Peugeot's 508 is here in late April, but is it a worthy successor to the 407?
The 407 was a smart-looking vehicle. Apart from a very long front overhang, it had a relatively sleek and sporty look. Inside, however, headroom was poor for both front and rear occupants. The other criticism I had of the 407 was the tiny clustered buttons and controls that were simply too fiddly. The new 508 tackles both of those issues and takes the five-seat car to new levels of refinement, comfort and ease of use.
Some people hated the nose of the 407 and some loved it - I was one of the latter. Sadly, the very identifiable front end is no more as the 508 looks more subtle than sporty. 508 has a shorter front overhang and a longer rear one, making it look more in proportion. The outgoing 407 found 9,100 homes in Ireland and 852,000 globally since its launch. Peugeot is confident that the 508 is a much better offering and better value, too.
508's interior space is now impressive thanks to a longer wheelbase. Peugeot says the cabin is in fact similar in size to the Peugeot 607. The ergonomic layout is vastly improved also. My favourite toy in the new car is the optional HUD that is a very neat bit of kit. It lets you see your speed and sat/nav directions indicated at the base of the windscreen.
Under the 'skin' the car has been lightened by 35kg on average and the suspension simplified. Most 508 versions use a new pseudo-McPherson strut front suspension set-up and a multi-link rear set-up. NVH levels (noise/vibration/harshness) have not suffered as 508 cruises quietly on the open road and is a decent performer on the twisty bits. 508 has come a long way since the 404.
I tested both saloon and SW (estate) versions recently in Alicante, a number of engine options and the new low CO2, stop/start 1.6 e-HDi diesel. The e-HDi features an automated manual gearbox that isn't as nice to use as VW's DSG but nonetheless delivers excellent fuel efficiency and smooth gear changes once you learn its ways. The stop/start system uses a reversible alternator to ensure speedy engine restarts.
Irish cars will come in three specifications: Access, Active and Allure. ESP is standard. Prices start at €24,850 and rise up to €35,150. Four engine options will be offered in Ireland - all diesels. A 112bhp, 1.6 HDi starts the range off. Next up is the e-HDi 1.6; it falls into tax band 'A' for CO2 emissions. For me, the best engine in the range is the 140bhp, 2-litre HDi. It has a six-speed manual gearbox and band 'B' CO2 emissions. The range topper is a 163 bhp, automatic (six-speed) 2 litre that attracts €302 in annual road tax.
In 2012 a four-wheel drive hybrid 508 will be launched that will have an electric motor powering the rear wheels and a HDi engine powering the front. It will have sub-100g/km CO2.
Can the 508 really take on the Mondeo, Passat and Avensis? Only Ireland's fleet managers will decide that. Peugeot in Ireland expects to sell 500-600 units this year and 1,200 in a full year.
Michael Sheridan
