Peugeot 408 Hybrid

Inside, the 408 has been updated with a new digital instrument display & seat fabrics on Allure & GT & now offer Alcantara upholstery on GT Premium, with the introduction of a driver vigilance camera as standard across the range. It’s all tastefully implemented.

Hybrid powertrain & model choice

Our test car was the Hybrid GT, which combines a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine with a 48V electric motor & a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox with 145hp. There’s also an Allure & GT Premium trim.

Specs

Entry level Allure includes plenty of goodies. Keyless entry, adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, dual zone climate control, Peugeot I-Connect, wireless Mirror Screen, DAB, 4 USB’s.

GT adds matrix LED headlights, an illuminated front grille & PEUGEOT emblem, sequential scrolling front indicators, laminated front windows, Connected SatNav, a grained leather steering wheel, aluminium door sills, an electric tailgate, front parking sensors, Lane Position Assist, Smart Multi-drive & a colour themed Driver Sport Pack.

GT-Line increases this with 20” alloys, Alcantara upholstery, 3-stage heated front seats, 8-programme multi point massage front seats, multi electrically adjustable front seats, a smart electric tailgate, Rear Cross Traffic Alert & a heated steering wheel

From £30,495 for Allure.Interior

Peugeot are now very good at making their interiors more premium & the 408 continues that trend. The dashboard top, front & the door panels are all nicely finished with some good soft touch plastics used. The seats are a mix of leather effect with tri-material Alcantara & come in our test car GT spec with plenty of adjustment.

Infotainment 

Peugeot are getting this right too. There’s a 10″ infotainment display as standard across the range & it comes with crisp, clear graphics with programmable buttons beneath it, which let you create shortcuts to your most-used screens. Apple Car Play & Android Auto can be accessed via your Smartphone & there’s a wireless charger that will take even the largest sized iPhone. The i-Connect function means that you can utilise voice control as a short-cut to functions simply by saying ‘OK PEUGEOT’ followed by your command. We also like that virtual i-Toggles allows short-cuts as well.

Practicality cabin

The front seats are comfortable as well as multi-adjustable. Storage comes in the form of a bin under the armrest with a split top, so the driver can acres the storage without disturbing the passengers arm, a small cubby with the twin USB & 12v socket within, a wireless charger & twin cup holders. Front door pockets are generous & the glove box is slim. The only issue in the front is the Peugeot iCockpit steering wheel. Small it maybe which we like, but it can block the drivers eyeline from reading the speedo, especially an issue for taller drivers.

In the rear, legroom is excellent, but the sloping roof may challenge taller passengers. The 408 is also quite narrow so elbow to elbow seating is likely with three in the rear. You also get roomy door bins, a central armrest with two cup holders & a load-through chute for longer items. There’s also 4 USB’s on board, two up front & two in the rear.

Practicality Boot

Even with the sloping rear window, the 408 comes with a generous 536 litres & if you fold the rear seats down the usable space increases to 1,611 litres, but, the seats don’t fold completely flat. Clever touches include a lever to drop the seats, a couple of useful hooks, side nets to store items in & elasticated straps to hold objects in place.

Economy & performance

With a 40 litre fuel tank theoretical range is up to 498 miles with 58 mpg achievable. Top speed is 130 mph with a 0-62 mph dash taking 9.4 seconds.

With emissions of 113g/km the Hybrid is currently charged at 27% BIK. So for entry level Allure, a 20% tax payer would be charged £1,647 a year or £137 a month to drive one.

Driving

The sleek profile of the 408 does mean that rear visibility isn’t great & you’ll be taking advantage of the cars built in rear view camera. If you’re up for little fun, you can select Sport mode & the engine stays on for longer between the gear changes, making the 408 feel a touch more responsive & driver friendly. However, the Hybrid only comes with 145hp & it’s noticeably less powerful than either the electric or plug-in model. Indeed in all driving modes it’s slower & less responsive than the equivalent in either electric version.

Having said all that we managed to travel 260 miles in our GT & it didn’t skip a beat. On some local roads & in town its quiet, calm & comfortable & on a trip to Skipton including a cross-country, rolling hill & vale section of 20 miles the suspension & road holding is excellent, something Peugeot are now getting right more often than not.

Peugeot’s built in Adaptive Cruise Control, part of the Driver Assist Pack, works extremely well & takes the headache out motorway trips, with the simple Apple CarPlay connectivity & easily accessible wireless phone charger.

Economy wise we averaged 44.3mpg in our week of which 200 of our 260 miles was at a constant 70mph on the motorway.

Pros

The Hybrid is great value & cheaper than the PHEV or EV. Recent updates have made the 408 even better to look at. The interior is a great place to spend time in.

Company car tax rates are higher than the PHEV or EV. Not as quick or as much fun as the electric 408.Verdict

We really like the 408 in all its guises. For start it makes a refreshing change to an SUV & that closer to the road driving experience is much more engaging. From company car perspective the EV is the cheapest on tax , but because the Hybrid is a bit cheaper lower rate tax payers won’t be robbed if they choose one. Perhaps the EV offers more driving thrills but none-the-less the Hybrid 408 is a great car to be in & one we really do have a lot of time for.