2022 Peugeot 508 GT Sportswagon overview

Need to stand out from the burgeoning SUV crowd? Purchase a wagon. 

However if you wish to stand out from the dwindling wagon crowd? Purchase the 2022 Peugeot 508 GT Sportswagon.

Vehicles from the French model aren’t precisely commonplace amongst the Toyotas and Kias populating Australian roads, however on the uncommon event they do seem, they have a tendency to make an influence. 

With its vaguely feline stance and virtually five-metre-long footprint, the only wagon providing in Peugeot’s line-up is not any exception. 

It might have the phrase ‘wagon’ in its title, however a punchy 1.6-litre petrol engine that lets out a throaty purr when accelerating, plus a slick inside outfitted with trendy luxuries, work to take away any whiff of soccer mum standing.

As marketed, that is one sporty wagon. Right here’s what it is advisable find out about it…

Peugeot’s 508 passenger automotive vary is available in two physique sorts: a Fastback sedan or the Sportswagon. 

Fastback buyers can select between a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo petrol engine, or a plug-in hybrid powertrain that pairs this engine with a battery and electrical motor.

In the meantime, Sportswagon buyers have a single powertrain possibility: the 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo petrol engine that drives the entrance wheels by way of an eight-speed automated transmission.

This sole variant is priced from $65,657 earlier than on-road prices, however our automotive was outfitted with an elective sunroof for an added $2500, and flashy pink premium paint for $1050. With my location set to Melbourne, these additions carry the ultimate value to $70,467 drive-away.

Paint colors and a sunroof are the one choices out there on the Sportswagon (other than the same old equipment record), and the usual tools record is kind of the identical because the Fastback 508. 

After all, the primary cause you’d go for the Sportswagon is the elevated cargo area within the boot – it gives 43L greater than the Fastback with all seats in place, or 243L extra with all seats folded. 

The Fastback is marginally extra reasonably priced than the Sportswagon, at $63,431 earlier than on-road prices, whereas the plug-in hybrid Fastback is the costliest 508 within the vary kicking off from $81,610 earlier than on-road prices. 

As for rivals, the 508 GT Sportswagon inhabits the area between two segments: the mass-market producers, and the extra upscale European manufacturers.

A top-of-the-range Mazda 6 or Skoda Octavia each begin at simply over $50,000 earlier than on-road prices, whereas the Passat’s value is extra in step with the Peugeot’s kicking off from $67,690 for a flagship R-Line variant – however in contrast to the Peugeot, it gives all-wheel-drive capabilities. 

That makes the Peugeot look just a little overpriced, however take into accout these wanting on the 508 GT Sportswagon are seemingly cross-shopping it with vehicles from status manufacturers.

With that in thoughts, the 508 GT Sportswagon begins to look extra reasonably priced, occupying a pleasant center floor for a purchaser with premium leanings and offering facilities like heated entrance seats with therapeutic massage operate, self-park, a premium 10-speaker sound system, nappa leather-based trim and an influence tailgate as commonplace, however with out cracking the $80,000 mark drive-away. 

I had not pushed a automotive from a French model in fairly a while – my final spin à la Francaise was at the very least six years in the past in a Citroen C4 Cactus, a car with a lot character it was unimaginable to not love (and snort).

I used to be eager to see whether or not the stereotype about French vehicles nonetheless holds true: loads of kind, not a lot operate.

Having spent a while within the cabin of the 508 GT Sportswagon, I can comfortably say it didn’t do a complete lot to smash this stereotype.

On the plus aspect, stepping into the automotive is made simple with simple keyless entry – really easy even my one-year-old son was in a position to set off it by placing his tiny hand on the deal with. 

It additionally appears improbable at first look, with sunken, sporty seats and a glossy, tiered dashboard, all muscular strains, shiny chrome buttons and glistening screens.

The heated entrance seats are agency however comfy and supply most electrical adjustment, in addition to a therapeutic massage operate that permits you to select from methods like “cat’s paw” and definitely provides a stage of luxurious to the motive force’s expertise. 

Sadly, I shortly observed some niggling complaints. 

For starters, though the extensive centre console permits for elevated storage (together with a wi-fi telephone charger, two cupholders and a slender however deep bin with closing lid), it encroaches on the motive force’s knee room and makes the general area really feel extra cramped, particularly for bigger drivers. 

Headroom within the entrance seat is average, and a well-sized sunroof means the area is light-filled, giving the phantasm of additional room.

The again seat has sufficient legroom for adults, but it surely actually doesn’t really feel as spacious as different wagons I’ve pushed lately, so possibly decrease your expectations in the event you’re cross-shopping bigger choices just like the Skoda Excellent.

Toe room, nonetheless, isn’t nice, and I needed to wedge my sneakers underneath the seat in entrance to offer myself sufficient knee room. 

I had a hand’s-width of headroom, but it surely felt like much less as a result of the roof headliner dips proper on the back-seat passenger’s eyeline, which makes the world really feel smaller. 

Slender door bins will have the ability to accommodate possibly a telephone and a pockets, plus there are two central air vents and two old-school USB ports. 

Putting in my son’s Britax Brava youngster seat was an train in power and perseverance. The ISOFIX tether factors on the 2 exterior seats are hidden away in little zippered compartments, and the decrease roof line and smaller door opening add a level of problem to the whole course of.

As soon as a toddler seat is in place, you’d be hard-pressed to suit a couple of different particular person within the again seat. Moreover, loading and unloading my (very heavy) toddler did a quantity on my again because of the low load peak and sloped roof.

I can comfortably say that oldsters of younger youngsters will discover this a significant nuisance every day – however then once more, this automotive feels prefer it’s probably not geared toward them. 

The 508 GT Sportswagon’s boot offers 530L of cargo room courtesy of an area that feels as extensive as it’s lengthy, however is considerably compromised by its shorter peak. 

In consequence, taller objects might need to be loaded on their aspect. The rear seats fold 60:40, which implies that becoming two youngster seats within the again will utterly take away your skill to entry the boot from the second row. 

The seats additionally don’t fold utterly flat, so something you load in there will probably be on a slant. 

With the seats folded, the cargo capability rises to a whopping 1780L, which is greater than numerous giant SUVs, even with their again row folded flat. 

In case of emergency, a metal space-saver spare wheel is saved beneath the boot flooring. 

Peugeot’s infotainment system is complete, with strong graphics and well-sized, high-resolution screens – however the ergonomics are missing, making it significantly fiddly to make use of whereas on the go.

Though a wi-fi telephone charger is commonplace – situated in a spot within the centre console instantly under the gearshifter – Apple CarPlay and Android Auto each require a cable to attach, which basically negates the worth of the wi-fi charger. 

The USB ports are the old-school USB-A form – a win for folks like me, who’re but to replace their cables to USB-C, however irritating for the extra tech-savvy procuring. 

Moreover, key controls for infotainment and local weather are unfold over a three-tiered system that I discovered significantly nonsensical. 

Music, telephone and local weather controls are all managed by the ten.0-inch touchscreen, however menu shortcuts are additionally out there by way of piano-key-style bodily buttons slightly below the touchscreen, after which extra local weather controls sit under that, within the type of contact buttons. 

It may imply you’re desperately punching buttons and screens whereas holding your eyes on the street in an effort to get the operate you’re after. 

One saving grace is the helpful ‘local weather management off’ contact button, which is nice for bypassing the fussy touchscreen when the fan is simply too noisy or the temperature will get too sizzling or chilly. 

The 12.3-inch driver show may be configured to your tastes, however a big digital speedometer is a useful inclusion, and I cherished the “minimalist” setting, which solely provides you the naked necessities – a refreshing departure from the cluttered dashboard. 

Hilariously, in a transfer that’s both intentional or unintentional (I don’t know which is funnier), any driver profiles exterior of ‘driver 1’ mechanically revert the automotive’s complete working system to French. 

So when you’ve got a couple of particular person frequently driving the automotive, it could be time for them to obtain Duolingo – at the very least till they will set their profile choice again to English. 

The Peugeot 508 vary obtained a five-star rating from ANCAP when it was examined in 2018. 

It scored highest for grownup occupant safety, the place it obtained 96 per cent, adopted by youngster occupant safety, the place it was rated at 87 per cent. Within the weak street consumer safety and security help classes, it was rated at 71 per cent and 76 per cent respectively. 

Whatever the physique sort you select, each automotive within the Peugeot 508 vary receives the identical stage of lively security and driver help expertise as commonplace.

The 508’s lane-keep help gives street edge detection to maintain you from drifting out of your lane, and offers steering intervention when wanted. Nevertheless, it often misreads street edges in merging lanes and may tug you within the fallacious course, however is ready to be overridden when required. 

Different inclusions are blind-spot detection, adaptive cruise management that may sluggish to a cease after which begin once more, a ahead collision warning, and an auto high-beam operate. 

The automotive additionally offers dwell pace restrict updates, however sadly they are often delayed or inaccurate, so don’t depend on them. 

One factor that’s lacking is a rear cross-traffic alert, which is changing into an more and more widespread characteristic on vehicles of this value level and would have been helpful given the Sportswagon’s rear visibility is proscribed. 

The 508 GT Sportswagon additionally gives absolutely automated self-park capabilities, however activating it’s a difficult and needlessly prolonged course of, requiring you to carry the self-park button down, preserve your foot on the brake, then reply to a number of prompts on the touchscreen earlier than it could possibly have interaction.

Frankly, reverse parking is way simpler. And get this – once I examined the self-park system, it hit the kerb. Not a glowing endorsement. 

In any other case, the 508’s rear-view digital camera with entrance imaginative and prescient and 360-degree capabilities is helpful and permits you to entry a close-up view of various angles, which is especially helpful when it is advisable gauge your distance from the automotive behind whereas parking.

Peugeot gives its new-car consumers a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee, which may roughly be considered the brand new automotive business commonplace. 

Servicing prices may be calculated upfront by way of Peugeot’s Worth Promise Program, which estimates three years of servicing for the 508 GT Sportswagon will value $1986 in complete, whereas 5 years will value $3394. That works out to roughly $678 per go to over 5 years and repair intervals are each 12 months or 20,000km, so it’s not precisely an reasonably priced endeavor. 

Nevertheless, whereas the typical annual service value for a top-of-the-range Mazda 6 is simply $315 per go to over 5 years, Volkswagen prices a median of $900 per go to for its Passat wagon over the identical interval – so the Peugeot sits at a snug midpoint. 

The annual insurance coverage premium to insure the Peugeot 508 GT Sportswagon is $1566.82, based mostly on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver residing in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance coverage estimates could range based mostly in your location, driving historical past, and private circumstances. 

As a further value, Peugeot additionally stipulates a minimal of 95-octane unleaded for the 508 GT Sportswagon, which is able to imply spending just a little additional on the bowser. 

Peugeot claims gasoline consumption of 5.5L/100km for a mixture of freeway and concrete driving, or 6.8L/100km for purely city driving.

I wasn’t in a position to come near both declare in my week of principally city driving, returning a gasoline consumption studying of 9.1L/100km, which fell to a last determine of 8.9L/100km with some longer freeway stints within the combine. 

In my expertise, that’s often a determine reserved for vehicles a lot bigger than the Peugeot, but it surely’s maybe unsurprising given the potent engine and the punchy driving fashion the automotive appears to domesticate.

I’ll begin with the good things first. As a freeway tourer or weekend getaway automotive, the Peugeot 508 GT Sportswagon is tough to beat, injecting a lot enjoyable issue into even essentially the most mundane driving loop.

The lowered stance enhances the race-car really feel and permits you to really feel exhilarated with out feeling uncontrolled. The steering really feel is mild however the precision and response are so satisfyingly sharp, and that is solely improved at pace. 

The 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo petrol engine delivers outputs of 165kW and 300Nm, which is sufficient chutzpah to have you ever feeling like a daily Daniel Ricciardo.

The eight-speed automated transmission is keen and prepared to ship – significantly at speeds of 60km/h and above – and acceleration is enthusiastic and thrilling, with out being anti-social, though it’s possible you’ll encounter a slight lag when taking off from stationary.

Kicking it into the Sport drive mode provides firmness to the steering and immediacy to acceleration, and sharpens the bundle additional for individuals who want X-factor on the commute.

For a automotive so low to the bottom, it takes larger hits rather well, though it could possibly begin to really feel just a little off-kilter over constantly tough floor, just like the random patch of cobblestones on my drive to my son’s childcare centre. In any other case, I used to be pleasantly shocked and impressed by the journey, which feels supple and guarded. 

As is the case with loads of sports-oriented vehicles, nonetheless, I discovered this expertise began to disintegrate round city. 

Firstly, it could appear nitpicky, however I discovered you actually must push the brake onerous in an effort to flip the automotive on with the push-button begin. Most vehicles can register light-to-medium foot enter, however the Peugeot requires you to essentially plant your foot earlier than allowing the engine to begin. 

Then there’s the steering wheel – which feels comically small and extra suited to a go kart than a household wagon. Nevertheless, this may very well be a matter of non-public choice – whereas I discovered the wheel measurement felt out of proportion to the remainder of the automotive, my a lot taller and broader husband cherished the racier really feel, and so did loads of my colleagues.

Related to the steering wheel is a cruise-control stalk that I discovered unimaginable to make use of on the transfer. The steering wheel blocks it from view, and the system shouldn’t be intuitive sufficient to make use of by contact alone. As soon as activated, nonetheless, it does a superb job of slowing down based on the automotive in entrance and holding you centred in your lane. 

My largest complaints arose in stop-start site visitors and when manoeuvring. The Sportswagon’s idle-stop system is at greatest laggy, and at worst anxiety-inducing. On a number of events it left me stranded in intersections when attempting to carry out a proper flip, or delivered such a delay once I was turning from a aspect street onto a primary street that I almost had a run-in with oncoming site visitors.

In a single significantly demanding second, I used to be stopped at a pink mild on a slight incline when the sunshine turned inexperienced and I took my foot off the brake and moved it to the accelerator, solely to have the automotive roll again a full metre earlier than the engine re-started. It was alarming. 

The throttle can be sensitive when manoeuvring and parking, which is demanding in tight areas and slender streets the place you crave precision and don’t need to leap ahead in giant increments. 

When turning with the steering wheel on full lock on a moist street, I additionally skilled a skating sensation from the entrance wheels that was not at all a deal-breaker, however actually one thing I haven’t skilled in different wagons thus far.

Moreover, the Peugeot’s brakes developed a squeaking noise in direction of the top of my week with it, which might little doubt show annoying over an extended time interval. 

One other problem was the visibility on the entrance and rear. A very giant A-pillar (the part separating the entrance windshield from the entrance aspect home windows) means cyclists and pedestrians may be utterly obscured, creating a large blind spot. 

In the meantime, the again seat headrests block out many of the rear windshield in a double blow to visibility. I discovered I needed to be additional vigilant with head checks because of this. 

The Peugeot 508 GT Sportswagon is the proper automotive for individuals who’ve spent their life favouring enjoyable over operate, however now must discover a comfy compromise between each. 

It’s not at all essentially the most accommodating or utilitarian wagon out there (for my part, Skoda’s choices lay declare to this title), neither is it essentially the most reasonably priced, family-friendly, economical or polished.

Relying in your perspective, a few of its quirks – like a fussy idle-stop system, restricted visibility and a messy infotainment interface – may very well be seen as both including character and attraction, or detracting from every day performance. 

Nevertheless, in the event you’ll permit me to lazily lean on an overused stereotype, the 508 GT Sportswagon’s glossy appears, luxurious accoutrements and addictively pleasant driver expertise give it a je ne sais quoi that might see it edge forward of some extra wise decisions.