New Peugeot 508 SW: function follows form, diesel still reigns
The D-segment is suffering from the rise of the SUVs. That is why brands are reinventing their conventional saloons and estate cars, putting the accent on sportiness rather than mere practicality. Contrary to the middle-of-the-road current model, the newcomer exudes a more premium look and feel, thrilling dynamics and sophisticated Human-Machine Interfaces.
More muscles, less boot
The new 508 SW is 5 cm shorter and 6 cm lower, while its tracks have been widened by some 4 cm. That creates more athletic proportions and a beefier stance. At 2.793 m, the wheelbase shrank 2 cm – it remains to be seen what that means for the interior space. The boot lost 30 litres, but with 530 left, the new 508 SW can still compete with the new Volvo V60 (529 l) and Opel Insignia ST (560 l), to name one recent and one in-house competitor. Unique to the 508 SW are its frameless doors, a reference to luxury coupés and shooting brakes.
I-cockpit, u drive
The tiny PlayStation-like steering wheel has become a trademark feature of Peugeot, whether you like it or not. It means that you look over instead of through the rim, onto a digital and hence customisable instrument cluster at the base of the windscreen. A central touch display allows you to command connectivity (Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, MirrorLink), navigation, comfort and entertainment items.
Driving pleasure is still high up on Peugeot’s priority list, but so is driver assistance and comfort. New to Peugeot’s safety portfolio are Night Vision (an infrared camera that visualises people and animals in the dark), adaptive cruise control with stop&go (with the automatic transmission), full LED headlights, a Full Park Assist and a Lane keep assist that maintains the desired position on the road.
2 petrol, 3 diesel engines
No PHEV, no HEV, not even a mild hybrid for the 508: the line-up initially only comprises four-cylinder ICEs (internal combustion engines), either mated to a six-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Petrol drivers can choose between a 1.6 PureTech with 180 or 225 hp, dieselists between a 130-hp 1.5 BlueHDi, a 160-hp 2.0 BlueHDi and a 180-model variant of the latter.
The fleet favourite will probably be the 130-hp 1.5 BlueHDi with the automatic transmission, which boasts an interesting CO2-rating of 100 g/km. That’s NEDC correlated (WLTP standard), of course, and nothing short of impressive. It goes to show that Peugeot still believes in diesel and has invested a lot to push emission levels down to reassuring levels. All 508s comply with Euro 6d-temp, evidently.
Hybrid coming
PSA has put a lot of R&D effort in lightweighting, resulting in a weight loss of 70 kg. On top of that, the EAT8 automatic transmission has a fuel-saving freewheel function. Between 25 and 130 kph, the link between the engine and the gearbox is suspended, reducing frictional losses and thereby fuel consumption. By up to 3 percent, if you can believe the press file.
Those who were looking forward to discovering the plug-in hybrid model of the new 508 SW will have to wait another year: it won’t be available before the second semester of 2019. The conventional models should reach showrooms by January 2019. If you cannot wait that long, you can already get up close and personal with Peugeot's new flagship during the Paris Motor Show in October.
Picture copyright: Peugeot, 2018
