MOTORS: Peugeot 408’s appearance stands out from crowd
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If you want to drive something distinctive, it could cost a fair bob or two to get behind the wheel of a bright red Ferrari or custard yellow Lamborghini.
A cheaper, and more sensible option, is to look at what the French manufacturer Peugeot have to offer. Apart from the fact that their latest range is impressive in performance and styling, they are also at the forefront of electric and hybrid technology and in the case of their 408, there aren’t that many of them around.
It’s an unusual car, a combination of coupe, estate car and SUV which makes it stand out from the crowd... and that’s before you even consider what’s under the surface.
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It is a pretty rare car, like its cousin, the Citroen C5X, but that will appeal to some, especially when they see the stylish package they get for their money.
The featured car was one of two plug-in hybrids with a 1.6 litre, three-cylinder petrol engine paired with an electric motor powered by a 12.4 kWh battery which should give around 40 miles of emission-free motoring. That is adequate for most commuting demands and has considerable tax advantages for company car drivers, resulting in a benefit-in-kind rate of just eight per cent for business users. Prices start at just over £31,000 and there’s a choice of three trims, Allure, Allure Premium and the featured GT which with extras, tipped the final price tag to almost £46,000.
On the road, the electric power is deliciously smooth with instant acceleration but on a 200-mile drive, it didn’t last long enough and most of the journey was done using petrol.
A drive mode rocker switch allows you to transfer from Normal to Eco or Sport for an even livelier response or keep it in electric power for as long as there’s storage in the battery. Even without the electric back-up I still managed more than 50 mpg which is pretty good for such a big car.
The suspension is firm but that means it feels steady and confident whatever the road surface and even with the raised driving position, there’s little body roll on the bends and the steering is direct and positive.
It’s also beautifully quiet, especially in electric mode, with very little wind or road noise but that makes the petrol engine more noticeable when it kicks in.
The interior is comfortable and stylish with unique Peugeot features such as the small heated steering wheel and I especially liked the 10-inch digital driver display which came with 3-D technology in the GT test car.
Like some of the other latest models from Peugeot, it’s set high so that you view it over the wheel rather than through it. What I found distracting though was that the polished trim running along the top of the dash reflected on the windscreen in front of the head-up display.
The central touchscreen comes with wireless Mirror Screen for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and there’s a row of toggle switches below for a shortcut to frequently used features such as climate control and phone.
The infotainment system’s satnav has live traffic updates and voice recognition to access all the features which can be handy once you get used to how it works.
A colour reversing camera, rear parking sensors and high beam assist are standard with full matrix LED headlights on the GT. The test car also came with very effective electrically-adjustable lumbar support as part of the £1100 seat pack.
It’s a big car inside with stacks of leg room in the back. The boot space is reasonable but some is lost to accommodate the batteries underneath while the powered tailgate with foot sensor, is standard in the GT.
Peugeot 408 GT Hybrid
PRICE: £43,450 (£45,850 as tested)
ENGINE: 1598cc inline turbocharged 3 cyl transverse petrol/electric 8-speed auto
POWER: 180 hp
TORQUE: 360 Nm
TOP SPEED: 140mph
0-62mph: 8.1 secs
TOWING CAPACITY: 1400kgs (braked)
