Review of the Peugeot 408

The Peugeot 408 is probably the best example of a crossover between a coupe and an SUV because it's exactly half and half. With a coupe-like front end and a spacious and practical rear, the 408 is an ideal family lease car. 

Rivals to the 408 include the Renault Arkana, Audi Q3 Sportback, Cupra Formentor, and BMW X2. 

Our Peugeot 408 review covers:

• Unique styling with loads of modern features 
• Spacious and comfortable interior 
• 536 or 471-litre boot
• 1.2-litre petrol and 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid 
• Three trim levels 

Pros:

• Well crafted interior 
• Practical 
• The infotainment system is very good 

Cons:

• Road noise is loud 
• Hybrid not the best to drive 
• Average boot size 

The 408 has a striking exterior design. At the front, there's an aggressive front end with a large body-coloured grille and fang-shaped headlights, while at the rear, it's a bit chunky and has a sloping roofline.  

There's loads of space inside the 408. A pair of six-footers will have no issues whatsoever in the front, while three passengers can fit in the rear, but if they're over six feet tall, they might find their heads brushing the ceiling. For more rear space, we recommend the Volkswagen Arteon Shooting Brake. 

Boot space comes in at 536 litres for the petrol and 471 litres for the plug-in hybrid. This compares pretty well with its rivals, slightly smaller than the Citroen C5X but bigger than the Cupra Formentor. You can fold the rear seats 60/40 to extend boot space to 1,611 or 1,545 litres. 

The interior of the 408 is very plush and is more upmarket than some of its rivals. The dashboard is excellently built and features a range of high-quality materials, such as soft-touch plastics and a leather steering wheel on the range-topping trim. 

Integrated into the middle of the dash is a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a DAB radio, smartphone mirroring, and Bluetooth connectivity. It's a really good system, featuring clear and responsive graphics and also has buttons below which let you create shortcuts. 

There's also a 10-inch instrument panel display that houses the usual features but also has a 3D effect, which looks fantastic. 

Three trim levels are available for the 408: Allure, Allure Premium, and GT. 

Allure has 17-inch alloy wheels, ECO LED headlights, interior ambient lighting, dynamic front seats, dual-zone air conditioning, rear parking sensors, 180-degree reversing camera, a drive mode selector, Peugeot i-connect advanced, advanced emergency braking, and extended traffic sign recognition. 

Allure Premium has 19-inch wheels, front parking sensors, acoustic laminated front side windows, keyless entry, a drive assist pack, and advanced emergency braking with a video camera and radar. 

GT has 19-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, ultra slim matrix LED headlights with five lighting modes, full grain leather and heated steering wheel, automatic air conditioning, Mistral black interior roof lining, luxury carpet mats, a heated steering wheel, a driver sport pack, a smart electric tailgate, and lane position assist. 

A 1.2-litre petrol and 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid make up the engine range for the 408. All come with an automatic gearbox and are available with front-wheel drive. 

The petrol engine has 131hp and shoots from 0-62mph in 10.4 seconds. Although this might seem a bit slow on paper, in reality, its acceleration is perfectly respectable and is our pick of the range. It also returns a decent fuel economy of 41 - 48mpg. 

The plug-in hybrid engine is available in two power outputs, 180hp or 225hp. Both combine a petrol engine with a lithium-ion battery and 110hp electric motor and can shoot from 0-62mph in around eight seconds. 

For the plug-ins, you get around 40 miles of all-electric range and a fuel economy ranging from 210 - 270mpg. 

The 408 is a composed and pleasant car to drive; however, the plug-in hybrid could do with a bit of improvement at higher speeds. 

Around town, the 408 is pretty good. Although it's a long way from being a nimble city car, the 408 is more than good enough to navigate city streets in. The handling is light and accurate, and the suspension deals with potholes and bumps in the road well. There's also loads of tech to help, such as regenerative braking, rear parking sensors, and a 180-degree camera. 

Find yourself on the motorway and the 408 is a decent cruiser, but there's a bit more road and wind noise than we'd like. Both engines have no issues getting you to 70mph, but the plug-in hybrid struggles to maintain it. 

The 408 will serve you well on a country lane but don't expect much fun. The suspension is quite stiff when cornering, and there's minimal body lean, but we'd still recommend the Cupra Formentor for those looking for a more engaging drive. 

Prices for the new Peugeot 408 start from £31,595.00 OTR* or to lease from £253.12 per month.

Looking to get behind the wheel of the Peugeot 408? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals to suit your every need.

Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase, thanks to a low initial deposit and fixed monthly rentals.

*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change; always check with your nearest retailer.