Test drive of the Peugeot 508 1.5 BlueHDi 130 CV GT Line, a very fuel-efficient feline

The new generation of the Peugeot 508 is surprising. The French brand has created one of the most aggressive and good-looking saloons -at least in the opinion of the author- in the history of the lion maker. We have tested this eye-catching feline with the smallest engine in the range, but also the most economical, namely the 1.5 BlueHDi diesel with 130 CV and the six-speed manual gearbox.

Can a car have an aggressive, sporty design and still be extremely economical? This 508 GT Line combines several concepts, from sportiness and agility to running economy, including technology along the way. Are you looking for a saloon with personality? Stay with us for this test of an eye-catching feline that uses very little fuel.

Design: aggressive coupé exterior and technological interior

As soon as we approach the 508 and press the opening button, at the front there are two “fangs” that greet us, since the LED lights that act as indicators and daytime running lights have an aggressive shape reminiscent of an animal’s fang. The front also stands out for its slanted headlights (with full-LED technology) and the narrow front grille.

Its coupé design is noticeable from the side, with enormous 19-inch wheels and the roofline that descends toward the rear, outlining its rear end. The rear features a black strip that masks the rear lights with LED technology.

When we open the door and step into the interior, there are some details that remind us of other models from the brand (such as the small steering wheel with the instrumentation at the top), and others that surprise us, like the design of the centre console. Its fully digital instrument cluster lets us select between several display modes; even at night we can keep the night vision camera active, which warns us of pedestrians.

The interior lines are avant-garde, with quality materials and soft-touch surfaces across practically the entire dashboard, with a minimalist layout that places the touchscreen at the centre of all operations. Just below the screen there are a number of physical buttons, but to operate the climate control or the radio we will have to use the screen.

At the wheel, the driving position is low with everything within reach and good visibility -except to the rear-. Our unit also featured electric leather seats; however, in warm climates they should be perforated or ventilated, as on other models in the same segment. The seat holds the body well, even in corners, and the position is comfortable.

The rear seats do not stand out particularly for space, since the coupé line takes away headroom. A person over 1.75 metres will not be very comfortable in the back, nor is there much legroom. That said, it has air vents and two USB ports to charge our devices.

In terms of storage it does not particularly excel either, with small door pockets, two cup holders in the centre console, a large central compartment, and a wireless charging zone for smartphones at the front of the centre console (a practical detail). The boot has a capacity of 487 litres, with a good loading lip.

Engine and performance: 130 CV well trained

Our test unit featured the recently introduced 1.5 BlueHDi diesel engine in its 130 CV variant, that is, the entry-level diesel in the range. Although it is an unassuming engine, it is more than sufficient to move the 508 properly. The most notable thing about the powertrain is its smoothness: it accelerates without jerks and the engine noise is barely audible.

It comes alive at just over 1,700 rpm and accelerates in a linear, smooth manner up to just over 3,500 rpm, with a more than adequate torque of 300 Nm. That said, it is not a sporty engine nor the most performance-oriented, but it copes well when overtaking or merging, and it is a tremendous distance eater, always with a soft feel.

Paired with the engine is a six-speed manual gearbox, which is preferable to the automatic since it lets us make the most of each of those 130 CV. The gearbox feels adequate, nothing more, although there is room for improvement in terms of precision.

Handling: agility from the first metre

Once we start the Peugeot 508 and take the wheel of the feline, we notice it wants more power, as it pleasantly surprises us with its agility. Our unit also features several driving modes: Sport, Normal and Eco, which besides adjusting the throttle and steering also change the stiffness of the suspension.

On the open road it is a very smooth, comfortable car with a more than adequate level of comfort, and when the road gets twisty the dynamism of its chassis lets us enjoy ourselves even with only 130 CV. On the motorway it is stable and comfortable, although some wind noise creeps in.

In town it is very practical: it has several cameras and its soft-feel steering makes manoeuvring really easy.

Consumption: an economical feline

As we mentioned at the start of the test, one of its main features is its low consumption, in fact, on our usual route between Madrid > Vigo > Madrid the average consumption was 5.4 litres per 100 km.

That figure drops to the 5.2 litres per 100 km it shows on the open road if we are slightly careful with the accelerator pedal. Even in town, it is hard for consumption to reach 6 litres per 100 km.

Equipment: plenty of driver assistance, including a night vision camera

The 508 is available in five trim levels, two of them sportier, featuring the eye-catching LED headlights that form the “fangs” (GT Line and GT).

The base trim –Active– includes six airbags, fatigue warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, light and rain sensors, ambient lighting, 17-inch alloy wheels, climate control, digital instrumentation, keyless start, an 8-inch touchscreen, among other features.

Completing the Active is the –Business Line– trim aimed at company fleets, and the –Allure– trim, which adds more assistance systems such as blind-spot monitoring, driver attention detection based on trajectory analysis, traffic sign recognition, as well as a 10-inch touchscreen or two-tone 17-inch wheels.

The –GT Line– adds LED front lights with the signature LED front light bar and 18-inch wheels, along with sporty exterior and interior finishes. Our unit featured the –GT– trim, the most complete one.

Notable features include the adaptive suspension (which adjusts its stiffness according to the driving mode) and the FOCAL sound system with 10 speakers and a total output of 515 W, which sounded good but not perfect for a system with so many speakers and a subwoofer.

An optional extra on our test unit was the night vision camera, which warns us when it detects pedestrians near the road (we can activate it to view on the instrument cluster, although it warns automatically if it detects something), and it works more than adequately.

Opinion and price of the Peugeot 508

One of the things that most draws attention to this French car is its design, that is undeniable, and it is also advisable to opt for the Full LED headlights that define the feline’s “fangs“, because once you have seen the front with those imposing LEDs you cannot get used to another look without them (something seems to be missing), although as always design is quite personal and subjective.

This diesel engine is ideal for those looking for a car to cover a lot of kilometres, it is not the best option for town nor for enjoying a sporty feel (there are petrol and diesel engines with more power that fulfil that role better), but it is a recommendable car for driving with very modest consumption and more than reasonable performance.

The 508 has a high starting price, especially compared with its previous generation, since the base trim starts at 27,850 euros and our 130 CV unit with the most complete trim came close to 50,000 euros.