The Vehicles Earth

Soon to arrive on the CAR long-term test fleet is a new Peugeot 508 SW. The 508 is a direct replacement for the 407, but high-spec models have replaced that French ministerial favourite, the bigger 607 – and, whisper it, are there to also attract the odd soul who doesn’t default to a German exec.

The 508 was well received at launch in 2011, plus Peugeot had already impressed the press with its svelte RCZ coupe, and recent early drives of the new 208 supermini prove Peugeot is definitely getting its act together. So, time to see whether initial positive impressions of the 508 endure…

Our 508 is the SW estate, so there’s plenty of room for all my photographic gear. And it’s got the 161bhp 2.0 HDi engine. For a boy that’s used to a 104bhp fuel-sipping Superb, I think heady times might be ahead. Versus the Skoda’s official 64.2mpg and 114g/km CO2, the more powerful Peugeot isn’t quite as parsimonious (with 56.4mpg and 130g/km) but it’ll be interesting to see what difference there is between the fuel figures returned in the real world.

The Allure trim level of our 508 SW is one step down from the top-of-the-range GT, and offers plenty of kit as standard. Highlights include auto and electric everything (windows, mirrors, lights), a gargantuan panoramic roof, part-leather trim, heated front seats, keyless entry and go, and rather dashing 18in alloys. That’s £25,105.

Beyond that we’ve spent £450 on ‘Aluminium’ metallic paint and £1215 on a pack that bundles together sat-nav, Bluetooth, a colour head-up display and Peugeot Connect SOS, which I presume to be a roadside pack of French lions at my disposal.

I have never owned a Peugeot, and only driven a handful in my time so I’m looking forward to seeing what the French brand has to offer me. This is, after all, my favorite type of car: a diesel estate with plenty of space, but it has a tough act to follow after the utter faultlessness of my current car, that big, white Skoda Superb.

By Mark Fagelson