55,830 price tag. Of course, you’re paying for a combustion engine, a battery and an electric motor, but the reality is, such a high number puts it in the same group as BMW’s M340i xDrive Touring and S4 Avant, a six-cylinder petrol – Audi turbocharger. and corresponding diesel models, with genuine premium appeal and heritage.

But this 508 PSE also represents Peugeot’s brand to push the premium market, so it’s not just about the performance it needs to deliver, but it’s also got to deliver high quality.

Having done over a thousand miles in the car since I received it last month, I am truly impressed. PSE, GTI, it doesn’t really matter, as long as the car delivers what you want. And while the 508’s internal combustion engine isn’t all-time great, it’s powerful enough and complemented by a powerful electric motor that makes it the most powerful Peugeot model ever put into production. With 355bhp and a total of 520Nm to the touch, it’s powerful – when you have electric assist.

The 0-62mph sprint took 5.2 seconds and I got about 20 miles from a single charge in current winter weather conditions. But as the battery drains, the gasoline engine has to work a little harder to carry the excess mass of the hybrid system around, and it starts to sound a little rough.

Even when the battery is almost dead, the first few yards when you pull it out are usually done electrically. But then the gasoline engine shuts down and the transmission has trouble switching between power sources, with a tough pause as it shuffles the two methods around.

At least the steering is sweet (one of the nicest settings in any modern hot Peugeot) and the ride is acceptable, albeit the chunky alloys. Big bumps can cause a loud thud, but otherwise it’s relatively controlled.

But what about the things you only learn from living with a car? Well, while I love the styling (fake carbon fiber bars) and think it looks like a German competitor down to the inch, the sleek, low roofline and high sill means going. the back is a bit tight; some people now not only comment on it, but also bang their heads.

Other practical considerations have also materialized. I’m still not sold on the Peugeot i-Cockpit setup, but it’s the placement of the USB points and the wireless charging dock that’s more annoying. You need an extra joint in your wrist to access them.

At least Peugeot has offered some thoughts on living with a PHEV; The charging cable storage area under the boot floor prevents the load space from becoming cluttered.

I also love the massage chairs. They are comfortable, but have functionality that will help on a long journey. However, the last few longer trips have meant that I haven’t charged as much as I would have liked, relying solely on gas power. Even so, I still averaged over 40mpg, which is fine. Hopefully in the next few weeks local cruises will give us the opportunity to maximize the performance potential of this plug-in. We shall see.

*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42 year old in Banbury, Oxon, for three points.