Earlier this year, French automaker Peugeot debuted a new and quite chic 508 sedan. The 508, both inside and out, is stunning, with a crisp exterior design and upscale interior. Peugeot, being the European company that it is, is adding a new body style to the 508 lineup – a station wagon. The 508 SW takes the elegant sedan and adds an elongated roof and hatch at the rear, increasing interior capacity and versatility while wrapping it an even more attractive package.
The pronounced nose carries over from the sedan to the SW with plenty of sharp design lines up front. The scallop down the side of the 508 SW creates a graceful crease down length of the way, just below the greenhouse, that flows into the rear taillight housing, which is of the same design found on the sedan. One added touch to the rear is the PEUGEOT lettering centered on the hatch just below the glass.
Inside, the 508 SW receives Peugeot's i-Cockpit that has proliferated across the company's range of products. That means the 508 SW gets the same small steering wheel and high-mounted 12.3-inch instrument panel from the sedan. There's a 10-inch centrally mounted touchscreen that offers access to Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Peugeot Mirrorlink, and 3D navigation.
Along with the stylish looks comes a host of stylish safety technology. Peugeot offers an infrared night vision system, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, parking assist, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, automatic high beams, street and speed sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring.
Power will come from the same engines that motivate the 508 sedan. There will be a 1.6-liter gasoline engine producing either 177 horsepower (132 kilowatts) or 222 hp (165 kW). An eight-speed automatic is the only available transmission with the 1.6-liter mill. Customers will also have the option of choosing from one of three diesel engines ranging in size from 1.5 to 2.0 liters. Power output is 128 hp (95 kW), 158 hp (118 kW), and 177 hp (132 kW). A six-speed manual is only available with the 128-hp engine. Otherwise, the only gearbox is the eight-speed automatic. In the second half of 2019, there will be a gasoline plug-in hybrid version of the 508 SW made available.
The Peugeot 508 SW is forbidden fruit in North America. It's a station wagon, and wagons – even hatches – suffer selling when there is a plethora of crossovers and SUVs that are demanding customer dollars. However, the 508 SW is elegant, packed with technology, and offers a luxurious interior. The 508 SW will debut later this year at the Paris Motor Show before going on sale in Europe in January 2019.
