Alternatives

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/superb/estate/used-review/n916">Skoda Superb Estate</a> is probably the 508 SW’s biggest rival, literally and metaphorically. It combines great driving manners with an effortless ride quality, an appealing interior, plenty of kit and reasonable running costs. Best of all though it has masses of space for passengers and luggage, and is a great used buy, too.&nbsp;

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mazda/6/estate/used-review/n18234">Mazda 6 Tourer</a> has a range of strong and smooth engines, with good fuel economy and reasonable punch. The interior may not be as large as the Superb’s, but it’s still impressively capacious. There’s a very decent infotainment system, too.&nbsp;

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Ownership cost

Our recommendations

What is it like?

Reliability

Estate

Peugeot has its strongest model line-up for some years, with some of its cars now rated by our testers as being among the very best available.

Highlights focus around the firm’s newest SUVs, the 3008 and 5008. The 5008 was named Large SUV of the Year at the 2018 What Car? Awards, thanks to its appealing blend of space, interior quality and low running costs.

That bodes well for future launches, too, because many of the learnings from these cars will be passed on as new versions of existing cars are launched – something that could take many years, because the Peugeot range is so big, ranging from an entry-level supermini with the 108 to an executive saloon with the 508, up into the SUV range and also vans.

Buyers should evaluate some of the lower-rated cars in the range more carefully, though. Some are now quite old, and are subsequently left behind in terms of quality when compared with the opposition, making them below-average buys, in our estimation.

PEUGEOT

508 SW

The 508 SW is stylish, practical and well equipped, but some rivals are more spacious.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Used Peugeot 508 SW

On paper, the petrol-electric 222bhp 1.6 hybrid is the most economical, but of course this is only the case if it fits into your lifestyle, which is to say you do short journeys only and have regular access to charging points. Otherwise, the 1.5 130 diesel has an official average of 63.6mpg, according to the later WLTP tests, and the 1.6 181 petrol 44mpg.&nbsp;

All 508 SWs will have been registered after the tax changes of April 2017 so will be charged a flat rate of annual car tax (VED), currently £145 a year. Beware the higher-spec models that cost more than £40,000 new, though, as these will attract a supplementary luxury car tax, currently £320 a year.&nbsp;

Insurance groups range from a modest 22 up to 34. Peugeot has a number of different servicing plans that offer flexibility in payments and length of contract, and servicing costs on the whole are lower than many of its rivals.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Used Peugeot 508 SW 2018-present

The 508 SW is stylish, practical and well equipped, but some rivals are more spacious. 



Prices for the 508 SW start at around £20,000, this for a 2018 car with an average mileage for the year and a full service history, bought from a franchised dealer. Expect to pay a little more for a fancier trim, and look to spend between £22,000 and £25,000 on a 2019 car.&nbsp;

The best blend of performance and economy is to be found in the 1.5 BlueHDi 130 version, which is smooth and quiet on the road and returns good fuel consumption figures in the real world.&nbsp;

We’d look for an Active, as all trims are well equipped and this does keep the costs down on the used car forecourt.&nbsp;

Our favourite Peugeot 508 SW: 1.5 BlueHDi 130 Active

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Huge boot and excellent practicality</li> <li>Plenty of interior space so you can carry passengers as well as luggage </li> <li>Strong engines to pull a heavily laden car</li> <li>Comfortable ride, especially on the motorway</li> <li>Low running costs for company car drivers</li></ul>

If you’re after bags of space but you don’t want to commit to the van-like dimensions and styling of an MPV, there are some great estate cars on offer that should do the job.

Tricks to look out for include an electric tailgate&nbsp;that opens automatically when you wave your foot under the rear bumper; this is&nbsp;particularly handy if you’re trying to load in a heavy or&nbsp;bulky item. You should also look for handles in the side of the boot itself that can drop down the rear seats; these are much more convenient than having to walk around the side of the car to do it.

The 508 SW interior is full of nice soft-touch materials, but check that these haven’t been damaged or stained. Check the operation of all the seats and the rear tailgate. Look at the electrical equipment, too. It’s a large car and will have been used in tight city centre car parks, so look out for dents and scuffs to the front wings and rear boot. Also check the alloy wheels for kerb damage.

Reported problems with this model have been remarkably few. It’s worth checking all the non-engine electricals, though, because this is the area where a number of faults have been recorded on similar Peugeots.

Peugeot as a brand finished in 18th place out of 31 manufacturers in our most recent reliability survey.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/peugeot">Peugeot</a>, a firm once known for instilling in its products more than its fair share of Gallic flair, has cut quite a dash with its latest 508. Once a rather uninspiring <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/508/saloon/used-review/n858">executive saloon</a>, the latest version adopts the styling of a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/508/hatchback/used-review/n18591">fastback five-door coupe</a>. However, for many, the added practicality of an estate rear end is an opportunity not to be missed, and as sure as day follows night it wasn’t long before this handsome 508 SW appeared to supplement the regular car. Extending the 508’s roofline and bulking out the rear end makes for a useful increase in rear head room and luggage space, and there are many who prefer the extra style of an estate car.&nbsp;

To keep things simple, the engine line-up is the same as the fastback 508. Petrols start with a 179bhp 1.6-litre unit, run up to a 221bhp 1.6 and peak with 222bhp and 296bhp petrol-electric hybrids, both of which are claimed to run up to 39 miles on electric power alone and the latter of which offers four-wheel drive. Diesels offer a 128bhp 1.5-litre and two versions, 161bhp and 174bhp, of a 2.0-litre engine. All engines come with an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard.&nbsp;

Trim levels initially started with Active, which offers 17in alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors and an 8.0in infotainment touchscreen. Step up to Allure trim and you’ll get a 10.0in touchscreen, heated front seats and half-leather upholstery. Next, GT Line offers 18in alloy wheels, LED headlights, tinted windows and sports seats. Top-spec GT adds 19in alloys, active suspension, full leather upholstery and an electric tailgate.

On the road, the 508 SW is a bit of a mixed bag. The 1.5-litre 130 diesel is smooth and refined but feels a little underpowered. The 161bhp version of the 2.0 BlueHDi diesel engine is smooth and swift and the 174bhp unit has plenty of oomph and, like the others, is reasonably refined. On the petrol side, the 179bhp 1.6 Puretech is smooth, responsive and a more spirited performer than the diesels, with the only disappointment being that it doesn't pull quite so well from low revs.

The 221bhp petrol brings a noticeable amount of extra shove and is the quickest option in the line-up, albeit the most costly to run. The hybrid unit combines a petrol engine with an electric motor and offers an electric-only range of around 39 miles, putting it in direct competition with Volkswagen's impressive <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/passat/estate/review/n17181">Passat Estate GTE</a> as well as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/superb/estate/review/n17344">Skoda Superb Estate iV</a>. When running on electric power alone, progress in the 508 SW hybrid is brisk, quiet and relaxing. However, when the petrol engine kicks in – once the battery is depleted, or if you are particularly enthusiastic with the accelerator pedal – the transition isn’t completely seamless. There is a slight jolt as it awakens, but only in sudden, hard acceleration is it noticeable to the point of being frustrating. In normal driving it shuffles between the power sources smoothly.

In corners, there’s plenty of grip, and the handling is safe and predictable, if largely uninspiring. The steering is actually slightly lower geared than other modern Peugeot models, but it has enough response and tenacity to instill confidence during faster cornering. There’s little in the way of body lean, which also helps with placing the car accurately, although the pay-off for this is a slightly firm ride that, although pleasant enough most of the time, can be a bit fidgety.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The 508 SW features Peugeot’s i-Cockpit layout, where a small steering wheel sits below your eyeline to the instrument panel, and analogue dials are replaced by a 12.3in customisable digital display. While the set-up works well for taller drivers who push the seat well back, it leaves shorter drivers unable to see all of the instrument pod. The seats are pseudo-sporty in style and the driving position is adjusted electrically in Allure-spec cars and above. However, the seat is set quite high, even on its lowest setting. Fit and finish are generally impressive, with the dashboard and surrounding areas featuring plenty of soft-touch materials and neat inserts, while top-spec GT models making good use of high-quality stitched leather. Only some cheaper-feeling plastic on the doors let the side down a bit.

Rearward visibility is quite restricted due to the car's extravagant exterior lines, so you'll be glad that reversing sensors and a rear-view camera are standard from Allure trim. Up front there’s good space for a tall driver and front passenger, despite the 508's sleek roofline. However, the news isn't as good in the rear. Yes, there’s just enough space for a six-footer to fold their legs in behind a lanky driver, but head room, although better than the fastback, is still rather limited. The 508 SW is 4cm longer at the rear than the regular car, and while that doesn’t sound like much, it has transformed the cargo space. True, like everything else in the class, it still trails the gigantic Skoda Superb Estate and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/passat/estate/review/n29">Volkswagen Passat Estate</a>, (plus the cheaper <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/estate/review/n40">Skoda Octavia Estate</a>), but it has more space its rear seats up or down than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/mondeo/estate/review/n107">Ford Mondeo Estate</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mazda/6/estate/review/n17296">Mazda 6 Tourer</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/3-series/estate/review/n108">BMW 3 Series Touring</a>. The 508 SW also has a wide opening with virtually no loading lip, plus the boot itself is a usefully boxy shape.

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Used Peugeot 508 SW 2018-present reliability

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Used Peugeot 508 SW 2018-present review

The 508 SW interior is full of nice soft-touch materials, but check that these haven’t been damaged or stained. Check the operation of all the seats and the rear tailgate. Look at the electrical equipment, too. It’s a large car and will have been used in tight city centre car parks, so look out for dents and scuffs to the front wings and rear boot. Also check the alloy wheels for kerb damage.,Reported problems with this model have been remarkably few. It’s worth checking all the non-engine electricals, though, because this is the area where a number of faults have been recorded on similar Peugeots.,Peugeot as a brand finished in 18th place out of 31 manufacturers in our most recent reliability survey.  

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