Peugeot 408

MODEL TESTED: 408 1.2 PureTech 130 GT PRICE: £34,650 POWERTRAIN: 1.2-litre 3cyl turbo petrol, 128bhp

THE new Peugeot 408 isn’t a replacement for another model. Instead, it carves a new niche as a five-door coupé-crossover that slots somewhere between the 308 hatch, 508 saloon and possibly even the 3008 SUV. Here we’re testing the top-spec GT trim, but with the smallest engine in the line-up, a 1. 2-litre petrol unit, while our car comes in at £39, 275 including options.

Tech highlights

THE big talking point of the 408 is its dramatic bodywork. With its long bonnet, low roof and tapering rear end, it has quite a distinctive five-door coupé shape, but this sporty appearance is offset by its raised ride height. It’s not as jacked up as an SUV, but there’s more ground clearance here than under a 508, while the relatively skinny tyres mean Peugeot’s newcomer looks like it’s on stilts when compared with the Formentor here.

Beneath the body, the 408 shares its running gear with the latest Peugeot 308 hatchback, so it uses the third-generation version of Stellantis’s EMP2 platform. There’s MacPherson-strut front suspension and a twist-beam rear axle, which is a less sophisticated set-up than the multi-link rear end that all versions of the Formentor use.

Powertrains match what’s in the 308 line-up, too, and here the 408 is powered by Stellantis’s ubiquitous 1. 2-litre PureTech three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. As with the 308, all versions of the 408 feature an EAT8 eightspeed automatic gearbox and front-wheel drive.

SAFETY: While the 408 hasn’t been tested by Euro NCAP, it shares technology with the latest 308, so that car’s score should be a good reflection of the 408’s safety credentials. In 2022 it earned five stars and high percentage scores across the board, although the Formentor scored higher in 2021.

On road

WHILE it has the look of a rakish coupé, the 408 errs on the side of comfort rather than sportiness.

AROUND TOWN: You might expect the 408’s raised suspension to deliver a comfortable ride, but at low speeds it feels harsher than the Cupra. There’s a brittleness to the ride that never resolves itself, while bumps and cat’s eyes aren’t ironed out too effectively. The 1. 2-litre engine is largely fine as long as you don’t rush it, but a power deficit when compared with the Formentor means it’s not the most responsive from a standstill.

A & B-ROADS: Increase your pace and things improve. The 408’s suspension copes better the faster you go, with a supple ride shrugging off bigger bumps well. However, tackle a series of tight corners, and the 408’s soft ride means there’s more lean in corners than in the Formentor, and while the small steering wheel gives the car a sporty edge, there’s not much feedback. The narrow, energy-efficient tyres also deliver less grip than the Formentor’s wider rubber.

The 1. 2-litre engine delivers a sporty note, but it’s held back by the auto gearbox. It doesn’t like to be hurried when moving between ratios, with a distinct pause between upshifts and hesitation when kicking down a gear or two. Sport mode sharpens things up with a snappier response, but the Cupra has an edge for entertaining handling.

MOTORWAY: It’s here where the 408 performs at its best. There’s plenty of three-cylinder thrum as you accelerate up to motorway speeds, but once the auto box gets into top gear and you’re cruising, everything quietens down. There’s hardly any wind noise or tyre roar, and the car’s pliant ride means that the 408 is quite relaxing at higher speeds.

“The suspension copes better the faster you go, with a supple ride shrugging off bigger bumps well”