Test Peugeot 408 GT Hybrid 225 CV (with video)

The automotive sector does not stop evolving. Not only in terms of propulsion systems, but also in terms of design styles that affect the entire body. We have already seen the success of some sportier aesthetic crossovers such as the Cupra Formentor or the Renault Arkana. Today we bring you the test of a new differentiated model, the Peugeot 408.

We already saw this new Peugeot a few weeks ago, although we couldn't drive it; because it was a static presentation. Now we have put the gauntlet on it, moving to Sitges where it is celebrating its dynamic international presentation. To make it even more visual, we've even recorded a test video that you can already see in our YouTube channel and that I leave you here below.

As we have already said on occasion, Peugeot is living a very sweet moment. It is a generalist brand but it does not have exactly cheap products. However, the registration data reflects month by month a good number of sales supported mainly by the Peugeot 208, 2008 and 3008, in addition to the compact 308.

Positioning, where is the Peugeot 408 located?

Before entering fully with the new Peugeot 408 it is important to locate it on the map. It is a car that design and size is halfway between an SUV, a sedan and a compact. We could say that it is a relatively compact crossover, although at 4,69 meters in length it is already a fairly long car. You want to collect the best of the 308 family, the 3008 and the 508. How will the bet turn out?

Peugeot says that with this vehicle They aim to reach customers who are looking for new concepts, thus betting on a visual differentiation. It will pick up buyers who come from the SUV style and also from the traditional sedans. By the way, it partially shares the silhouette shape with the Citroën C5 X, also from the Stellantis Group, using the same platform and engines.

A review of its exterior design

aesthetically i reminds a feline prepared to hunt its prey. Muscular, with a concentrated look and a tense body to attack at any moment. Look at the torn headlights of the front, in the fangs for the LED lights or in the grille, which is always in the color of the body.

El lateral It's also very eye-catching, with a smooth upper silhouette on a fastback style due to the slow drop of the roof, culminating in a slight spoiler over the edge of the trunk. Meanwhile, in the wings and lower area of ​​the doors we see marked lines of tension, as well as the specific 19-inch wheels and very fairing to improve aerodynamics in this GT finish.

It is available in six colors, two totally new to the brand, Obsession Blue, which uses the proven unit, and Titanium Grey.

For its part, the back area once again offers very forceful shapes and lines. Proof of this is the ducktail-style aerodynamic lip on the edge of the boot, the LED lighting line with the claws or the prominent black diffuser to generate greater contrast. No one can say that it is not an original car. What will happen in the cabin?

The interior traces the dashboard and controls of the 308

The interior is not that new because we know it from the Peugeot 308. It is a carbon copy, which is not a bad sign since it is very striking, with a very technological aspect. But it also has a detail that you may not like.

Like all Peugeots, it has the i-Cockpit cockpit Looking at the instrument panel above the steering wheel. It doesn't finish convincing me since in my ideal driving position it does not allow me to see all the information and I have to force the position a bit. In fact, if I position myself as I would like, I don't see the bottom half of the board. By the way, this three dimensional painting uses a 10-inch screen.

Exactly the same size has the multimedia system screen, 10 inches. In the lower area of ​​this there are some configurable touch keys for different shortcuts, a good solution. It seems less good to me that Peugeot, like other brands of the Stellantis group, continues to integrate the air conditioning in this touch multimedia module, although it is true that it is not as cumbersome as it was a few years ago.

What is remarkable is that we have many scattered storage compartments around the cabin to empty our pockets. Peugeot says that between all of them they add up to 35 liters. It also seems to me a success that glossy black is not abused much.

Regarding the qualities, everything conveys a good impression. have resorted to padding materials good quality in most of the dashboard and doors, presenting a pleasant touch. In addition, when pressing on areas that are somewhat sensitive to creaking nor do crickets come out, which is good news.

Good front seats, the rear ones a bit halfway

If we talk about space, In the front seats I don't have any amplitude problem. It is true that it is not perceived as wide as in other vehicles because the center console is somewhat wide, as has been common in Peugeot models for a few years. But as I say, there is plenty of space and you also have the impression of feeling more welcomed by the car.

Another not so good point that I want to mention in this section is that, due to the striking exterior design of the body, Visibility from here to the rear is somewhat reduced.

According to the second rowThe access is correct because the door opens quite a bit, although you have to be careful not to hit your head on the ceiling. Once inside, the most remarkable thing is the enormous longitudinal distance, that is, the space for the legs. In my case, with a height of 1,76, I have about 10 or 12 fingers of margin in the knees with respect to the front seatback.

The worst point is the height. Be careful, the data itself is not bad, but since the upper area of ​​the door frame goes inwards, it makes the side of our head very close to the obstacle. In my case I don't get to play, but there is no room for much more either. This itself makes traveling occupying the three rear seats greatly reduces comfort, more than in other cars.

As far as good solutions are concerned, here behind we enjoy a central armrest with a hole for two water bottles, two USB-C sockets, central air vents, good openings in the doors and some nets behind the front seats to place the occasional magazine, for example.

Correct trunk, with usable shapes

We now go to the trunk. The Peugeot 408 has automatic opening and closing of the tailgate in this proven finish, the GT, which is the top of the range. Once deployed we find a capacity of 471 liters in the case of the PHEV (plug-in hybrid) versions and 536 liters in the gasoline variant. Logically, this difference is due to the fact that the batteries subtract some capacity.

Otherwise, the shapes of the loading mouth are good and the interior itself has no irregular areas either, so it helps us to better place the luggage. There is no shortage of comfortable handles to knock down the seats from behind with a simple gesture, leaving a floor without a step to load large objects.

Three engines, two of them plug-in and no trace of diesel

If you are wondering about the engines, in Spain it is offered with three variants. All of them have automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, not having the possibility of choosing either manual transmission or variants with all-wheel drive.

That said, the access option is the 1.2 PureTech 130. A turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline engine that produces 130 hp at 5.500 rpm and 230 Nm of torque from 1.750. Its combined consumption is 6 liters according to the WLTP approval. It does not have any type of microhybridization or anything similar, which is why it receives the C label from the DGT.

The other two alternatives are plug-in hybrids and have the environmental label Zero. They are called Hybrid 180 and Hybrid 225. Do you know what joint power each of them develops? Logically, 180 and 225 CV respectively.

They both share one 12,4 kWh battery and a 110 hp electric motor, which allows them to travel 63 kilometers without spending gasoline according to the theory. The difference in performance is given by the thermal engine, which is a 1.6-liter with 150 CV in the less powerful and 180 in the superior. As standard they have a 3,7 kW charger and in option one of 7,4 kW, which would allow the battery to be fully charged in just under 2 hours.

By the way, Peugeot has decided to completely forget about diesel mechanics in this new 408. They are not there, nor are they expected. What will come later is a 100% electric option on a date not specified by the gala brand, they simply say that it will be in 2023 or 2024.

At the wheel of the 408 hp Peugeot 225 PHEV

And now yes, we get behind the wheel of this long-awaited and aesthetically curious car. We have tested the plug-in hybrid version of 225 CV and GT finish, the most loaded of all and with a slightly sporty aesthetic.

First of all, I think it is fair to mention that, despite its large size, the 408 has the same platform as the 308, although "stretched" in length and wheelbase. In addition, it has been designed with an intermediate ground clearance between a compact and an SUV, but nevertheless the ceiling is not very high. Let's say they have crushed the body from below and from above.

With the usual agile Peugeot touch

We do not have the impression of driving a clumsy vehicle at all, among other things because, although the small and low steering wheel requires some adaptation time, it offers us a very fast steering. With little arm movement we have a lot of steering wheel turn, which translates into greater agility and steering speed. To this we must add that it is also quite accurate.

If we talk about the suspension, it has a good balance in its set-up. The car is heavy due to the batteries, but it doesn't feel heavy and you can have a good pace between the corners. There will not be too pronounced swings and it is also comfortable because it absorbs bumps well.

The 225 hp version has plenty of strength

Regarding the engine, the answer is more than enough for the vast majority of situations. During this contact, at no time have we had the feeling of falling short of benefits, because not only it has 225 hp, but also a lot of torque thanks to the electrical part. Specifically they are 360 Nm of torque.

In fact, we have several driving modes that change the response of the car quite a bit. There is an electric mode, another more balanced hybrid and a Sport mode in which we will spend more gasoline but we will always have a very energetic response.

As we always tell you, in these presentations we have little driving time, we go very fast and it is not fair to talk about consumption, since in so few kilometers it would not be very real data. The approved consumption data is 1,2 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers, which logically is not a real data either due to the bad approval system in the case of plug-in hybrids. This is not Peugeot's fault, it is the regulations.

To top off, something that I liked a lot is the insulation of the car. There are hardly any aerodynamic or rolling noises, with double glazing on the windshield and on the front windows. The engine, due to its smoothness and low-speed operation, is also not noticeable except during very intense acceleration. All of this contributes to reducing fatigue and improves travel comfort as well as the perception of vehicle quality.

Conclusions after a first contact with the new 408

We are already dismissing this test with the conclusions. You may like the Peugeot 408 more or less, but it does not go unnoticed, leaves no one indifferent. As we said at the beginning, it is a concept that tries to attract customers who are looking for a different style, outside of traditional sedans and who do not want to get into an SUV either. I have no doubt that this style of “crossover sedan” will make you succeed.

Unless the price is a problem, because here comes the delicate part. Part from 34.850 euros in its access version, which is the 1.2 hp 130 three-cylinder engine. Of course, it is no less true that it has a lot of standard equipment. In fact, the access trim level is already the Allure. Then there would be the Allure Pack and as the top of the range the sports GT. The 180 CV plug-in hybrid starts at 42.850 and the 225 CV at 45.600 euros. This Hybrid 225 with GT finish officially costs 48.400 euros. All without discounts or MOVES Plan.

I end with a curiosity that does not finish convincing me. Peugeot says that this car is a segment C, a compact, but almost 4,7 meters long... Rather it is positioned in the segment D. What do I mean by this? That If you are thinking of buying it, check the measurements carefully, because it will not be an easy car to park in a narrow garage. And having said this note, now yes, I leave you with the list of equipment and, below, the prices and a complete gallery.

Equipment Peugeot 408

Allure

• Mirror caps in black
• Darkened rear windows
• Front bumper with LDR light signature and decorations in black
• Gloss black inserts on rear bumper
• Chrome grille
• 17-inch wheels
• Driver's seat with lumbar adjustment
• Acoustic laminated windshield
• automatic high beams
• Rain Sensor
• Central armrest
• Driving mode selector
• Dual zone automatic climate control
• Mirrors with electrical adjustments, heating and automatic folding
• Hands-free starting
• Interior ambient lighting with eight colors
• 10-inch multimedia screen and customizable lower virtual screen
• i-cockpit driving position with 10-inch digital instrument cluster
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 2 front USB-C sockets and 2 rear USB-C sockets
• six speaker audio system
• Safety Plus Pack
• Reversing camera and rear proximity radar

Allure Pack (adds to Allure)

• Gloss black moon trims
• 19-inch wheels
• Laminated and acoustic side windows
• hands-free access
• Drive Assist Plus
• front parking sensor
• Extended traffic sign recognition
• blind spot monitoring
• lane change assistant
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go function

GT (adds to Allure Pack)

• Specific style front grill
• Brand emblem on the front doors
• matrix led headlights
• 3D taillights
• 19-inch wheels
• Aluminum front door sills
• contrasting seams
• black roof
• Dashboard with chrome crossbar and aluminum decorations
• Electrochromic interior mirror
• Aluminum sports pedals
• Alcantara upholstery
• hands free trunk
• Perforated and heated leather steering wheel

Peugeot 408 prices

official prices of Peugeot without discounts, promotions, financing or Plan Moves III.

Gallery Peugeot 408

More information about this model

Peugeot 408

• Plazas 5
• Power 130 - 225 hp
• Consumer goods 1,1 - 6l/100km
• Assessment 4,5