Motors with Tony Conlon: A practical package from Peugeot

During a recent chat with some friends, an interesting question came up: if I was a younger man and I had the money, which particular car dealership would I covet?

Without hesitation, my answer came back quicker than anyone expected: Peugeot. The reason I didn’t dwell too long over the question was further reinforced recently when I attended the European launch of the new Peugeot 408 in Sitges, outside Barcelona.

This car joins a stable that embodies everything I love about the marque, including style, build quality, power options, technology, comfort and handling abilities.

The new 408 is different insofar as it is a fastback saloon that slots into the crossover league because of its higher than saloon ground clearance. It is also offered with large wheels (17” to 20”) and comes with plastic body protection coverings on its wheel arches, just like an SUV.

The 408 stands out first and foremost for its dynamic fastback style and its lovely stance. Its lines are sharp and the grille is the same colour as the bodywork, bearing the new Peugeot emblem.

While the Lion emblem takes pride of place in the centre of the grille, the GT versions have smaller emblems on the car’s front doors. Personally, I would rather see these on the car’s front wings.

While the inverted cut-out of the rear bumper is unexpected, it does lend the profile a strong look. At the front, the fang-shaped light signature perfectly integrates the 408 into the Peugeot family, as do the three-claw LED lights at the rear.

With a length of 4.69m, wheelbase of 2.79m and a height of 1.48m, the 408 offers remarkable rear legroom. The boot is also generously sized, with a volume of 536 litres, which can be increased to 1,611 litres once the rear seats are folded down.

For both driver and passenger, the 408 offers the latest generation of the Peugeot i-Cockpit. It is clear to see that the emphasis is on quality and connectivity, with the very latest technologies.

The 10” digital instrument panel and the central 10” touchscreen, which have fully configurable i-toggles arranged below it, looked and worked extremely well. Each i-toggle offers a touch sensitive shortcut to settings such as climate, phone and radio.

Powered by 6 cameras and 9 radars, the driver assistance system includes adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, night vision - which warns of animals, pedestrians or cyclists ahead before they appear in the high beam - long-range blind spot monitoring (75 metres), and rear traffic alert, which warns of a potential hazard when reversing.

The range of engines powering the 408 includes two 1.6 litre petrol, rechargeable hybrid versions (with an 81kW electric motor) with 180 and 225bhp outputs, and a 1.2 litre 130bhp petrol version.

Claimed fuel returns are 5.36 l/100km (52mpg) for the 1.2 litre and 4.71 l/100km (59mpg) for the 1.6 litre Hybrid. All three are paired with an 8-speed EAT8 automatic gearbox. An all-electric version will follow next year. With LED lighting standard, the top GT model features Matrix LED technology.

The airflow over the roof of the car is optimised and guided by two ‘cat ears’ which create an optimal aerodynamic corridor towards the boot lid spoiler. These two features, which are as angular as they are efficient, are distinctive elements of the 408's style.

The new Peugeot will be offered with two new colours, Titanium grey and Obsession Blue, the latter a particularly attractive hue that was selected to mark the launch of the model.

In addition to the automatic transmission, PHEV versions have a driving mode selector which allows the driver to select different modes (electric, eco, hybrid, normal and sport).

Claimed to offer a range of 61km in EV mode, this front-wheel-drive hybrid can be charged from a wall socket in 1 hour 40 minutes or in 7 hours 05 minutes from a standard socket.

It’s an attractive car from every angle, and a drive of 178km on a mix of Spanish roads demonstrated in abundance its comfort and handling characteristics.

First deliveries are scheduled to take place from February 2023 with pricing as follows:

Allure 1.2 litre: from €39,995 (1.6 litre Hybrid, €44,995).

Allure Pack 1.2 litre: from €41,995 (1.6 litre Hybrid, €46,995).

GT 1.2 litre: from €44,995 (1.6 litre Hybrid, €49,995 180bhp; €52,495 for the 225bhp).