Driving Torque

It's All About The Motors.

Driving Torque

This is the YouTube page for Driving Torque - Articles, reviews and opinions about cars and all things automotive.
Go to www.drivingtorque.com

Driving Torque
Review by Ben Harrington from Driving Torque of the Suzuki Jimny SZ5
Suzuki Jimny Review
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_tBEwl0WmNRw
Watch as a Model X performs its Celebration Mode Easter egg in the snow
Tesla Model X Celebration Mode
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_Z04UK1MRXjE
This is what the exhaust tail pipe of a Ford Focus RS sounds and looks like when you accelerate quickly.
2017 Ford Focus RS Exhaust
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_QkKOE0J4baE
Another gratuitous exhaust video for you. This time it's the behemoth that is the Mercedes GL63 AMG.
Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG exhaust sounding immense
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_S7TdJrBe8aw
This is a Porsche Cayman in Sport Plus mode with a Sports exhaust, showing the exhaust revving and moving as the car is put through its paces. Great footage of over-run and even the heat haze from the hot engine.
Porsche Cayman PDK Sport Plus
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_8l_WTgJB0sk
Subscribe
  • Home
  • About
  • Ben’s Car CV
  • DTQ Partners
  • Contact

All New Peugeot 508 SW GT Review: Looks Great, But Is This Estate Practical Enough?

November 8, 2019 by benharrington Leave a Comment

2019 peugeot 508 sw front low review roadtest

Peugeot 508 SW

There’s a lot going on with the PSA group (Peugeot, Citroen, DS) at the moment, a heck of a lot. They’ve recently announced a merger with the colossal FCA group (Fiat, Jeep, Alfa Romeo etc, etc….) which could have massive implications. Because of this, it’s easy to forget that they’ve also acquired Opel in the not-too-distant past, which means for us in the UK, they own Vauxhall.

2019 peugeot 508 sw side review roadtest

This brings about the potential conundrum of stepping on their own toes, i.e. having two or more models that are too similar under your own, increasingly large umbrella. Peugeot gave us the new 508 saloon a couple of years ago, and they’re quite rightly very proud of it. The SW, or Sport Wagon, or, erm, estate version was inevitably launched, fighting off the irresistible wave of SUVs admirably, but is it fit for purpose?

That cull of in-house competition has seen the withdrawal from sale of the rather good Insignia SW already, don’t be surprised if others follow.

2019 peugeot 508 sw rear side review roadtest

Fastback vs SW

We like the 508 saloon with its dynamic looks, drive and interior, and a lot of the styling cues and trick lights have migrated to the 508 SW. The front end is identical with its vertically arranged, slashed running lights that double up as indicators. Peugeot have chosen to call their regular 508 a Fastback, and the C-pillar is one of its most pleasing lines, so translating it into estate form without ruining things completely was always going to be tricky.

What they’ve done is give more of a shooting brake air to things, keeping a nicely raked rear windscreen instead of the traditional, utilitarian flat approach to estate cars’ rear ends. You still get the 3D ‘claw effect’ LED rear light clusters from the saloon, plus you get a gloss-black rear diffuser and double exhausts, chrome-tipped in some cases to justify the S in SW.

2019 peugeot 508 sw gt claw led rear light review roadtest

How Big Is The 508 SW?

Despite this, aesthetics haven’t been allowed to interfere too much with practicality and you still get a boot capable of swallowing 530l & 1780l with the rear seats up & down respectively. The fact is that the 508 SW can’t match the sacrificed Insignia Tourer in terms of length or wheelbase, though, so the 508’s impressive boot means there’s less room in the back for passengers. The door apertures aren’t as easily negotiated, either.

2019 peugeot 508 sw gt rear seats leather review roadtest

Petrol, Diesel Or Hybrid

In terms of engines, you’ve got two 1.6l petrols with either 177bhp or 223 bhp; both of them come with an 8-speed, automatic transmission only. There’s more choice if you opt for diesel with a 2.0l producing either 177bhp or 158bhp, or a 1.5l with 129bhp. It may be the least powerful engine in the range, but it’s also the cheapest and the cleanest, plus, it’s the only one that can be specced with a manual, 6-speed ‘box. There’s also a hybrid version.

2019 peugeot 508 sw boot trunk review roadtest

This is the GT version of the 508 SW which will cost you from over £38k on the road and is only available with the most powerful diesel and petrol units (or hybrid) and, inevitably, the 8-speed automatic ‘box. This is the diesel and it’s clearly quite a bit more than the entry level £27k model but, apart from the visual upgrades; wheels, exhausts, etc, you also get an ultra-modern diesel engine, producing 295Nm torque. 0-62mph comes around in a respectable 8.4s whilst returning over 50mpg and emitting just 110g/km Co2.

Even if you do go for one of the ‘lesser’ specced 508 SWs, you don’t actually lose that much in terms of aesthetics, and that’s a good thing. It’ll still be turning 17” alloys and the interior is nearly identical. The only real concession are those front LEDs that are split into dedicated indicators and headlights.

2019 peugeot 508 sw cabin interior review roadtest

Eye-catching Interiors

Peugeot recent interiors still make them stand out from the crown, and the 508’s is probably their crowing glory. Its piano key switches and multi-angular design might lack the overall quality and finish of the pinnacle of its competitors, but you can’t deny that there’s been real thought put into making it an interesting place to be.

You sit lower down than most, too, and, even though I still don’t personally like the small steering wheel being applied to so many Peugeot models, it does all add up to a very non-estate-car feel. One GT-model-only feature are some heated massage seats; if you’re planning on doing some real mileage in your estate/SW, your back may well thank you for these as they’re really rather good.

2019 peugeot 508 sw front grille night vision infra red camera review roadtest

Night-Vision Infra-Red Camera

This model comes full of safety features, as you’d be quite right to expect in a near £40k car. One item of particular note, though, is the Night-Vision infra-red camera. Once the preserve of the likes of the Mercedes S-Class, this camera monitors the areas surrounding the roads for people or animals you may not have noticed and subtly projects the video onto your instrument dials. Unlike some similar systems, this one really works.

Should I Buy a 508 SW?

Peugeot have decided to emphasise the sportier nature of both the 508 saloon and estate, hence the Fastback & SW nomenclature. There’s no denying that it works visually, and the interior is hard to dislike, just be prepared for a couple of practical concessions.

By Ben Harrington

2019 Peugeot 508 SW GT Specifications:

Engine – 2.0l 4-Cylinder Diesel, Layout – Front engine, FWD, Transmission – 8-speed Automatic, Power – 177hp, Acceleration – 0-62mph – 8.4s, Maximum Speed – 144mph, Maximum Torque – 295Nm, Economy – 50.6mpg combined, Emissions – 124g/km CO2, Price – £38,830 OTR, £42,235 As Tested

The 2019 Peugeot 508 SW is available now. For full details go to: www.peugeot.co.uk

2019 peugeot 508 sw front review roadtest

Filed Under: Driven, Estate, Review, Road Test Tagged With: 508 estate, 508 sw, Estate, GT, Peugeot, peugeot 508, peugeot 508 sw, Review, roadtest, sw

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Driving Torque

I'm Ben Harrington and I'm a car lover, freelance motoring journalist and family-man (I'll let you decide the order!) I started Driving Torque in 2010 to share my love of all things motoring with the wider world. Since then, … continue reading

Driving Torque’s Instagram Posts

driving_torque

Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the las Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the last Honda HR-V. This goes back today, though, and I think I’ll miss it. #honda #hondahrv #carsofinstagram
Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the las Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the last Honda HR-V. This goes back today, though, and I think I’ll miss it. #honda #hondahrv #carsofinstagram
Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the las Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the last Honda HR-V. This goes back today, though, and I think I’ll miss it. #honda #hondahrv #carsofinstagram
Another highlight from this week’s SMMT Test Day Another highlight from this week’s SMMT Test Day was this; the unashamedly macho Ford Mustang Mach 1. A full review will follow later this year, hopefully. #ford #fordmustang #forduk #carsofinstagram
What do you do when you own two VW vans? Why, you What do you do when you own two VW vans? Why, you go and drive the latest VW Multivan, of course! The Multivan is not, I repeat, is not based on a van, though. Got it? Good. #vw #volkswagen #notavan #carsofinstagram
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Driving Torque’s Twitter Feed

Ben Harrington Follow

Freelance motoring writer and Editor of Driving Torque. @NGMWcars member. Classic VW owner. Husband and father to a wonderful wife and two amazing young ladies.

DrivingTorque
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
23 Jun

https://buff.ly/3ObO4Z5 #honda #hrv #review #hybrid

Reply on Twitter 1540033698485133313 Retweet on Twitter 1540033698485133313 1 Like on Twitter 1540033698485133313 Twitter 1540033698485133313
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
22 Jun

https://buff.ly/3ObO4Z5 #honda #hrv #review #roadtest

Reply on Twitter 1539671061008191492 Retweet on Twitter 1539671061008191492 1 Like on Twitter 1539671061008191492 1 Twitter 1539671061008191492
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
22 Jun

https://buff.ly/3ObO4Z5 #honda #hrv #review

Reply on Twitter 1539565356506816514 Retweet on Twitter 1539565356506816514 Like on Twitter 1539565356506816514 Twitter 1539565356506816514
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
16 Jun

Anyone struggling on @TicketmasterUK for Taylor Hawkins tribute concert - try following the link from the email they sent you. That just worked for me after over an hour of being thrown out of the site 😃

Reply on Twitter 1537366165013643264 Retweet on Twitter 1537366165013643264 Like on Twitter 1537366165013643264 Twitter 1537366165013643264
Retweet on Twitter Ben Harrington Retweeted
yorkshiremsf Yorkshire Motorsport Festival @yorkshiremsf ·
15 Jun

We’re excited - a little over a week to go until the Yorkshire Motorsport Festival

Tickets still available if you follow the link below👇🏽

https://www.ymsf.net/buy-tickets

#Motorsport #Festival

Reply on Twitter 1536972026304507906 Retweet on Twitter 1536972026304507906 12 Like on Twitter 1536972026304507906 18 Twitter 1536972026304507906
Load More

© 2022 · DrivingTorque.com · Site designed and built by Kobestarr.com