Peugeot unveils updated 508 with front-end restyle and a new plug-in hybrid option
The grille's a showstopper
Peugeot has revealed a lightly updated version of its 508 with a significant front-end facelift, the addition of a new plug-in hybrid powertrain and some minor interior changes.
The refresh brings the 508’s design language in line with that seen on the firm’s more recent models such as the 308 and 408 and apply across both the fastback and SW estate models as well as the high-spec, performance-focused Peugeot Sport Engineered (PSE) versions of both.
The 508’s front has been reworked, Peugeot says, to give it a “less stratified” look.
Front and centre is the company’s new lion emblem in the middle of the grille, hiding a wealth of important driving assistance and safety sensors behind it.
That grille has been integrated into the front bumper, and is flanked by slim new LED matrix headlights and a set of daytime running lights resembling three lion’s claws; an evolution of the fang-like DRL design seen on the 208, the pre-facelift 508 and others.
Befitting their higher specification, PSE models receive a slightly different grille mixing glossy with textured black elements.
Beyond the front, the 508’s well-balanced styling hasn’t changed significantly, with little more than new rear lights echoing that three-claw design seen at the front and a new 18in five-spoke alloy wheel option.
The one major mechanical change to the 508 line-up is the addition of a new front-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid option combining a 148bhp petrol engine with an 81kW electric motor to develop up to 177bhp, complementing the existing 222bhp plug-in model.
What is a plug-in hybrid vehicle?
As well as the two front-wheel-drive plug-in hybrids, the range still consists of 128bhp petrol and diesel drivetrains as well as the 355bhp all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid system found in PSE models.
PSE versions of the 508 feature a lower ride height and wider tracks front and rear than the standard model, with four-piston brake callipers, meaty 380mm brake discs and wheels shod in grippy Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.
An eight-speed automatic gearbox is standard on all 508 models.
Few substantial changes have taken place inside the 508’s decently-appointed cabin. The 12in driver’s instrument cluster and 10in central infotainment screen (tilted slightly towards the driver) are still present, but now running an updated, improved and easier-to-use operating system.
Also new is the redesigned centre console, with two additions to the list of upholstery options.
As before, the 508’s cabin gets the option of a pair of electrically adjustable front seats with two memory options and eight different pneumatic massage settings, three of which are new.
Equipment levels in general are high, with standard features such as HD parking cameras, adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assistance and a night-vision function that uses infrared beams to recognise animals in the roadway in poor visibility and relay their image to the head-up display. A few notable optional creature comforts include hands-free boot access and a heated windscreen.
The new 508 is expected to go on sale in June, and although UK pricing has yet to be confirmed, there’s little reason to expect a huge premium over the current model’s £33,954 entry point.
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