Peugeot 508 SW

ESTATES should be large enough to carry families and their luggage shouldn’t they? Not according to Peugeot whose latest 508 SW estate has one of the smallest boots in the sector. Instead, the French car maker has chosen style and efficiency as a selling point.

Unsurprisingly for this type of new car, the vast majority of buyers are likely to be company car drivers.

We say “buyer” but really these owners will be leasing rather than actually buying them. Picking a 508 SW will mean your work requires you to carry equipment and cover high mileages or you’ve chosen the car because you’ve got a family, including a dog, and need the space.

While the premium brand estate cars in this class sell in their thousands, Peugeot isn’t a premium brand so will have to fight for a smaller share of the market when it goes on sale in psirng next year.

That will be helped by the addition of a plug-in hybrid version which is being added to the range in 2020.

Making an estate look elegant isn’t easy. The race to provide as much luggage room as possible can lead to awkward overhangs and unresolved rear light treatment.

No such problems for Peugeot. At the front the 508 SW is identical to the hatch which has already been praised for its sleek lines and aggressive front grille.

The designers have kept the flow running along the sides and neatly into the tailgate without having to rework the distinctive width bar of rear lights.

Diesel is likely to remain the dominant fuel type for 508 SW drivers but the lower-powered petrol engine will be the single best-selling engine. Powering the