There are some big estate cars on offer today so Peugeot’s upgraded 508 SW needs to offer something special. The competition now includes great models from the Ford Mondeo, Skoda Superb, Toyota Avensis and Volkswagen Passat ranges, while the Opel Insignia is also a very strong competitor with a big 2.0-litre entry level car.
Most offer 1.6-litre turbo-diesel entry models which are economical but a little short on power. The Peugeot’s acceleration pace is modest at over 12 seconds from zero to 100km/h as you work your way through the six-speed gearbox. The target for estate car buyers is the ability to carry a big load with reasonable economy. On any power comparison, the new Peugeot 508 SW is a match for the competition, delivering 115bhp and 270Nm of torque.
Drilling right down through the specification details of the 508 SW versus the competition, there are small differences. These brands are attempting to mark each other’s performance as tightly as a Dublin v Kerry All-Ireland football final.
The estate car game-changers are the load area, car length and towing ability – all very important for rural and city drivers. The Peugeot’s load area, without the seats folded, is the smallest of my comparison group. Fold the second row of seats and it jumps ahead of one of the bestselling estates – the Opel Insignia.
The boot door opens high to give good headroom and there is a space-saver spare wheel in all Peugeot cars as standard. Overall car length is important and the specification checks, however boring and time consuming, reveal just how car design can trick our eyes. Of the six cars I compared, the surprise is that the Opel Insignia is the longest – even longer than the spacious Skoda Superb and Ford Mondeo.
The Peugeot 508 SW falls into the middle group, but it has a long front overhang that makes it challenging to park, so you’ll need the reversing camera.
On the towing front, the Peugeot 508 SW comes with a 1,375kg rating – that is the lowest of the six cars I compared. The Mondeo and Avensis are the top 1.6-litre towing estates, with a 1,600kg rating.
The Peugeot 508 SW may be slightly less economical on paper than some of the competition, but I found that over longer runs across mixed roads in Cavan, Longford and Leitrim, this was a thrifty and comfortable car. I reckon that you could easily get over 1,000km on a full 72-litre capacity tank. My drive delivered about 25% less than the rated figure of 23.3km/litre (4.3l/100km or 65.7mpg), but that’s still a good level of economy for a big car.
The panoramic sunroof on the 508 SW gave the car a very airy feel. The layout is practical, with plenty of steering wheel controls. The seats are solid and easily adjusted. The car’s Bluetooth mobile phone connection was easy to use and can accommodate a number of phones. There are central cup holders, although the glove box is a little small. The door pockets are, on the other hand, large enough to lose something in. The Peugeot 508 SW feels big, even if it’s not quite as big as some of the competition.
The entry price for the 1.6-litre turbo-diesel eHDi Peugeot 508 SW is €29,290 or £25,695 in Northern Ireland. That’s a competitive offer relative to the competitors, with the exception of the Skoda Superb, which feels more spacious and tops the 508 SW in towing ability.
At five years, Peugeot offers the longest warranty in the group, provided you don’t go over the 100,000km limit, which would be difficult for a rural driver to stay within. The overall three-year running costs (see above) give an indication of the costs to run a large family car and, with slightly higher depreciation costs for the Peugeot brand, it is marginally more expensive than some of the others.
Peugeot 508 SW 1.6 eHDi
Engine 1.6-litre diesel
Engine power 115bhp
0-100km/hr 12.4 seconds
Economy 23.3km/litre
Fuel tank capacity 72 litres
CO2 emissions 110g/km
Road tax A3 (€190)
Main service 20,000km
Safety rating 5 stars (2014)
Towing rating 1,375kg
Warranty Five years/100,000km
Entry price €29,290
NI price £25,695
SHARING OPTIONS