When is a niche no longer a niche? Don't worry, I'm not about to go all Descartes on you. It's just that we've been calling the crossover/fastback/ jacked-up hatchback/dropped SUV in-betweener brigade 'niche' for a long time, yet there's such demand for it and its members are so numerous that, frankly, it's not really niche any more, is it? Which brings me to our test.
You want something fun and a bit executive-posh, but you want it to be different; you want it to be a bit attention-grabbing. Let's face it, you want anything - anything - but a grey Audi A4, BMW 3 Series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
With that in mind, we've gathered together a trio of midsized 'alternative' executives, with the Peugeot 408 being the newest offering. It's based on Stellantis's EMP2 platform and presents itself as an almost Lamborghini Uruslike amalgamation of angular lines, straked lights and black plastic frippery. Oddly, it works rather well. We're trying it here in 1.2-litre petrol guise, which is the cheapest of the powertrains on offer and, handily, our pick of the range.
The oddballs to beat arrive in the shape of the Cupra Formentor, which is arguably the most conventional car here. As a midsized hatchback/SUV crossover, it has a more flamboyant feel than its Volkswagen Group brethren, and we like it a lot. As with the Peugeot, the Formentor is offered with a wide range of engine options, including plug-in hybrid, but here we've chosen the mid-range, 188bhp 2.0-litre, complete with four-wheel drive and in V2 trim. All of that means it strikes the middle ground for performance and price between the 408, which is the most affordable, and our next protagonist, the most expensive.
This story is from the March 01, 2023 edition of Autocar UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 01, 2023 edition of Autocar UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Poster car that went from rusty to trusty
One evening, two years ago, George Pappas was being driven down his local high street by a mate and mulling over whether to replace his Mk4 Golf diesel, a recent purchase that was boring him to death, when his girlfriend, also in the car, spotted an old BMW 3 Series at the side of the road with a 'for sale' sign in the window.
THE SEVEN-SEATER THAT VOLVO DARE NOT KILL OFF
The current-gen XC90 has been on sale since 2015 for good reason
GENESIS ELECTRIFIED G80
Where the story begins, in the Hyundai premium marque’s luxury saloon
LEXUSLBX
Can you shrink premium quality to fit an SUV this small? We now know
Rolls boss ready to 'define the next chapter'
Nine months into the job, Rolls-Royce CEO and car guy Chris Brownridge tells STEVE CROPLEY what he's learned and where the firm's heading
Once more, with feeling
AC Cars' recreation of the classic MkII Cobra is at first glance a faithful facsimile of a 1960s performance benchmark. SIMON HUCKNALL drives it
MERCEDES-BENZ CLE
Does a PHEV set-up work in a coupé that exudes such old-school vibes?
ANALOGUE SUPERSPORT
Lotus Elise specialist uprates 1990s icon with an eye on track days
ALPINE A290
The hot hatch is alive and well, and living in France. On both road and track, there's much to savour`
UK HANGS ON TO OLD CARS
Average car age climbs as high prices dampen demand for new models