Peugeot 508 PSE Our final verdict of French PHEV

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PEUGEOT 508 PSE

Our PSE saloon offered so much on paper as a PHEV with 355bhp, 4WD and 138.9mpg potential. What was the reality?

FINAL REPORT MILEAGE 9508

WHY WE RAN IT To see whether Peugeot’s new sporting saloon can hold its own on luxury and performance in this competitive space

J

ust 53 Peugeot 508 PSEs were sold in the UK last year: it’s no wonder I’ve not spotted any others on the road. Still, as I wrote recently, Peugeot CEO Linda Jackson assured me that the maker achieved its goal of 2000 PSE sales worldwide.

Which raises the question: why have the car at all? There’s Peugeot’s official answer: that the model provides a link between road cars and its endurance hypercar, with the same team working on both. 62 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 13 APRIL 2022

That makes sense, given Peugeot’s investment in motorsport.

There’s also the brand’s viability in the business car space. If you don’t have, at the very least, a plug-in hybrid these days, you’ve no chance. That’s certainly how Peugeot has positioned the 508 PSE in the UK: a car perfect for business, with the added bonus of performance.

Perhaps, too, the PSE is easier to justify because it has a plug-in hybrid sibling in the DS 9 E-Tense and plenty of shared parts across the Stellantis empire.

And all of this, one hopes, is a stepping stone to fully electric performance cars, where ‘PSE’ becomes the new ‘GTI’ and modular electric set-ups and decreasing costs mean that Peugeot (and all car makers) no longer have to scrimp and save and ditch all the fun cars.

What has the 508 PSE been like to live with, then? Ultimately, very pleasing. No major hiccups, comfortable, practical, able.

Most markedly, it has garnered a lot of attention. In car parks, time and time again, I’ve spotted strangers walking past and taking a close look and muttering: “That’s a good-looking car.” In many cases, that’s followed by an admission of not knowing what the car is. Peugeot clearly has some brand building to do there, but the PSE been universally liked in my experience.

This is a ‘neo-performance’ model, as Peugeot likes to call it, achieving 0-62mph in a fun 5.2sec from 355bhp and 384lb ft from its 1.6-litre petrol engine paired with two electric motors. It’s not a true performance model, which is why it couldn’t compete with the dynamism of others lined up at last year’s Britain’s Best Driver’s Car shootout – but at least it cut the mustard well enough to be a contender, plus it was up against the likes of the Porsche 911 GT3 and Ariel Atom.

I am not the kind of driver who needs full-blooded performance, but I still appreciate sharp steering and a fun turn-in on an empty country road, so in many ways the 508 PSE and I are well suited. I know some

makers) no longer have to scrimp and

Burgess enjoyed it on B-roads and found long hauls comfortable

Full charge gave typically 17 miles of electric-only travel

A far rarer sight than its German exec equivalents

From almost any angle you choose, it’s a real looker

❝ What has the 508 PSE been like to live with, then? Ultimately very pleasing

SECOND OPINION

The 508 PSE is an island in a sea of BMW M340is, Mercedes-AMG C43s and Audi S4s that’s almost as entertaining, and with considerably greater eco credentials. The ‘Sport’ part of the PSE name may be a little misleading, but it is nonetheless a dynamic and engaging saloon when you want it to be. A niche prospect, but one that appeals. TM

drivers who have been disappointed in this regard. It remains to be seen if Peugeot will take it a step further for future sporty models (or indeed, if there will be any at all).

It’s also a very comfortable vehicle, for both solo business drives and family weekends away. I’ve never become fidgety behind the wheel on a lengthy motorway run and I’ve never needed more space from the capacious boot for a weekend away despite endless baby paraphernalia.

The quality of interior materials is good, as you’d expect of a car that is 50-something grand, and it feels cosseting in the way of a typical German executive. The infotainment system is good looking and mostly intuitive to use. In my experience, its biggest foibles were a dodgy Apple CarPlay connection (I tried many different cables), which disconnected at the most annoying of moments, and that long-complained-about Peugeot car feature: heating controls on the touchscreen. It’s genuinely distracting to adjust the temperature and I found myself avoiding doing so, even if the climate wasn’t right.

The 508 PSE’s business car positioning relies heavily on its size and plug-in hybrid technology. The latter means a benefit-in-kind rate of 14% and a claimed fuel economy of 138.9mpg. As I’ve mentioned before, the reality is very far off.

Mine was not the ideal use case because I’m unable to charge at home and I’ve had many woes around the availability and reliability of my local(ish) on-street chargers, which, over time, made me try a little less harder to find one. In turn, I tended to run the 508 PSE on petrol alone, to the obvious detriment of economy. Still, it’s hard to believe a typical owner could get anywhere near that claimed MPG figure.

Areas in which Peugeot could improve include supplying a threepoint plug, so that owners can have that option when visiting friends and family with driveways, and having a higher charging rate. It’s currently only 7kW, which means it takes over two hours for the battery to charge.

Ultimately, it’s an awkwardly positioned car, contending with established premium executive models without any truly standout features. That said, it’s a likeable, handsome model to live with that buyers, keen for a change from the long-standing appeal of German marques, will thoroughly enjoy – with the added benefit of rarity. RACHEL BURGESS

At start

MILEAGE 5519 At end 9508 PRICES List price new £53,995 List price now £54,030 Price as tested £53,995 OPTIONS Selenium Grey paint (no-cost option)

FUEL CONSUMPTION AND RANGE Claimed economy 138.9mpg Claimed EV range 26 miles Fuel tank 62 litres Test average 38.9mpg Test best na Test worst 36.3mpg Real-world range 296 miles (petrol), 17 miles (electric) TECH HIGHLIGHTS 0-62mph 5.2sec Top speed 155mph Engine 4 cyls in line, 1598cc, turbocharged, petrol, plus two electric motors Battery 11.5/9.3kWh (total/usable) Max power 355bhp at 6000rpm Max torque 384lb ft at 500-4760rpm Gearbox 8-spd automatic, 4WD Boot 487 litres Wheels 20in, alloy Tyres 245/35 R20 Kerb weight 1850kg

SERVICE AND RUNNING COSTS Contract hire (pcm) £684 CO2 46g/km Service costs None Other costs None Fuel costs £714.39 petrol, £50.11 electric Running costs inc fuel £764.50 Cost per mile 19 pence Faults None DEPRECIATION

70 60

V alue (£1000s ) 50 40 30 20 £53,995

10 0 New 1 year £17,075

2 years 3 years 4 years

PREVIOUS REPORTS 1 Dec 2021, 22/29 Dec, 19 Jan 2022, 2 Feb, 9 Feb, 23 Feb, 2 Mar, 16 Mar, 30 Mar, 6 Apr

UPMARKET FEEL

Silver piano keys for analogue touchpoints plus overall appearance of infotainment give a premium air.

DRIVER REWARDS

No, it’s not an Audi RS4, but it’s still enjoyable to throw around bends on a Sunday morning.

THE WAY IT LOOKS

What a handsome thing. The 508 PSE turned heads on almost every single outing.

LOATHE IT

CHARGING WOES

The lack of a three-pin plug or fast-charging capability doesn’t make for easy PHEV living.

CARPLAY FAIL

It’s so irritating when you suddenly lose Google Maps via Apple CarPlay at a crucial juncture of a journey.