The popularity of big saloon cars has been declining for years. If you look at what happened 15 years with cars like the Vectra,
the Renault Laguna, Peugeot 406, and the Ford Mondeo...
Those times are over, the market has been collapsing for a while now.
That has two reasons. One, people now prefer crossovers or SUV's,
which is a big chunk of the market share filled, and two:
people who used to buy big D-segment cars, now buy premium cars from a lower segment.
An Audi A3 or a BMW 1-series for example.
Anyway, Peugeot is trying again with their 508, even though the previous 508 and 407 weren't big successes,
compared with the 406 before that. On the other hand, Peugeot is still doing very good.
Luckily, they were just in time with the SUV-hype, and they're selling lots of cars with their 2008,
3008 and 5008. Worldwide, they've set a record,
and it seems that they're going break their own record this year.
So Peugeot thought: 'why wouldn't we try it again?'
I mean, what could go wrong. Peugeot did apply some changes though.
They now know that styling, shape and appearance are becoming more important than space.
Just think of it, what saloon cars are still doing well?
The BMW 3-series, Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class...
They're incredibly luxurious, but they're not very big.
So don't think you'll get back customers by making your car bigger, because people who wanted space,
weren't buying these to begin with. And that's why this 508 is 8 cm shorter...
and 6 cm lower than its predecessor. That means it looks wider, even though it isn't.
It sure has a whole different appearance, and just as important:
it's not a saloon anymore, but a hatchback.
They've used sloped line to create a big boot, which means the practicality remains the same.
The styling is very special to begin with. Just look at the new nose, which is the new Peugeot-family face.
It's just so much better looking than its plump predecessor. Also, it's got frameless windows.
Just like on the Audi A5 Sportback, all of that to give it that coupé feel.
With that, you see that Peugeot has chosen for a different strategy here.
But does it compromise on space?
Well, if we open the boot, there's a lot of space won because of the fifth door.
You've got 480 litres of luggage space, with the seats up.
The loading floor is lower than its predecessor as well, which makes it possible to shove everything right in there.
Then, the rear seat. So, what stands out?
I've got lots of space left for my knees, because there's some room left here,
but my feet barely fit beneath the seat, and it's got a high floor relative to the seat base,
which creates an unnatural angle, so I'll have to sit like this which isn't pleasant for longer distances.
If I lean back, my head touches the roof, so I'll automatically go like this.
That way, I'll survive longer. So the smaller you are, the longer you can be back here.
Not only because of the space altogether, but because of the seating angle as well.
So they've had to compromise some things, if we compare it with a Renault Talisman or something.
I do have to say, this is the GT-version and it absolutely looks stunning.
This leather here... The USB isn't surrounded by leather however,
but the doors are... You can feel it's of quality.
So, what were Peugeot's plans with this car exactly? What were their goals?
First of all, they wanted to improve the styling.
They did good if you ask me, I like the exterior and the interior looks very good as well.
The i-Cockpit has received a small upgrade, and even though the small steering wheel is a matter of taste,
it's pretty good if you're used to it. The screens look good, the materials look good,
and Peugeot wanted to improve the quality as a whole, which has multiple reasons.
The previous 508 had big problems when it came to residual value, because it barely had any.
That was low enough to scare of lease companies, and it cost Peugeot a lot of money to buy them all back.
Peugeot wanted this car to have more residual value, so the quality had to improve.
It should be as new after 90.000 km. The leather, the stitching, no worn seats,
no loose threads, and that's a statement for a French manufacturer.
I mean, it isn't a Mercedes.
It'll be interesting to see how the car holds up after 90.000 km, but from what I can tell now, I think it's going to be just fine.
When it comes to the drive, it's still aimed at comfort.
If you put the dampers in Sport-mode, because it has adaptive damping,
it won't be afraid for quicker corners. There's a noticable difference, because the steering gets heavier.
The automatic gearbox adapts as well, but you can steer it in like this...
And it will react nicely. Don't think it's a dynamic car though,
because it's never going to be a drivers car. Not to worry, because that's not what this car is meant to be.
Also, I really like the comfort in this car. There's ease, there's quietness,
and it never feels weak or wobbly, it's a very nice car for long distances.
When it comes to engines, Peugeot starts with more powerful versions.
Especially when it comes to petrol engines. They start at 180 and 225 horsepower,
and the diesels have a little less power to begin with, but diesel is losing importance in the Netherlands.
That's why we're focusing on petrol. Right now I'm driving the 225 horsepower version,
produced by a 1.6-litre, and that's a lot of power for such an engine.
You'll notice it has to rev a little to reach the turbo power, but that packs a punch as well.
Also, there's a new 8-speed automatic gearbox, and that was what Peugeot actually needed.
If I think back on the launch of the previous 508, with that robotized manual gearbox which was 20%...
That was horrible. After that, they installed a decent 6-speed automatic,
and now they've got an 8-speed automatic, and it's a very pleasant gearbox.
It kind of reminds me of the 8-speed gearbox you'll find in BMW's, which changes gear very quickly as well.
If you barely touch the throttle, it changes down two gears.
It also doesn't get nervous, on the contrary even, because you don't have to force the kickdown constantly.
The automatic gearbox raises the car to a whole new level.
When it comes to technology, Peugeot has tried to keep up with the developments.
Autonomous driving has now reached level 2, so you can get your hands of the wheel without worrying.
You shouldn't do that for too long, because it will start beeping,
but it will remain between the lines.
It's not on the same level as a Tesla or a Mercedes, but there are cars which weave about a lot more.
This Peugeot absolute performs above average.
Everything put together, it's a pretty good car.
Peugeot has taken the good things from the 3008 and 5008, and put them on this 508.
It's lower than its predecessor, it's lighter than its predecessor,
and I just like it better than the previous model, from the start.
That's a good sign. It's positioned relatively high though.
It's pretty expensive, because prices start at €42.000.
That's pricey, but a GT-version with this amount of power are even more expensive.
You'll be able to reach the Germans, but they're more expensive if you fit the same amount of features...
So for the same amount of money, you get more car in this Peugeot.
So that's the question. Can they convince people to get out of German cars,
to get into this nice and new 508?