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Pros: Stylish, efficient, good to drive.
Cons: Not as roomy as rivals, fiddly infotainment.
Peugeot 508 Design
The current generation of the 508 first hit Irish roads back in 2019 and was facelifted in 2023 in line with the rest of the Peugeot range. Styled as a fastback, the 508 looks like a saloon but it’s actually a hatchback.To this day, the 508 is still one of the best-looking large cars on sale - even in the company of rivals like the Audi A4, Volkswagen Arteon or Skoda Superb.
The most notable difference to the facelifted 508 is a new grille framed by slim LED headlights with matrix technology as standard. It does enough to keep this car looking classy and fresh. The 508 is also the latest Peugeot to get the brand’s new lion shield logo and signature ‘3-claw’ daytime running lights. A black strip now connects the rear lights, with P-E-U-G-E-O-T spelt across it. There are some new colours like Eclipse Blue and alloy wheel designs from 17- to 20-inch. Buyers can choose from Allure or sportier GT trim, while there’s also the top of the range, high-performance 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered (PSE).
Peugeot 508 Interior
Peugeot’s wraparound i-Cockpit still looks great after all these years and gives a more driver-focused feel to the 508 than most of its rivals. You do sit quite low in the 508, which enhances the sporty feel, though it won’t be to everyone’s taste. There are a few minor updates like a new rocker switch for gear selection on the centre console, fresh graphics for the digital instrument cluster and updated software for the infotainment. The seats are comfortable and supportive with a range of upmarket finishes including artificial leather, and Alcantara on higher spec models. Powered lumbar support comes as standard, though it will cost more to spec heated front seats with power adjustment.
Interacting with the 10-inch touchscreen is a little convoluted at first to adjust things like the climate control. But the piano-style buttons underneath do help to access menus quickly. There’s also wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, natural voice recognition and over-the-air updates for the very first time in the 508.
The 508 does a decent job of accommodating adults in the rear though it falls short of the limo-like space of a Superb or Arteon. Headroom is not the most generous for taller passengers either. One must compromise a little for such style!
Still, the 508’s hatchback-style boot stows away 487 litres in the fastback or 530 litres in the SW. Not class-leading but spacious enough for a big car like this.
Peugeot 508 Performance & Drive
There’s a good choice of engines for the 508 including 1.2 petrol, 1.5 diesel and a plug-in hybrid with an electric driving range in the region of 40 kilometres. The top of the range Peugeot 508 PSE uses a 360hp plug-in hybrid drivetrain with all wheel drive. All versions come with an 8-speed automatic as standard. Peugeot has added a 180hp plug-in hybrid to the range, which sits alongside the more powerful 225hp version. Yet the 130hp 1.5 diesel is still an excellent match for the 508. There’s plenty of power and torque, and great economy on a tank of fuel making it an ideal motorway cruiser. The official consumption figure is 5.0-5.4 litres per 100 kilometres and it’s easy to replicate those figures in day to day driving over mixed roads.
Peugeot adapted the 508’s suspension settings to each engine in development to ensure the best level of comfort. Our diesel Allure model on 17-inch wheels certainly lived up to that. The cabin also stays nicely hushed even at motorway speeds, so the 508 ticks a lot of boxes as a traditional executive car. The 508 is good to drive, with the compact steering wheel and good body control through bends making it feel more agile and athletic. It never feels too big or unwieldy from behind the wheel.
Peugeot 508 Pricing
The 508 is available from €45,495 for a petrol, from €46,495 for a diesel and now from €49,995 for the new 180hp plug-in hybrid.
Carzone Verdict
Sales of cars like the 508 have been in decline for some years now as buyers switch to SUVs. It’s a shame the 508 will never sell in huge numbers because it’s a brilliant executive car with the looks and refinement to compete at the top of the class. The diesel engine is hardly a fashionable choice these days but with its economy and refinement, it’s still a great match for the 508.