Peugeot 508 GT 2019 Review

According to at least one international award, the Peugeot 508 GT was the most beautiful car of 2018. We’re not sure we’d go quite that far, but we will say this handsome Frenchy is a cut-above some of its fussier rivals and its stylish cabin is indeed one that drivers of many other luxury cars would aspire to.

Peugeot announced pricing for its single-variant, twin-bodystyle 508 GT range last month and the $53,990 (plus on-road costs) entry price is considerably higher than the outgoing model’s. A lower-priced model variant isn’t expected anytime soon.

That said, the Peugeot 508 GT is still priced below rivals like the Audi A4 (from $56,100), BMW 3 Series ($64,900), Genesis G70 ($59,300), Jaguar XE ($65,670), Lexus IS 300 ($59,340), Mercedes-Benz C-Class ($63,700), Volkswagen Arteon ($67,490) and Volvo S60 ($54,990).

Included in the list price is a generous level of standard equipment and the 508 GT offers amenity, connectivity and safety levels some contemporaries still charge extra for.

Highlights include Peugeot’s personalisable 12.3-inch i-Cockpit digital instrument cluster, head-up display, a 10.0-inch infotainment screen, 18-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and tinted windows all-round. In fact, the only options are metallic/pearlescent paint ($590/$1050) and a panoramic sunroof ($2500).

Under the bonnet the Peugeot 508 GT employs a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol unit familiar to a range of other front-wheel drive PSA models. In the 508 GT the four-cylinder mill makes 165kW/300Nm and is match solely to an Aisin-sourced EAT8 eight-speed automatic transmission with four driver selective modes (which also control the car’s damping and steering rates).

Peugeot claims a combined fuel economy figure of 6.3L/100km with best-in-class CO2 emissions of 142g/km thanks to an Aussie-first petrol particulate filter. The 0-100km/h dash is knocked over in 8.1sec for the Fastback and 8.2sec for the Sportswagon.

An attractive body is one thing, but it’s once you enter the cabin of the 508 GT that the style-centric design of Peugeot’s latest mid-sizer really makes it mark.

The modern, but logical layout of the 508 GT’s instrument panel and centre stack is complemented by a level of fit and finish we found hard to fault.

Ergonomics are likewise well considered, the thick pillars the only obstruction to otherwise excellent outward visibility.

It’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into the dashboard design of the Peugeot 508 GT and on a chilly Canberran day, the well-positioned ventilation outlets and heated Nappa leather seats with eight-way electro-pneumatic adjustment were certainly very welcome.

Both front seat occupants receive massage-function seats and enjoy amenity items that include a 10-speaker FOCAL audio system, keyless entry and ignition, gesture-control auto tailgate and wireless device charging.

Both the Peugeot 508 GT Fastback and Sportswagon include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as standard.

Riding on PSA’s EMP2 platform – familiar to the Peugeot 308, 3008, 5008 and Citroen C5 Aircross, among others – the 508 GT is up to 70kg lighter than the outgoing model (1345kg).

Greater aluminium use in the lighter, lower and shorter body’s construction, thinner glass and new multi-link suspension add to a greater level of control, Peugeot says, adding that a larger interior space is carved from a body that’s some 80mm shorter than before (4750mm).

There are 32 different oddment storage compartments throughout the cabin, which certainly doesn’t feel as compact as the shorter wheelbase and body would have you believe, and extracts 30mm more legroom in the second row.

Front elbow room is comparable to segment rivals at 1455mm, the frameless doors allowing easy access to the front seats, but not necessarily the back. Back-seat headroom is likewise tight.

But perhaps the biggest advantage in accommodation comes from the 508 GT’s generous cargo area. Fastback variants offer 487 litres of space, the Sportswagon an even more sizeable 530 litres.

Total cargo space extends to 1537/1780 litres (Fastback/Sportswagon) with the 65/35-split rear seats folded down. Best still, the load area is just 635mm from the ground.

The Peugeot 508 GT received top marks in ANCAP crash testing earlier this month and an equally impressive five-star EuroNCAP score in 2018.

Australian specification includes as standard low- and high-speed autonomous emergency braking (up to 140km/h) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, collision risk alert, lane-keeping assist, driver attention alert, high-beam assist, speed limit recognition and recommendation, extended traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go function, highway positioning assist (part of the lane-keeping system), blind-spot monitoring and an active bonnet.

Parking assistance sees the 508 GT adopt a 360-degree camera and self-parking capability, and a new system known as Flank Guard (or rear-side sonar perimeter detection) as part of Peugeot’s standard Visiopark 2 technology group.

The electronically-controlled transmission is designed to select Park automatically when the engine is switched off, while the self-locking doors and follow-me-home headlights add an extra touch of security.

All five seating positions are equipped with head restraints and lap/sash (three-point) seatbelts. The rear bench features three top-tether and two ISOFIX child-seat anchor points, as well as door and window control isolation.

LED headlights and tail-lights are included as standard, as are self-dimming interior and exterior mirrors.

The Peugeot 508 GT range is backed by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with included roadside assistance and five-year capped-price servicing program. Service intervals are 12 months or 20,000km and tally $3507.00 over the warranty period.

Riding through the undulating and at times ragged roads surrounding Canberra quickly shows how well tied-down the Peugeot 508 GT is. The ride is firm without being uncomfortable, only the largest potholes crashing through the 18-inch wheels and into the cabin.

The strut (front), multi-link independent (rear) suspension offers excellent body control and in turn predictable cornering. Despite its length, the lighter 508 GT is forgiving of mid-corner corrections and deals quickly to settle upsets created by mid-corner bumps.

In a word, it’s an accurate car to place on a winding road and co-operates better than most larger-bodied vehicles borne of the EMP2 platform to date.

Steering is light and offers only artificial feedback in Sport mode. There’s little in the way of communication yet the 508 GT remains calculable in a way that’s increasingly typical of many electrically-assisted mid-sizers.

Performance is better than we’ve experienced from the 1.6-litre unit in other PSA applications. The additional power and torque is welcome, and better distributed by the two extra ratios of the new eight-speed automatic.

There’s no tip-in lag to speak of, but the small-capacity engine does take a while to find its stride when overtaking. With two occupants on board, this isn’t particularly bothersome, but we’d be keen to revisit the scenario with five people and their luggage in the car.

We tried the 508 GT’s various modes, but found Comfort and Sport the most useful in backroad touring. The paddle shifts operate as expected, but in reality the transmission is smart enough to make them redundant in all but the most demanding of situations.

In highway cruising the Peugeot 508 GT suffers from a little wind noise about the large side mirrors and a touch of tyre rumble on coarse-chip road surfaces. On smoother roads it improves to the point of being notably quiet, but the grip from the Michelin tyres is worth the compromise in my humble opinion.

The Peugeot 508 GT couldn’t have arrived in Australia at a better time. Yes, it’s a highly specified car that’s unavailable in a more affordable ‘family spec’ package, but in every other sense it’s a great fit for its intended market and an honest challenger to its nearest rivals.

It’s perhaps also the model the brand needs to get the attention of Aussie buyers – and perhaps get them interested in other vehicles in the range at the same time. There’s some good stuff in PSA showrooms at the moment… if only car buyers knew about them.

You could say the Peugeot and Citroen brands are going through a renaissance right now, and the packaging, driving experience and level of safety and technology offered in this near-premium medium car are right where they need to be.

Add a stylish body and better than average efficiency and after-sales provisions and the Peugeot 508 GT truly stands head and shoulders above its rivals.

How much does the 2019 Peugeot 508 GT Fastback and Wagon cost?
Price: $53,990 (Fastback); $55,990 (Sportswagon)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 165kW/300Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.3L/100km (ADR Combined); 8.6L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 142g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP (2019)