Peugeot 408 GT PureTech 130 AT8

So what exactly is the Peugeot 408?  Well, it’s kind of a fastback crossover thing that has a unique silhouette inspired by a… fastback.
The silhouette descends simultaneously with the rise of the median line, the wheelbase is large (2.79m), and these aspects make the 408 appear longer than it actually is.

With its length of 4.69m, the 408 is positioned between the 3008 and 508. The same is true for its height, which is halfway. It is 12cm longer than its main rival, the Renault Arkana. If you’re thinking of the Citroen C5 X, you’re not wrong. It’s exactly the same recipe, and it has exactly the same platform, but in smaller dimensions.

The 408 is 12cm shorter, and slightly narrower and lower by a few mm. However, unlike the C5 X, which is very comfortably tuned in every respect, the 408 has much more sporty settings.

Interior

The interior is typical of Peugeot. The digital instrument cluster is located above the steering wheel, which can be assimilated to a lever, being lowered and raised. That’s why you can’t order a head-up display.

The controls are taken from the 308, and the quality of the materials is truly good. Basically, the plastics in the upper area are soft, and the glossy black is far from areas that can be touched with fingers. The interior space is large, relative to expectations. In short, adults of 1.85m can sit on the bench without touching the ceiling with their heads, and there is even more space between their knees and the backrest of the seats than in the 308 SW (a few centimeters more).

The only problem would be a third passenger on the bench, due to the not-so-great width of the cabin. Also, if you’re taller, you have to bend your head when you enter the back.

The boot is large. It has 536 litres in the petrol engine version, but if you decide to wait for the plug-in hybrids, you will lose another 65 litres (or 82 if you opt for the Focal audio system).

The finishes are impeccable, with carpet covering all surfaces, elastic cords for securing small objects, and a spacious pocket on the right wall. There are also flaps for folding down the backrest of the bench seat, and a tunnel for transporting long objects, and the shape is regular so as not to lose any litres of usable space.

A drawback of the Peugeot is the climate controls being integrated into the screens rather than having physical knobs or switches, which can be difficult to use while driving. However, it’s worth noting that all models include sat-nav, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.

Driver’s position

In the front, the low position of the seats relative to the floor means that your legs are stretched out like in a true coupe. Of course, you can raise the seat as much as you want to feel like you’re in an SUV.

But it would be a shame – such a sporty position is rare among crossovers. The well-profiled seats keep you exemplary on corners. Keep in mind that it’s a coupe, so small concessions regarding visibility must be made for the sake of the fabulous look. This means you might have to tilt your head to avoid the area at the base of the very sloping windshield pillars, and you’ll have to get used to the wide backside that takes up some space in the mirrors, in the style of a Porsche 911. But overall, you have no serious reason to complain. Especially since you have 360° cameras and parking sensors ready to guide you.

Driving experience

The Peugeot 408 doesn’t feel like it’s floating 18.9 cm above the road. It attacks corners with an exciting confidence. The short steering remains firm enough to give you the confidence to attack the twisty sections without fear. It’s all supported by the long wheelbase, 2.79 m, which makes the car react smoothly and progressively, without any nervousness.

The whole package feels homogeneous because the 3-cylinder engine doesn’t put too much weight on the front axle. As a result, the car rarely understeers, and occasionally you’ll feel the rear end sliding a bit on long corners approached at the limit, always in complete safety. It’s a balanced and agile. You’ll end up loving its sportiness!

There’s a semi-independent suspension with trailing arms at the rear. Some may not like it, but it’s superbly tuned, and there’s one more thing: it has far fewer bushes to change than a multi-link setup. So maintenance costs are clearly lower.

The suspension is tuned for sportiness. But if you take into account the long wheelbase, you’ll realize that you won’t suffer from back pain when going over short bumps. Sure, it’s not the most comfortable crossover coupe, but it’s not trying to be.

Engine

The GT uses Peugeot’s PureTech 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo engine.
I hear you…A three-cylinder engine pulling 1498 kgs of weight? Really???

Yes, really. It’s not underpowered. Sure, the sporty settings crave for more power, and the 180 and 225 hp plug-in hybrids are quicker in a straight line. But on corners, I’ll always prefer the agility given by the lighter weight of the PureTech engine. The accelerations won’t blow you away, but they’re not slow either. The 8-speed automatic gearbox has closely spaced ratios, and thus helps to keep the engine in the right rev range.

0-100km/h takes 10.4 seconds. About 2 seconds more than the PHEV version.

There are also two paddles behind the wheel, but the small tachometer makes them almost useless. I would also have preferred a bit more consistency when pressing the accelerator pedal. The issue is with the gearbox software, which, in Normal mode, stays in the selected gear to maintain low consumption, and only downshifts and accelerates more abruptly when it detects that there isn’t enough torque. This can be solved by switching to Sport mode.

The fuel economy is reasonable. For example, on highway with the cruise control set at 130 km/h as indicated on the dashboard, and with enough decelerations/accelerations caused by heavy traffic, it consumed 7.6 l/100 km. On a countryside road, uphill, driving at regular speeds we managed an economy of 5.1 l/100 km.

Safety

The 408 underwent safety testing from Euro NCAP in late 2022, and like its smaller counterpart, the 308, it could only achieve a four-star rating out of five, which is not surprising given that they share most of their components. It is important to note that this doesn’t necessarily mean that either of these cars are unsafe, but rather highlights the rigorousness of Euro NCAP’s testing procedures.

All models of the 408 come with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive high beams and traffic sign recognition as standard safety features. The higher-spec versions offer additional safety equipment, such as blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist.

Prices

The 408 is £34,650 in the UK, €41,900 in Germany and €40,550 in France.