PEUGEOT 408

A CURIOUS MASH-UP OF BODY STYLES WITH A PUNCHY PLUG-IN POWERTRAIN

- STEPHEN DOBIE

PEUGEOT'S RENAISSANCE continues with a crossover unlike any other.

Its maker calls it a 'dynamic fastback' - we call it a curious mash-up between the world of sedans and SUVs. A car that's in danger of alienating both markets but which, with a pinch of bravery from its buyers, might unexpectedly unite them.

It serves the chunky, rugged look most family buyers are going gaga for while actually sitting around 150mm lower - little higher than a 308 hatch or wagon, in fact - while offering a traditional hatchback boot of generous proportions.

We're delighted it exists, that Peugeot has such design swagger and is feeling so emboldened right now. You can at least partially thank its parent company Stellantis and its vast platform- and powertrain-sharing philosophy. The lower cost of making a diverse bunch of cars from a similar toolkit is allowing oddballs like the 408 and its Citroen C5 X relative to thrive. And we couldn't be happier.

While the Peugeot 308 offers a mixture of petrol and hybrid power, only its range-topping plug-in option will migrate to the 408's price list when it lands here at the end of 2023.