Peugeot’s 408 is a handsome, refined and spacious family car that’s easy to get along with.
With a good range of engines, a sleek exterior, a smart cabin and a practical hatchback shape it has plenty to recommend it.
Officially it’s a hatchback but it has a slightly elevated ride height that pitches it towards crossover territory, in the same vein as the Kia Xceed or BMW’s X2.
Buyers have the choice of a standard 1.2 litre petrol engine or two plug-in hybrid models (with 178 or 225bhp) that pair a 1.6 litre petrol unit with a 12.4kWh battery and can do up to 40 miles on electric power. All versions come with eight-speed automatic transmission and are front-wheel drive.
Prices
Prices start at around £30,000 and peak at just over £46,000 for the range topping model. I spent a week with the 1.2 litre petrol model in mid-spec Allure Premium trim level, which came with a very reasonable price tag just north of the £32,000 mark.
With nice proportions and plenty of angles, scoops, slashes and other features to catch the eye, the Peugeot 408 is a fine looking car.
The good news continues in the cabin, where you’ll find a smart, well laid out interior. There’s a large, clear touchscreen and a digital display for the driver. You can configure various shortcut buttons for functions you use most frequently. The 408 also comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard so you can integrate your phone with the car.
The small steering wheel has a flat top and bottom, giving it a sporty feel. Peugeot has been upping its interior game in recent years and this might be its best effort yet. The touchscreen, buttons and general layout are all well thought out and have a high quality feel to them.
One of the Peugeot 408’s strengths is its practicality. With plenty of head and leg room in the front and rear it can comfortably carry four large adults. At 536 litres the boot is an excellent size and its large hatchback opening makes it easy to get stuff in and out of there.
An armrest cubby hole, cupholders and large door pockets mean there’s plenty of space to stash smaller items too.
On the road with the Peugeot 408
On the road, the 408’s 1.2 litre engine pushes seamlessly through its eight gears and generally goes about its business without any fuss.
With 130bhp, it has enough power to do the 0-62mph sprint in a little over 10 seconds. Don’t drive like a lunatic and it should return mpg in the low-to-mid-40s.
If I was spending my own money this is the engine I would go for. The plug-in hybrid versions cost a lot more and add upwards of 300kg to the car’s weight.
Handling is good, although the elevated ride height means there’s a little bit of body roll. Without doubt its strongest suit is refinement. A smooth ride and excellent sound insulation makes the Peugeot 408 a superb long distance cruiser.
At 70mph on the motorway it covers the miles as quietly and comfortably as an Audi A4 or Mercedes C-Class. My partner and I drove it from Dundee to Wales and back and couldn’t have had a more relaxing journey.
I came away very impressed with the Peugeot 408. It’s a car that’s a little hard to categorise – not quite a hatchback, not quite an SUV.
But if you’re after a good looking family car with plenty of space for passengers and luggage, refined road manners and a very smart cabin, I’d recommend taking a 408 for a test drive.
Facts
Price: £32,175
0-62mph: 10.4 seconds
Top speed: 130mph
Economy: 48.1mpg
CO2 emissions: 136g/km
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