A fast and eloquent road swallow with a unique design, sport-elegant at its best (photo: manufacturer's website)
In an era where manufacturers invent subcategories out of thin air, in the race to be the next thing and hit the audience's taste has changed frequently.
When customers start looking for fresh alternatives to crossovers that have already conquered the world, this is the time when Peugeot decided to pull out of the archives the 400 series that has been somewhat lost in recent years.
The new 408 tries to combine the elegance of the 508, with the great commercial success of the 3008. Along the way, they added a slanted roof that gives it a sporty 'coupe' look, and all of this could have ended up in a design catastrophe... but the chariot work was successful, and the 408 presents Attractive and especially unique appearance.
In a side view, the 'coupe' style stands out, presenting a sporty silhouette in a 5-door hatchback body (photo: manufacturer's website)
The Peugeot 408 is a bit hard to label;
At 469 centimeters long, it is placed between 3008 and 508 (this is also, for example, the length of Octavia).
The 408 is taller than a regular family car but lower than a crossover, it has a hatchback rear door (the rear window opens with the tailgate) but the roof slopes down, coupe style.
Confused?
No big deal, let's leave the settings and look at the car in front of us.
We'll just go ahead and say that there is no date yet for the arrival of the 408 in Israel, and for its expected price;
It should arrive during 2023 and the price may approach NIS 250,000, it won't be cheap anymore.
More on the same topic:
- Interested in crossovers?
Here is their big comparative test
- maybe in the section of family?
We took two of the best of them to the test
- and maybe also on electricity: electric crossovers in a comparative test
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As a connection to the world of crossovers, a black plastic belt surrounds the bottom of the chassis, including thin wings (photo: manufacturer's website)
exterior design
Without getting involved in the semantic debate of whether it is a 'family', 'crossover' or 'hatchback', there is no doubt that the all-new 408 is a very impressive car.
From the large grill, the contours of the body to the complex tail.
Viewed from the side, the 408 exhibits a unique silhouette with a roof that slopes back diagonally, what does that do to the person sitting in the back?
We'll get to that later.
The roof is carved with two longitudinal projections, a type of metal fins.
But overall, the design of the 408 is very unique, gets the job done.
It also outlines the design path that other Peugeot models will follow in the coming years.
Those who pack this whole performance together are sophisticated-looking rims placed at the corners of the body, locking tires in a sporty section of 40 and 55;
They are too sporty for my taste but look great, customers will love it.
The front is the most significant part of the 408's design;
Complex, interesting, harmonious (Photo: Rami Gilboa)
the passenger compartment
With a wheelbase of 278.7 centimeters, the 408 can accommodate a family in a generous and sophisticated living room.
The dashboard is coated with different materials, metal, plastic and precise seams.
The i-Cockpit array dominates the dashboard, improved compared to its earlier versions but still, requiring rummaging through the menus - even to get to the air conditioner operation, for example.
Three 10-inch wide monitors improve the accessibility of information and its display.
The steering wheel remains small and light in weight - I still have a hard time falling in love with this configuration that requires lowering the steering wheel, but the crowd loves it.
The FOCAL sound system has ten fine speakers, has full connectivity, front and rear charging sockets, and rear air conditioning outlets.
The rear is particularly loaded, including a black bumper inspired by the world of Transformers (Photo: Rami Gilboa)
The leather seats are comfortable and electrified and the relatively low waistline gives a good view out.
The back seat is particularly spacious, it is no problem to seat two XXL adults, and another compact passenger.
Despite the roof sloping backwards, tall people will not have a problem in the rear seats either, the headroom is completely sufficient.
The trim materials are fine in the front, touching the premium;
In the back seat you can already find less impressive plastics, but in any case, the feeling is high quality to the look and touch.
The trunk contains 471 liters, it is very wide but less high, because of the electric battery.
The rear door opens wide, facilitating access to the depths of the trunk.
It is not yet known which finish levels will arrive in Israel next year;
In Europe, the 408 is offered in three trim levels, Allure, Allure Pack and the high GT trim level.
The two i-Cockpit displays allow communication with the car but I lack physical switches.
The small steering wheel is a bit strange, but you can get used to it (photo: manufacturer's website)
The leather seats are comfortable and electrified and the relatively low waistline gives a good view out.
The back seat is particularly spacious, it is no problem to seat two XXL adults, and another compact passenger.
Despite the roof sloping backwards, tall people will not have a problem in the rear seats either, the headroom is completely sufficient.
The trim materials are fine in the front, touching the premium;
In the back seat you can already find less impressive plastics, but in any case, the feeling is high quality to the look and touch.
The trunk contains 471 liters, it is very wide but less high, because of the electric battery.
The rear door opens wide, facilitating access to the depths of the trunk.
It is not yet known which finish levels will arrive in Israel next year;
In Europe, the 408 is offered in three trim levels, Allure, Allure Pack and the high GT trim level.
The front seats are spacious and very comfortable, allowing for a good driving position (photo: manufacturer's website)
We are all plug-in hybrids
The Lubinski company did well to decide not to bring to Israel the 1.2-liter 3-piston 130 hp gasoline version; it is too basic a power unit, which is too small for the 408 body and its expected price. Dealing in two plug-in hybrid versions, 180 and 225 horse power. Only the powerful version with a supercharged 1.6 gasoline engine + electric motor will arrive in Israel. The combined power is 225 hp, with a range of 60 independent kilometers on the 12.4 kWh battery , and 7.8 seconds from zero to 100. The gasoline engine is mated to the front wheels through an 8-speed gearbox.
Not a polished sports car, but a car that is fun to drive - with the whole family (photo: manufacturer's website)
Peugeot defines the 408 as a car devoid of distinct sporting pretensions, but as one that will also delight driving enthusiasts.
After hundreds of miles of highway and mountain roads I agree with this definition, which looks at the car's performance from the driver's side.
In the days when every electric car gives breathtaking accelerations, 7.8 seconds from zero to 100 is not considered something dramatic;
But the 408 feels sprightly and energetic, thanks in large part to the immediate availability of electric power.
The gearbox may respond with a certain delay to pressing the gas, but this does not translate into a feeling of lack of power.
The steering is light and fast, partly thanks to a small steering wheel with a light weight.
The 12.4 kWh battery and the electric motor add about 300 kilograms to the curb weight, which reaches about 1,700 kg;
Even so, the 408 doesn't feel heavy or clunky.
The 408 will compete with other PHEV family cars, and will also try to bite crossovers (Photo: Rami Gilboa)
As usual with Peugeot, the suspensions do an excellent job.
During the launch we drove on 205/55R19 tires, which provided completely adequate grip and good comfort.
The car copes well with asphalt disturbances, although at low speeds it is a little less polished.
The chassis control is excellent and the car remains flat and balanced, in sharp and fast turns and also in sharp braking.
The ride is very refined with good noise insulation, partly thanks to special acoustic windshields in the front of the car.
The 408 offers a full safety system that includes autonomous braking, traffic sign recognition, lane keeping, speed control and 'dead zone' warning.
The extensive wheelbase leaves excellent space in the back, including overhead (photo: manufacturer's website)
Summary
The 408 renews a long line of family cars from the French manufacturer.
The 408 does not fit into any existing standard, it combines characteristics of a family sedan, a sports coupe, and a raised crossover.
This is a very unique and technological car that looks great.
In the 225 hp version it is strong and agile, the level of refinement and driving comfort are very good. The driving range on pure electricity will satisfy urban-suburban customers, dynamic driving enthusiasts will also like the package.
The only problem will be the price of the 408, which is not yet closed at the moment. At prices that will be pushed It will cost around NIS 250,000 like the top versions of the 3008; this will limit its distribution but we will have to wait for the start of imports to know what the price of the new 408 will be.
At a price significantly higher than NIS 200,000, how many 408s will the manufacturer be able to put on the road? (Photo: Rami Gilboa)
On the technical side: Peugeot 408 PHEV 225
Gasoline engine:
1.6 liter 4-piston, 180/6,000 hp, 25.5/1,750 kg
Electric motor:
110 hp, 32.6 kg
Electric range:
62 kilometers
Maximum combined power (hp)
: 225
gearbox Transmission:
8-speed planetary
Length (cm):
468.7
Width (cm):
185.9
Height (cm):
147.8
Wheelbase (cm):
278.7
Trunk volume (liters):
471
Tires:
205 /55R19
Weight (kg):
1,706
Acceleration 0-100 (seconds):
7.8 seconds
Maximum speed (km/h):
233
Price (shekels):
unknown
Peugeot 401 founded the family dynasty of the manufacturer (photo: manufacturer website)
History lesson: 400 series
Since the 1930s, the 400 series has represented bourgeois families;
The first two generations, 401 and 402, were produced between 1934-1948.
The veterans among our readers may remember the vaulted 403 with 1.3 and 1.5 liter engines, with a capacity of 54 and 65 horse power.
Others will remember the 403 as "Detective Columbo's car" from the American TV series.
The headlights inside the front grill and the aerodynamic shape of the 402 were ahead of their time (photo: manufacturer website)
The most significant model of the 400 series was the 404 which was produced in the years 1960-1975 and was widely distributed in Israel as well - as a family 'sedan' with pointed wings (in the successful design of the Italian Pininfarina), in a station version with six seats, a coupe and a rare convertible and, of course, the mythical van that dominated the Israeli market Long years of service - including long service in the ranks of the IDF. The 404 had 1.6-liter gasoline and diesel engines with a power of up to 72 hp and boasted the option of an automatic transmission.
It was one of the most reliable and successful models of the French manufacturer, close to 3,000,000 404 cars hit the road worldwide;
With an emphasis on Africa, where the 404 became the queen of the trails and the road.
A local and global legend - Peugeot 404 (Photo: Manufacturer's website)
The 404 was replaced by the 405 which was a great worldwide success.
It was produced long after its marketing in Western countries was stopped by Peugeot factories in Egypt and Iran.
Even off the public road, she won considerable achievements.
Chief among them thanks to two successful rally versions: the 405 Turbo-16 Grand Raid which competed in the Paris Dakar Rally and won first place in 1989 and 1990, under the hands of Ari Vatanen from Finland.
Peugeot 405, for a moment was the queen of family cars in Israel (photo: manufacturer's website)
Peugeot withdrew from the Dakar but the same car continued to compete in Africa under sister brand Citroen.
The ZX Turbo16 Grand Raid won the Paris Dakar four more times, between 1991 and 1996. Ari Vatnen broke further records on another continent, when in 1988 he won the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, the most prestigious 'hill climbing' competition in the world.
Beyond the victory itself, Vatnen left us the amazing cult video "Climb Dance" showing his incredible greatness as a devilishly talented rally driver, willing to take extreme risks on the edge of the abyss.
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Peugeot 408
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