The 408 moniker has been repurposed by Peugeot for the European market as a sleek looking fastback and will be placed alongside the luxury orientated 308 SW and 3008 models.
You may never have heard of the Peugeot 408 before and that is because the nameplate has been used exclusively for the Chinese market since 2010, essentially as a sedan version of the 308 hatchback. That model got a full overhaul for the 2023 model year and now the European market will receive it too, although it’s not quite the same.
That is because the European Peugeot 408 will be officially categorised as a fastback which means everything behind the C-pillar is a little bit different and it will also be raised ever so slightly further off of the ground.
The newcomer is based on the latest Stellantis’ EMP2 platform which is already used by the 308 hatchback and 308 SW although the 408 is poised to be positioned “at the top of the C-segment.” What exists between the 4 687 mm length, 1 859 mm width and 1 478 mm height is something unlike anything you’d expect to see in the segment; quirky yet sleek French aesthetics can summarise its aesthetics.This includes the out-of-the-box 20-inch rims that can be found on the top-of-the-range models.
The interior retains most bits and pieces from the 308 range which means it will also include the petite hexagonal steering wheel found throughout the range although in this, a maximum of 1 611 litres of cargo space can be had with the rear seats folded down or 536 litres with them up.
The 408 can be purchased with one of two plug-in hybrid powertrains both turning the front wheels and mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The electric motor is good for 81 kW while the 1,6-litre turbocharged engine in its most powerful form can deliver 165 kW and 360 N.m while the detuned mid range version is good for the same amount of torque but with 133 kW. The entry level 1,2-litre engine offers 96 kW and 230 N.m.
No pricing has been provided as of yet but since it has been announced for the European market and Peugeot no longer offer sedan’s or expectedly fastback affiliated derivatives in our market, we probably will only see this in photo format.
