Peugeot 508 II

Peugeot's been busy cashing in on their hit crossovers such as the 2008, 3008, and the flagship 5008, but there is still work left undone for the 508 range. Although sales of the 508 have been stagnant due to the rise of crossovers, they decided to give the 508 another go with this new generation and what a Peugeot it is.

2019 Peugeot 508

2019 Peugeot 508 SW

Available in sedan and SW variants, the new Peugeot 508 starts at 32,300 Euros TTC so it's reasonably priced for a flagship saloon that competes to the likes of the Mazda Atenza, Subaru Legacy, Kia K5, Toyota Camry, and many others and by observing the design of the new model, the new 508 draws inspiration from the Exalt Concept, making it one of the best-looking saloons that borrows concept car elements out of it and making a buzz out of it. The only problem about the new look is the front because while it's nice to look at, the 508 badging in the middle spoils the appeal. It's fine on a Land Rover but in here, it's plain rubbish. It's like a supermodel with a big boil in her nose and you don't want that to happen.

2019 Peugeot 508 interior

On the inside, the futuristic elements today's Peugeot model carries since the 308, dubbed the i-Cockpit, are all here and it's sort of reminiscent of the interior from today's Ford GT, if you know what I mean? Anyway, while the dashboard is too futuristic to be ignored because of its clever sat-nav with smartphone connectivity, clever speedo, and so on, the comfort zone really works rather well in this new model, and thanks to the use of the EMP2 platform, it's surprisingly more spacious than the old 508 as well as the boot space, whereas the SW variant has the upper hand.

2019 Peugeot 508

Speaking of EMP2 platform, that new platform used on the new 508 results in a more lively driving experience that makes you come back for more, and when you go for the top-spec GT PureTech 225 S&S EAT8, the 508's dynamics really speaks for themselves but for subtle driving pleasure, there are different variants to choose from, just don't go for the diesel variants because France, like the rest of Europe today, treated diesels like public enemy number one because of the D-word from the headlines.

The driving pleasure of the new 508 is great indeed because of its new platform and sophisticated suspension and chassis setup that fares better than the previous model and for going home, the new 508 will be ready with a wide range of driving and safety aids so you don't have to worry about a thing.

So, is the new Peugeot 508 improved compared to the previous 508? Yes. These improvements made the new model relatively superior compared to the competition in terms of comfort, performance, safety, and packaging but while the design is great to look at, the 508 badge on the front side is a zit that deserves to be pinched and popped but while the front view is the least of the worries, the new 508 tries hard to win back the public whose attention is shifting to crossovers.

Photo: Groupe PSA