Peugeot 508 SW Access 1.6 VTi EGC 5dr Car Review - February 2012

Inside the cabin the dash has a nice uncluttered layout and is simple for the driver to use. The quality of the trim material is good and the soft plastics used look durable. The interior has a nice airy feel to it and the space is used well. There’s plenty of legroom and headroom even for taller passengers in the rear.

The car comes with a 1.6-litre, 120bhp petrol engine fitted. Capable of going from 0-62mph in 11.8 seconds, it has a top speed of 124mph which is a bit faster than the diesel equivalent. Average fuel economy of 44.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 145g/km are not as impressive as the diesel, but decent compared to its petrol driven rivals. The engine is mated to Peugeot’s 6-speed (ECG) Electronically Controlled Gearbox which doesn’t seem as smooth as the 6-speed manual version.

Even though the 508 is an estate car it’s dynamic and agile on the road, with steering that has a nice weighted feel to it and plenty of grip. The ride is a comfy one and it simply eats up motorway miles with ease. Seats are comfortable and supportive, even in the back, and thanks to the suppression of road and suspension noise it’s a hushed ride. Although the driving experience is much better than with previous versions and more refined than the Citroen C5 estate or the VW Passat estate, it still falls short of the class leading Ford Mondeo estate for handling.

The 508 estate is arguably better looking than the saloon version. It’s just a bit longer than the saloon but its elegant curves and sleek appearance can be deceiving.

This entry level Access model comes well equipped with remote-central-locking, stability control, air conditioning, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, alarm, immobiliser and deadlocks, CD+MP3 connectivity, daytime running lights and halogen head-lights. Optional extras include alloy wheels £310, metallic paint £450, cruise control and rear parking sensor £410 and Bluetooth £205.

As well as being roomy and comfortable for passengers, the 508 comes with plenty of load space; 512 litres with the seats in position and folding them down increases this to 1,598 litres - which makes it one of the roomiest in its class.

EuroNCAP awarded the 508 a five-star rating overall for safety after crash testing it. No doubt the inclusion of stability control, emergency braking assistance, an electronic brake force distribution system as well as the two front and side airbags, front curtain airbags and anti-whiplash head restraints all contributed to it obtaining the maximum rating of five.

Anti theft measures include remote central locking, deadlocks, an alarm and an immobiliser to help protect the 508 from thieves.

The 508 has a good solid and durable feel to it and the interior trim plastic has been impressively improved over the previous version. Peugeot have been constantly improving on all fronts and their engines are well tried and tested and shouldn’t be cause for any concern. Service intervals are every 20,000 miles and it comes supported by Peugeot’s three-year, 60,000 miles warranty.

It’s competitively priced (£19,475) beside the Mondeo and Citroen offerings, and gives more space and a better drive than some of its competitors. It offers good value for money in this class though, and you should be able to get a good discount when buying new.

Residual values are generally good and when selling it in the future you should find that there’s demand in this growing Sports Wagon sector – so no shortage of buyers.

Insurance in group 20 and Road Tax in band F, as well as the long service intervals should mean that running costs are kept at a reasonable level.