New Peugeot 508 Access Special Offers

Peugeot's impressive 508 looks expensive. Powered by the entry-level 1.6 petrol engine, it needn't be, as Andy Enright discovers.

The Peugeot 508 is one of those cars that's far more accomplished than you expect. With great ride quality and tons of equipment, the bottom-rung 1.6-litre petrol may have just 118bhp, but offers plenty of space inside and decent refinement. What it loses in styling individuality compared to the 407 it more than makes up in technical excellence.

Is there some sort of unwritten rule that dictates that if a country borders the Mediterranean then the small cars it produces will by default be better than its big cars? For years that seemed a reasonable maxim to guide buyer behaviour, with Italian, French and Spanish companies in particular doing most of their best work with small cars. Peugeot is a case in point, with its best loved vehicles being the 205, the 106 and the 306. It seems that, of late, Peugeot is attempting to set this historical precedent aside.

Its 3008 and 5008 MPV models are both excellent and now the 508 saloon is tasked with the job of replacing not just the reasonably successful 407 but also the chronically underperforming 607 as well. Although its styling is less extreme, it's a good deal smarter both inside and out and recent form suggests that this Peugeot could be in with a fighting chance.

The prime expectation of a larger French car is that it should ride well. If it can't overcome this obstacle then it's up against it from the get go. Spared the uprated suspension and bigger wheels of the 2.2-litre GT range-topper, the 1.6 VTi passes this test with flying colours. It rides superbly and combines this with more than acceptable body control.

The model we're looking at here is the 118bhp 1.6 VTi teamed with a six-speed sequential EGC gearbox to eke out the motor's economy and emissions potential. In that quest it's successful but, subjectively, it's far from the best example of its ilk, managing to be slow-witted and jerky on many upchanges. Yes, you can learn to drive around its foibles by feathering the throttle when you sense it's about to execute a gearchange but I'm a strong believer in technology adapting to us and not vice versa. It's a real shame the 1.6 VTi isn't available with the sweet-shifting manual six-speeder used with model higher up the range. Even so, the smallest petrol-engined 508 accelerates from rest to 62mph in a respectable enough 11.5s and on to a maximum of 126mph.

At 4.79m long, the 508 saloon is quite a big unit, adding almost five centimetres to the length of the old 407. This doesn't tell the whole story though, the 508's massively longer wheelbase ensuring that the cabin genuinely does feel like a class above, especially when it comes to rear seat accommodation. The boot is a good size at 473 litres and with the rear seats in place it in fact offers more carrying capacity than its 508 SW estate sibling.

Even if a thief gets into the vehicle it may well be more than the work of moments to find your gear given the sheer amount of cubbies, drawers and pockets inside the 508. Those in the cabin alone total 22 litres and include door pockets that can hold 1.5-litre bottles. The level of fit and finish is easily on a par with that of mainstream rivals, and after getting out of a new Volkswagen Passat and straight into the 508 at a recent driving event, I had to set preconceptions aside and admit that the French car felt a smarter and more upmarket place to be.

Compare the Peugeot to most German rivals and it demolishes them on the value front by packing in way more standard equipment for the price. This used to be motoring journalism shorthand for saying that the company was trying to divert you with gadgetry but in the 508's case it's just the spur that could convert many wavering buyers. The key trim level in the line up is the SR model, which targets business buyers and includes satellite navigation, cruise control, dual zone air conditioning and 16-inch alloy wheels. Another feature that's sure to become more widespread in years to come is the SOS system, which alerts the emergency services to your whereabouts in the event of an accident.

The range opens with the Access trim which features daytime running lights, air-conditioning and electric windows all-round. The there's the SR and the Allure model which sees half-leather electrically adjustable and heated seats, rear parking sensors, keyless go and a panoramic sunroof.

Although Peugeot isn't ignoring the needs of private buyers, it freely admits that by far the majority of 508 sales are coming from business customers and inroads into this market are impossible without a range of fuel efficient, low emission engines. Most will be drawn to the diesel offerings. As you'd expect, the cleanest of the petrol engines is the 1.6 VTi under the bonnet of the car we're looking at here but it's worth noting that the markedly more powerful 1.6 THP 156 unit is only marginally worse on emissions at 149g/km.

Those looking to cap their fuel bills will certainly be impressed by the 508. Unsurprisingly, the range's best performer is again the 1.6 e-HDI with a combined figure of 64.2mpg with the 1.6 VTi petrol is back on 45.6mpg. Peugeot has learned a lesson from the heavy discounting it undertook to try to shift 407 and 607 stock, this in turn having a distinctly deleterious effect on residual values. A new-found confidence in the product it's attempting to shift might mean less conspicuous bargains for new buyers but it will spell better returns further down the line.

The Peugeot 508 is an impressive proposition but it could well become one of those cars that appears technically competent without generating that crucial spark of desirability. The styling is handsome without being attention-grabbing and although it does most things extremely well, there are really only one or two criteria, possibly standard equipment provision and the technical excellence of its engine line-up where the 508 is at the very top of its class. So emotion is unlikely to play a big part in the purchasing process.

Appealing to the head rather than the heart could well pay dividends when trying to seduce business buyers though. The ultra-efficient engines, the attractive pricing - particularly the 1.6 VTi's - and the fact that it looks a more expensive car than it actually is all weigh in its favour. Give the Peugeot 508 a fair crack and you'll discover that few cars in its class are anything like as well-rounded.