Used Peugeot 508 SW 2011-2018 review

The increase in popularity of SUVs, with their raised ride heights, chunky looks and practical load areas, has put the traditional family estate under siege. So, how do the makers of these compete? By sculpting them to look less like boxes on wheels and make them more stylish, as evidenced by the Peugeot 508 SW.

The rear of the 508 SW tapers down significantly, which is much more elegant than the rather acute angles of past estates. This does limit the boot's overall load-carrying capacity, though – a wardrobe won’t really fit. But unless you run a removals firm, that probably won't be too much of an issue on a day-to-day basis.

The 508 SW's driving experience is markedly better than that of its predecessor, the 407 SW, although it needs to be because the market has moved on considerably since that car was new. It isn’t quite as aloof to drive as the Volkswagen Passat Estate, but it can’t quite match the Ford Mondeo Estate or the BMW 3 Series Touring for overall involvement. However, its turn-in on the way into a corner is quite sharp and its body movements are kept nicely in check. Unfortunately, though, the 508 SW tends to shudder over small surface imperfections and its ride is quite firm around town, whereas its rivals manage to soak up all but the worst of imperfections.

There are petrol and diesel models to choose from, and even a diesel-electric hybrid version. We don't recommend the latter, though, because it has an automated manual gearbox, which isn’t as good as a traditional automatic, and despite the electric assistance, running costs aren’t significantly better than the normal diesel's.

Aside from the hybrid, fuel economy for the rest of the range is very good, meeting or exceeding the figures of rivals. Road tax costs are also low, which is good news if you're watching the pennies.

Read on for the full used review of the Peugeot 508 SW.

Thanks to some heavy depreciation, you can now pick up an early 2011 Peugeot 508 SW diesel with a high mileage for just £3500. If you spend a bit more, there are plenty of lowe- mileage examples in mid-range spec for £7500. The overwhelming majority of used 508 SWs for sale are diesels. If this doesn’t fit your driving habits, it might be worth looking at rivals such as the Skoda Octavia Estate, because they're available with petrol engines in greater numbers.

The 508 SW was facelifted in mid-2014, and you'll need to spend around £11,000 to get one of those with less than 40,000 miles.

As a diesel, the 508 SW is a cost-effective car to run. The 1.6-litre version fitted with a six-speed automated manual gearbox gets the best figures, with a combined average of 65.6mpg and £20 per year in road tax. The 2.0 diesel comes in two states of tune: 138bhp and 163bhp. All do well running costs-wise, but the 138bhp is the best at a combined average of 56.5mpg and £115 road tax. The 163bhp is slightly more expensive with figures of 49.6mpg and £150 tax.

The most powerful diesel has a 201bhp 2.2-litre engine and an automatic box, and while it does have the benefit of altered suspension, it's quite a bit more costly to run, with a combined average of 47.8mpg and £190 road tax.

The diesel-electric hybrid version has a 2.0-litre engine and an electric motor that powers the rear wheels. Its fuel economy is a bit disappointing, at 68.9mpg. Road tax is £20.

If you find a petrol 508 SW, it’ll be a 1.6 with either 118bhp or 156bhp and a turbocharger. Both versions have similar combined averages, of 45.6mpg and 44.8mpg respectively, and cost £150 in road tax.

The petrol engine was discontinued with the facelift, and the diesel range was optimised to be more tax-friendly, especially for BlueHDi models. The 1.6 diesel breaks into the free tax band and has a combined average of 74.3mpg. The 2.0-litre diesel with 148bhp has a combined average of 67.3mpg and £20 tax. The more powerful 178bhp doesn’t penalise you too much; the auto-only top-of-the-range GT model squeaks in at a combined average of 61.4mpg and £30 road tax.

If your 508 SW is more than three years old, it will qualify for fixed-price servicing. Peugeot's fixed-price servicing scheme is pretty reasonable, with prices that compare favourably with rival manufacturers' offerings. And even if your Peugeot isn’t three years and older and doesn’t qualify, main dealer servicing is on a par with mainstream rivals.

You'll be lucky to find a petrol-powered 508 SW, so if you need a non-diesel estate, we’d recommend you look for big-booted versions of the Skoda Octavia, Ford Mondeo or Volkswagen Passat instead; you're more likely to find one of those powered by fuel from the green pump.

Of the diesels that are available, go for the superior economy of the 1.6 HDi. While it might take longer to get up to speed than the larger 2.0-litre, the 508 SW isn’t exactly a driver’s car, and the smaller engine is quieter once up to speed.

Access trim comes with air conditioning, electric windows front and rear and an electronic stability programme.

Spend a bit more and get an Active version, though, because this adds cruise control, climate control and alloy wheels.

If that’s not enough for you, the Allure has partial leather trim, heated seats and parking sensors.

GT, meanwhile, adds sat-nav and full-leather seats, with electric adjustment for driver and passenger. We reckon both of these versions are a little pricey for what you get, mind you.

Our favourite Peugeot 508 SW: 1.6 HDi Active

This is where the case for the 508 SW falls flat. It might be cheaper than its rivals to buy, but for a little more money you can get yourself into some much more talented rivals.

The biggest of these is the Ford Mondeo Estate, both in terms of how much of a challenger it is and its sheer size. Its boot makes the Peugeot’s look tiny, and space for rear seat passengers is vast, which is one of many reasons taxi firms love the Mondeo. The 2.0-litre diesel is refined, punchy and efficient, and there will be thousands to choose from at any time, so finding a good one will be easy.

The Volkswagen Passat Estate is the refined choice for those who can’t quite get into a BMW 3 Series Touring or Audi A4 Avant but want something with a bit more class than a Mondeo or Vauxhall Insignia. There is an excellent range of petrol and diesel engines, and it's brilliant on a long motorway cruise.

The Skoda Octavia Estate has space in spades. Its boot can fit anything you want into it (short of a blue whale) and it uses many of the same engines as the Passat. That means there’s an Octavia to suit all budgets and driving styles. It may not be all that stylish inside, but it is well made and well equipped.

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