First contact with the Peugeot 408: the alternative to SUVs goes through this crossover sedan which aims to be a bestseller

The  Peugeot 408  is a truly spectacularly designed premium C-segment crossover saloon that is here to become an alternative to both SUVs and larger, more conventional sedans. It'll start hitting the streets in 2023, but before that we've had first static contact with it before testing it in about a month, and we'll let you know what our first impressions were.

In a market marked by electrification and SUVs everywhere, the arrival of a new model like the Peugeot 408 is received as a  breath of fresh air , something new, different and, now that I have it seen in person, with a really  interesting .

The front grille details are always painted in the color chosen for the bodywork

Peugeot has applied a rather curious recipe to this new model which derives from the P54 prototype and which reaches its production version with few changes compared to the initial sketches which already pointed to a   very marked personality in this model.

We can say that it is  halfway  between a sedan like the 508, with which it shares a wheelbase with its 2.79 meters, but no ground clearance. The new Peugeot 408 takes height with its 19 centimeters of free height, which is even more than that of the 3008 SUV.

These are the  dimensions , trunk capacity and weights of the different versions of the Peugeot 408.

Regarding a 3008, we are facing a  longer car , since the 3008 measures 4.45 meters while the new 408 goes up to 4.68 meters. A 508 measures 4.75 meters.

But beyond the dimensions, the truth is that this new 408 is made on the multi-energy platform EMP2 (Efficient Modular Platform) and stands out for its  strength on the asphalt , thanks to elements such as the width of track with 1,599 m in front and 1,604 m behind.

Design as the main argument

The front end is very aggressive, with a gigantic grille which is also always  painted  in body color. The front optics are as if they were recessed into this facade and slightly sunk inwards.

The aggressive look is enhanced by the two  fang-shaped LED strips running  down the sides towards the bumper. The Peugeot logos are present on the front fenders, oversized and voluptuous in shape.

Another very characteristic design element of this car are the wheels. They played a fundamental role, and much of the car's design pivots on them with their disruptive geometric design if you opt for the  20-inch wheels  with a diameter of 720mm, although they've also confirmed that there will be more conventional design wheels starting at 17 inches for the other trim levels.

It is curious to see how robustness is acquired thanks to the  profiles of the  black plastic wheel arches, which are joined in the lower part of the vehicle with a considerable plastic molding, which reinforces the underbody of the vehicle.

The rear bumper has considerable dimensions, since it  protrudes from the rear plane  and, being made in black and in no case painted in body color, helps to enhance its presence.

The roof line does not seem to drop very much, which is important if you want to maintain good interior habitability. It ends in a tailgate with a  very sloping rear window , in which we find two "cat ears" which create an aerodynamic corridor towards the integrated spoiler.

Those two steeply angled lugs are distinctive elements of the 408's design, and we're told they help  improve efficiency . Beyond that, the line of the rear lights and the shapes of the whole, came to remind me of the  Lamborghini Urus , saving distances and height, of course.

A spacious and well resolved interior

Moving on to the interior, what we find is the usual i-Cockpit adapted to the shapes, use and dimensions of this car. The extremely small and flattened steering wheel reveals behind the  new digital instrumentation  with a 25.4 cm (10 inch) screen.

In the case of the versions with GT finish, the instrumentation is available in  3D technology . In the central area and under the screen clearly oriented towards the driver, we find the  fully configurable i-toggles  that we already knew in the 308, which allow direct access to certain functions of usual use.

It's a spacious car   in both front seats, and from the passenger seat you can feel how the design of the center console is clearly aimed at the passenger, so that he has access to the interior space and to wireless mobile phone charging area.

Moving on to the rear seats, these are also roomy. There is  good  legroom and surprisingly enough headroom, as with an average height like me at 1.75m there was plenty of headroom all the way to the ceiling.

The trunk, for its part, has a capacity of  536 litres ,  which can reach 1,611 liters with the rear seatbacks folded down.

We are therefore, with these interior dimensions and this trunk capacity, in front of a car which is clearly positioned as  an alternative  to SUVs.

Two plug-in hybrids, one gasoline and a future electric version

The new Peugeot 408 is available with two plug-in hybrid versions in which what varies is the power of the PureTech petrol engine, in both cases the lithium-ion battery has a capacity of  12.4 kWh  and a power of  102 kW .

The first is the Plug-In Hybrid 225 e-EAT8 which  combines a 180 hp (132 kW) PureTech engine and an 81 kW electric motor mated to the e-EAT8 8-speed automatic transmission.

It is accompanied by the  Plug-In Hybrid 180 e-EAT8 which  combines a 150 hp (110 kW) PureTech engine and an 81 kW electric motor coupled to the 8-speed e-EAT8 automatic gearbox.

For battery charging, a 3.7 kW single-phase charger is included as  standard  and a 7.4 kW single-phase charger is optional.

The estimated recharge times are as follows:

• On a  7.4 kW (32 A) charging  station and with the 7.4 kW single-phase on-board charger, a full charge can be made in 1 hour and 55 minutes.
• In a  reinforced socket  (16 A) with the 3.7 kW single-phase on-board charger, a full charge can be made in 3 hours and 50 minutes.
• In a  standard socket  (8 A) with the single-phase on-board charger (3.7 kW), a full charge takes approximately 7.5 hours.

The trunk activates automatically and you can open it by pressing the button on the control, on the dashboard, on the tailgate itself or by kicking your foot under it.

Those who are still fleeing hybridization have at their disposal a  130 hp 1.2-litre PureTech 3-cylinder petrol  engine  which is associated with the EAT8 8-speed automatic transmission and a Start & Stop system.

There is no diesel version available and a 100% electric variant  will be launched in the future and  should arrive before 2025.

Peugeot 408 prices and start of marketing

The new  Peugeot 408  starts at a price of 34,850 euros for the 130 hp petrol version, although it has a promotional campaign of 1,500 euros which means that the price remains at 33,350 euros.