New PEUGEOT 508 SW PSE
From £55,175
Peugeot appears to have created a future classic in the 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered SW. It’s got a hugely powerful hybrid setup as well as all manner of features designed to make it really enjoyable to drive.
Interior
The elegant interior of the Peugeot 508 SW PSE with customisable interfaces and a compact egile steering wheel. The dashboard to armrests and door sills are branded with Peugeot Sport Engineered with a faultless finish.
As we’ve come to expect from recent Peugeot offerings, the cabin of the 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered (or PSE, for short) is innovative in its design. There are aircraft-style toggle switches for many of the main controls, while a large instrument cluster dominates the area ahead of the driver. You get Alcantara-trimmed sport seats too, which boast heating and a massage function to help take the backache out of longer trips.
Exterior
It’s hard not to be drawn in by the appearance of the 508. Even in standard form it’s a good-looking car, but this PSE version really takes things up a notch. A range of ‘Kryptonite’ coloured accents highlight this as something slightly different, while additional aerodynamic pieces show that this isn’t any normal 508. The fact it’s an estate only adds to the appeal, with a sharply-raked rear end helping to give the 508 a really sleek appearance.
The black radiator grill with the signature lion and above the 3-lion claw in kryptonite symbolising the virtuous and efficient performance. Designed especially for the Peugeot Sport Engineered 508 line, the Exclusive EXXAR Rims are diamond cut and finished in Black Mist.
Technology
The 508 SW Peugeot Sport Engineered benefits from plenty of standard technology, including a large central touchscreen which is backed by - as mentioned - a secondary screen behind the teeny-tiny steering wheel. There are also some next-generation features fitted as standard, including a night vision system that uses an infra-red camera to detect hazards in the road ahead when travelling at night.
Performance
The 508 SW PSE uses a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine which is then linked to a pair of electric motors. With one being at the front and another at the rear, the 508 is all-wheel-drive, which really does help to translate all 355bhp produced to the road. In fact, the 508 will manage 0-60mph in five seconds and a top speed of 155mph. In addition, the 11.5kWh battery means that you can travel for up to 32 miles on battery power alone, while the car’s claimed consumption figure is 138.9mpg.
What trim levels are on the PEUGEOT 508 SW PSE?
There’s only one trim level available - PSE. However, given that it stands at the very top of the 508 range, it’s absolutely packed with standard equipment. You get 20-inch alloy wheels included alongside a premium Focal sound system, a full 360-degree parking camera system and the aforementioned night vision tech. You’re unlikely to be disappointed by the equipment on offer here.
PEUGEOT 508 SW PSE Features:
- 20" 'EXXAR' diamond cut alloy wheels
- AGR front seats with electric lumbar
- Night Vision
- FOCAL® premium HIFI speaker system
- Active suspension (Comfort, Normal, Sport)
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What is it?
Car manufacturers love to have a halo product. Think the Volkswagen GTI or Audi’s RS models - they all sit at the very top of the range and show what can be done. Peugeot has had a halo nameplate for some time - GTI - but is now looking to shake things up a bit with the introduction of its new Peugeot Sport Engineered (PSE) brand.
The first to be given the PSE treatment is the firm’s stylish 508, but can this car bring excitement and, most importantly, act as a beacon for what modern sporty Peugeots are like? Let’s find out.
What’s new?
There are a host of changes going on both outside and inside of the 508 PSE. It’s available in both Fastback or SW (estate) layouts, while Peugeot Sport has made sure to make changes to the suspension, chassis and track to make it more involving to drive than the regular car.
The Peugeot 508 PSE also takes the title as Peugeot’s most powerful road car to date, which shows that it really isn’t messing about when it comes to performance.
What’s under the bonnet?
Peugeot has adopted a hybrid setup for the 508 PSE. So you get a combination of a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 200bhp and a pair of electric motors - one at the front and one at the rear. In total, you get 355bhp and 520Nm, equating to a 0-60mph time of five seconds and a top speed of 155mph.
But because of that 11.5kWh battery - which takes around an hour and three-quarters to fully charge via a 7kW home wallbox - you can get up to 26 miles of electric-only range. Plus Peugeot claims up to 138.9mpg combined and CO2 emissions of just 46g/km. So you’re really getting the best of both worlds.
What’s it like to drive?
With four-wheel drive on its side, the 508 PSE definitely has all-weather capability within its list of abilities. This makes it a great fit for the UK’s slippery roads which, more often than not, are wet and greasy with rain. When pushing on, there’s a lot of traction while the steering - which has also been recalibrated - feels direct and well-weighted.
The seating position is also spot-on while the Alcantara-trimmed sports seats hold you firmly in place. Adaptive suspension also allows you to tailor the car’s ride to the settings, so switching it into ‘Comfort’ quickly transforms that 508 PSE into a well-mannered cruiser.
How does it look?
Even the regular 508 is a looker, so this transformation only adds to that well-judged design. In PSE guise the 508 is even more striking, with darkened chrome badges underplaying the kind of performance it offers. The PSE is separated from the rest of the range through its bold grille and enlarged air intakes, while plenty of Kyptonite (a green-yellow colour) coloured parts really stand out.
There are also some additional aero pieces on the front bumper while around the back there’s a restyled and exaggerated rear diffuser.
What’s it like inside?
There are plenty of styling touches in the 508 which separate it from the norm. There are the aircraft-style toggle switches and Peugeot’s almost comically small steering wheel. You get a large digital instrument cluster ahead of that wheel, too, though it can sometimes be blocked if the wheel itself isn’t in the right position.
In terms of boot space, the PSE offers the same 529-litre area that you get from the standard 508 SW, so it’s got more than enough practicality on its side.
What’s the spec like?
There is a drawback to the 508 PSE - its price. Starting from £55,795, this Peugeot is one expensive performance car, particularly in terms of the rest of the firm’s range, and makes it more costly than rivals like Audi’s S4 Avant. However, you do get plenty of standard equipment for the outlay, with highlights including ‘Night Vision’, which is able to pick out hazards in the road using an infrared camera to pick them out from the darkness.
In fact, the only option available is paint, with Nera Black, Pearl White and Selenium Grey all on offer.
Verdict
There’s no getting away from the fact that the 508 PSE is a pricey option within the market. However, its breadth of abilities - not to mention its great level of standard equipment - means that for many people it’ll more than justify this price tag.
Add into this its practicality and sparkling dynamics and you have a car that will tempt many buyers away from more mainstream offerings.