Peugeot 408 GT PHEV test: This one is pretty good

Peugeot has had great success with the 2008 e-208 and e-cars and in Norway. Now they are preparing to follow that up with a number of new electric cars. One of them is the new 408. However, it is not yet fully electric. Peugeot starts with a plug-in hybrid first.

Here we are talking about a five-door Combi, or fastback as Peugeot itself calls it. The car is 4.69 meters long and has a trunk capacity of 471 liters. family car? In terms of space, we mean yes, but for most Norwegian families it’s obviously too daring to think of something other than an SUV or, in an emergency, a station wagon when they need a car.

Peugeot offers two engines with 180 and 225 horsepower, respectively. The two have the same powertrain, with a 12.4-kilowatt battery. This gives an estimated electric range of 63 km. He’s roughly in the middle of the team on the rechargeable front in 2023.

The 225-horsepower version starts at NOK 554,900. With a solid set of additional equipment in place, we end up at NOK 613,800.

Combi: The five-door range is what applies here, it’s a type of car that not many people choose anymore.

How is driving?

There’s nothing extravagant about the 408, but it makes up for it by being a very competent car. The Peugeot Small Steering Wheel itself provides a good dose of driving pleasure. It also provides good ground contact, while the steering is well weighted.

The chassis is a good mix of sportiness and comfort. At the same time, the car feels luxurious. This applies to everything from noise reduction, to the way the chassis takes larger and smaller bumps.

There are many plug-in hybrids faster than the 408, but we think 7.8 seconds is acceptable in this class anyway. The forces are immediately there and planted in the road via the front wheels. 4×4 is not an issue, at least not at first. So it manages up to 63 kilometers of electricity. If you don’t have a lot of long distance driving and you are good at charging, then you should be able to reduce fuel consumption pretty well.

On winding country roads, the 408 actually feels smaller than it is. It’s meant to be a compliment. On the highway it feels like a big car, and here the battery pack also contributes to the stiff and slightly heavy driving feel.

There were queues for this Peugeot diesel

Tough: the 408 is noted at the start, and this certainly applies to the front as well.

Space and practical solutions:

behind the wheel:

Peugeot’s little steering wheel takes some getting used to. At first, it’s unusual to see the instruments above the steering wheel, rather than through it. But it quickly becomes a habit and works very well. There is also a new 10-inch display, the so-called main programmable buttons.

The dashboard is functionally laid out. Sometimes there is a bit of a fuss with the various functions on the screen. Here, Peugeot’s solution isn’t as good as its more intuitive competitors.

Important things have happened here with the Peugeot electric car

Seats: This is what it looks like inside, in addition to the very good front seats, with, among other things, cushion extensions.

Life in the backseat:

The sporty design can be seen when you sit in the back seat. I, who is 1.83m tall, has enough room in height, while legroom is good. The raised window line can also be noted. It gets a bit dark and claustrophobic here, despite the large glass ceiling. Kids will likely notice it, too.

Rear seat passengers have their own fresh air vents in the center console. Here we also find two USB-C charging sockets and a small storage compartment.

The center armrest also has a little storage space, as well as two fairly shallow cup holders.

Darkness: The high window line makes it a bit dark in the back seat, but the seating comfort here is good.

What do you bring with you?

Thus, the trunk space is 471 liters. It’s a perfectly good thing that this class of car is. It’s easy to make use of the space, but the sloping roofline means you don’t have much to walk on if you want to pack up high. So this car is probably not for those who like to take as much as possible on trips.

– I braked and braked – to no avail

design

the outside:

408 is completely color dependent. Bright red is, in our opinion, the perfect color for this car. It highlights all the design elements, and there are a lot of them. too much? Some probably think so, but we have a feeling Peugeot is spending way too much for a car in this class. 408 stands out in traffic and causes little fanfare at first. That’s more than we can say about many competitors.

inside:

Peugeot hasn’t gone crazy on the screen front (as some do), but the two screens still dominate the dashboard, which, like the exterior design, is quite distinctive. There are many narrow and rather square lines here, as well as quite a few different textures. It’s not particularly exclusive, but we think the material options match the price very well.

No wonder this Peugeot is causing a stir

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Technical factor

408 has nothing to be ashamed of in this area. The list of standard equipment is long, including matrix lights with automatic high beam assist, lane departure warning, sign recognition, and distance warning. A nice detail for comfort is that you can program the cooling and heating of the cabin. By the way, you can also do this by charging.

Additional features include Park Assist with a 360-degree camera and wireless charging. The so-called Power Seat package offers a power driver’s seat with memory and seat cushion extension (important for many with long legs), as well as power lumbar support and massage in both front seats.

Sales stability: Peugeot has made a car that impresses in many ways, yet sales in Norway are likely to be very limited. Plug-in hybrids have ended up firmly in the shadow of electric vehicles, too.

What is the conclusion?

…simply that this bodes well! The Ladbar 408 will practically be a transitional model in Norway, until the all-electric version is released, possibly at the end of 2024 or in 2025. Many will certainly be waiting for it. But if you’re not quite ready for an electric car just yet (or simply don’t want one), this is a very good option.

The Peugeot feels solid, drives smoothly and offers the usual recharging advantage: electric driving on a daily basis, not worrying about range or charging when going on a long trip.

the price? The test car’s NOK 613,800 isn’t a deterrent when compared to other rechargeable cars of similar size. The challenge with this and others in the class, of course, is that you can get more electric cars that are VAT-free, and for a lower price.

At one time this was the toughest car on the street