The new Peugeot 508 is finally here, and boy is it something else. It comes to market with an all-new look that shifts it from the boring sedan marketplace to a place where the worlds greatest sports sedans call home. Peugeot dropped the roof, dropped the length, and made this thing a true four-door coupe. It’s stylish and sexy but comes with loads of intelligent safety features and the choice of six engines that range anywhere between 130 and 225 horsepower. Those figures may not be on the right side of impressive, but we’re talking about an economically priced vehicle, not something that wears a BMW or Audi badge, right?

2018 Peugeot 508

Specifications

• Make: Array
• Model: 2018 Peugeot 508
• Engine/Motor: inline-4
• [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Pros

Cons

2019 Peugeot 508 Exterior

The Peugeot takes on an all-new look thanks to its slightly smaller size. The roof now sits just 1.40 meters above the road, while the length has been dropped to just 4.75 meters, 0.08 meters shorter than the outgoing model. This should, in theory – and according to Peugeot – make the 508 nimbler, more engaging, and highly maneuverable, maybe even more so than the Volkswagen Arteon and Audi A5.

Up front, you’ll find a very attractive nose with a wide grille and even wider air dam. The headlights and thin and sleek, nestled into the corners with just enough recess that there’s a nice little overhang from the nose. Peugeot skipped the fake vents and instead went with a couple of concave sections with defining body lines and a large, vertical LED from each headlight, the latter of which reminds (vaguely) of a lion claw slash.

Then you’ve got the hood that is aggressive, but nowhere near as aggressive as the mountainous fender peaks that exceed the height of the lower A-pillar. A stout belt line stops just prior to meeting the headlights but what really stands out on the side is the sleek section around the door handles that provides depth and classic styling with an aggressive look. That concave section also lends a hand to the rear quarters to make them look a little beefier than they really are.

Around back, the 508 is as stylish as they come. The tri-element taillights scream luxury while the rear diffuser screams sports car. The rear decklid is shaped in a way that it creates a spoiler and when shut, seems to seal seamlessly against the rear grille between the taillights. The chrome exhaust tips and reflectors with integrated backup lights round out the rear end.

2019 Peugeot 508 Interior

Open one of the 508’s doors, and you’ll be immersed in the most luxurious cabin you’ve ever seen that didn’t come tied to a Mercedes, Audi, or BMW badge. You’ll find full-grain or Nappa leather, satin chrome, Alcantara, Grey Oak wood trim (on the GT, of course,) and you can option up wraparound front seats, or eight-way electric seats, both of which are a step up from the standard seats in the Business trim and above that have been awarded the AGR label. There’s a wide panoramic sunroof and a FOCAL sound system. You’ll find 4 USB ports throughout the cabin so everyone can stay charged up and as much as 32 liters of storage space in various cubbies.

So, outside of the fine materials and the contrast stitching, there’s still a lot more going on. First off, the new 508 gets one of the sportiest steering wheels on the market, featuring a flat top and flat bottom. There’s also a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-inch, high-definition touchscreen infotainment system. And, the way the cabin comes together is just exquisite. You’ve got a sleek dash design, attractive center console, and some slightly aggressive door trim panels. Somehow, Peugeot has managed to bring in the perfect blend of technology, luxury, and fun all in one big package.

2019 Peugeot 508 Safety

-* Night Vision system, a first for the segment

-* Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go function (with automatic EAT8 gearbox)

-* Lane Positioning Assist (related to Stop & Go adaptive cruise control), first application on the PEUGEOT range

-* Latest-generation Active Safety Brake (that detects pedestrians and cyclists both day and night at up to 140 km/h) and Distance Alert

-* Lane Keeping Assist (including roadsides)

-* Driver Attention Alert

-* High Beam Assist

-* Speed Limit recognition and recommendation

-* Extended Traffic Sign recognition (Stop, prohibited direction, etc.)

-* Active Blind Spot Monitoring system

2019 Peugeot 508 Performance

The 508 may be able to compete with the Germans on the luxury front, but on the power front, you’ll find it less-than-satisfactory. To put it simply, of the six powertrain choices available, power ranges from a sluggish 130 horsepower up to a not-so-impressive 225 horsepower. On the gasoline front, you get the choice of a 1.6-liter tuned to 180 ponies in standard trim or 225 if you get the GT. With that in mind, the GT is only available with this engine choice, and you’re stuck with the EAT8 automatic transmission. In fact, neither petrol engine offers a manual transmission and, of the four diesel engines, only the base, Blue HDi130 can be had with a six-speed manual. It’s the entry-level model, but can also be optioned with the EAT8. Moving up the line, there’s also the BlueHDi 160 and 180, both of which get the same EAT8 transmission as well.

For what it’s worth, a plug-in hybrid model will also be available, with Peugeot expecting to bring it to the market sometime in Autumn of 2019.

2019 Peugeot 508 Pricing

Pricing has yet to be disclosed, but it’s quite likely that pricing will increase across the board a bit. It shouldn’t jump much but expect to pay a little more than what you would if you bought a current model at this point in time. As of the time of this writing, the 508 is priced between €30,150 ($33,713) for the entry-level Active trim and €41,600 ($46,516) for the range-topping GT trim. At most, expect prices to increase by €800 or about $900 across the board.

Competition

Skoda Superb

One of the prime contenders in this segment is the Skoda Superb, which just went through a generational shift for the 2016 model year. The third-gen model brings about a long sloping roof (just like we see in the spy shots of the next-gen 508) and lots of style inside and out. Under the hood, there’s a long range of options that sip gasoline or diesel. On the diesel front, you have a 1.6-liter and a 2.0-liter. The 1.6-liter is good for 118 horsepower while the 2.0-liter can be had with 147.5 horsepower or 187 horsepower, depending on the trim level. On the gasoline front, you can choose from a 1.4-liter with 123 horsepower or 147.5 horsepower. There’s also a 1.8-liter gasoline engine that offers up 177 horsepower and a 2.0-liter that can be had with 217 ponies or 276 ponies. Pricing for the Superb starts out at around $39,000 and climbs to as much as $52,000 depending on the market.

Read more about the 2017 Skoda Superb.

Honda Accord

The Accord has been around since 1976 and is now in its ninth generation. It was updated extensively for the 2016 model year, bringing a sportier appearance, nicer materials, and updated technology. On the power front, you can get it with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 185 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque or 189 horsepower and 182 pound-feet of torque. There’s also a 3.5-liter V-6 available in the range-topping model that delivers a cool 278 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque. Pricing starts out relatively low at $22,455 and climbs to as much as $30,995 for the range-topping EX-L V-6 model.

Learn more about the 2017 Honda Accord.

Conclusion

I have to say Peugeot is really doing big things these days as it shifts its lineup to sportier cars that can actually compete with the rest of the world. The upcoming 508 will be the next chapter in Peugeot’s evolution as an automaker and could find itself competing against more luxurious models from brands like BMW, Mercedes, and Audi. Of course, it won’t do so in entry-level form, but once you move up a trim with muscle under the hood, you’re golden, because the luxury is there. The new 508 should go on sale in the next six months or so, so keep your ears open if you’re interested in getting the newest sporty sedan on the market.

What do you think of the new look shown off with these spy shots? Should Peugeot bring its cars to the U.S.? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

References

Read more Peugeot news.

Read more Geneva Motor Show news.