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By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 56

To prove its second generation 508 could be a real driver's car, even in heavier PHEV form, in 2021 Peugeot brought us this, the 508 PSE or 'Peugeot Sport Engineered'. It looks arresting, particularly in post '23-plate updated form, and there's no shortage of power or ambition here. But you might find the price tag formidable.

Modelsword count: 7

5dr Hatch, SW estate (1.6 PHEV petrol)

Historyword count: 176

Back in 2019, Peugeot announced a car that probably didn't register on your radar, the one we look at here, the 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered. Its subtle market presence was somewhat strange because at the time of launch it was the most powerful model the Gallic brand had ever sold. Delayed by the Pandemic, it took until 2021 for this car to go on sale here and just two years more before it was facelifted. It's one of those used cars we like because it's different from anything else in its segment from its era and full of apparent contradictions: a PHEV that's all about performance. And a mainstream brand model targeted at the premium segment. From a sub-brand with virtually no market recognition. The 2023 package of mid-term updates probably didn't go far enough but brought a sharper look and improved cabin screen tech. Plus an increase in PHEV battery size from 11.8kWh to 12.4kWh, which boosted Ev range slightly. In this form, the car sold until late-2025, when it was discontinued and not replaced.

What You Getword count: 278

It's entirely possible that potential 508 PSE customer might be prepared to overlook this car's lack of a premium badge merely on the basis of the way it looks, especially in this SW estate guise, the alternative being the five-door Fastback. Enter in across the PSE-branded door sills and you'll find sports seats part-trimmed in 'Mistral' nappa leather, with extendable under-thigh support and lime green kryptonite stitching that's extended onto the dash, the door cards and a perforated leather-trimmed steering wheel with the PSE three-slash badge. Carbon-fibre-look trimming decorates the central part of the dash, you get a large overhead glass sunroof and there's a big FOCAL speaker in the centre of the dash top. As in an ordinary 508, this cabin is completely different in every way to the Teutonic sports saloon rival from this era you might previously have been considering. That's mainly because of the usual Peugeot 'i-Cockpit' dashboard design that sees you looking at the digital instrument screen over the top of the steering wheel, rather than more conventionally through its spokes. Said wheel is smaller than the norm too: don't worry, you'll adjust to it all quickly. The rear seat space is reasonable, but three adults will need to be on friendly terms. With the SW estate, the powered tailgate rises to reveal a cargo area that's 530-litres in size (43-litres bigger than the Fastback version). Seat retraction catches are provided on the cargo bay sidewalls and when you operate these, up to 1,780-litres of space can be freed up in the SW model, 243-litres more than you'd get in the Fastback. These figures, (rather impressively) aren't affected by the PHEV system packaging.

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