Peugeot 508 Facelifted
Peugeot’s flagship model, the 508, which was introduced to the market in 2018 and has been attracting attention since its first day, underwent a facelift at the age of 5. Let’s take a closer look at this facelift operation and examine the changes.
Peugeot’s flagship model, the 508, emerged as the aggressive and sporty character of its class. Despite being the smallest car in its class, the 508 utilized this compactness as a weight advantage, successfully achieving a more dynamic driving character.
Equipped with PSA’s small-displacement, efficient, and performance-oriented engines, the 508 stood out among its 1.6-liter engine counterparts in terms of power and fuel efficiency when it was launched in 2018. Before the facelift, the 508 featured a 1.6-liter PureTech engine with 225 horsepower, reaching 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 7.3 seconds. Unfortunately, with the facelift, the 1.6-liter engines were discontinued, and now, excluding hybrid units, the 508 will continue to be sold in our country with 1.2-liter PureTech petrol and 1.5-liter BlueHDI diesel engines, both capable of delivering 130 horsepower. The only thing hidden from the power transmission organs before the facelift was the 8-speed automatic EAT-8 transmission, which, by the way, did not need to be replaced as it was already successful. However, due to stricter emission standards, the reduction in engine displacements became necessary. To further reduce emissions, Peugeot will reinforce the 1.6-liter engines with plug-in hybrid units, offering 180 and 225 horsepower and higher fuel efficiency in urban areas. Whether 508 models with this engine will come to Turkey is uncertain since there are no incentives for hybrid-powered vehicles in our country.
Yes, the facelift may reduce the power of the 508 in our country, but it has brought a lot to this lion. The lion has aged and become sluggish, but now it behaves more intelligently when hunting. Stellantis, which took on the camera system, one of the most criticized features of the 508 and even PSA, will now offer higher-resolution cameras on the 508. Additionally, the 508, now equipped with LED Matrix headlights, provides better visibility and comfort to the driver while presenting a more modern appearance with its new design on the front. The grille design change on the front bumper and the three-part claw mark have made the car look more aggressive than it actually is. I told you, the facelift didn’t just take something away; it brought more than it took. LED Matrix headlights, the feature that makes a car look the most premium from the outside, looks so nice with Peugeot’s beautiful design, doesn’t it?
The design change on the front bumper was followed by the rear lights. The 508, which now has horizontally oriented rear lights like the 308, has completed its exterior evolution with 3 new colors and new wheel designs. The lion, which looks more mature and new in the exterior, also needed changes in the interior.
The 508, now equipped with an improved i-Cockpit and higher-resolution screens, has switched from the cobra gear knob to the gear selector found in other Stellantis models. Peugeot, realizing that piano-black surfaces are impractical and easily get dirty, covered these surfaces with wood patterns in the facelift. I must note that wood coverings make the interior look more premium.
When the 508 was launched in 2018, there were many competitors in its class. Competitors are leaving the table one by one; the Insignia will be an SUV in the next generation, and the Passat sedan will no longer be produced. The reason for non-premium brands withdrawing from this class is, as we all know, the SUV boom. Five years have passed, competitors have decreased, but now there is competition within the family. The little brother, the 408, seems to be able to steal the role from the flagship 508.