The best Peugeot since a 205 GTI sat on our reviewer’s driveway. Credit indeed.
How nice it is to have an interesting Peugeot parked outside again. It must be about three years since the last one – my beloved but little-used 205 GTI – left the premises for good.
That said, this new 408 is interesting for a rather different set of reasons. Is it interesting to drive? Not remotely. It’s rather slow and while it handles better than most crossover hybrid coupé-cum-SUVs, that’s like pointing out that rice is better than tapioca pudding while failing to mention you’d never actually choose either.
But it is an interesting place to be. The car look interesting from almost any angle and while its lines are so complex they could easily have simply been a mess in less-skilled hands, it actually works. The interior, spacious and high quality, is no less interesting, with sweeping screens and big haptic virtual buttons even my fat fingers can’t miss, sparing you the misery of VW-style menu diving. It’s just a rather nice place to be, and if you get one of the plug-in hybrids, it’s also outstandingly frugal. Just ignore the nonsense official figures. There’s a little petrol engine I’ve not tried and, soon, a full EV version too.
It should be said that this is not really my kind of car, but you can say the same of all crossovers. But at least this one seems to recognise that a little effort is required in other areas to make up for their seemingly inevitable dynamic shortfalls. And I appreciated that. AF
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