You have certainly noticed the dominance of SUVs and SUV-like vehicles across the European market. Electrification seems to be reinforcing this trend even further, as manufacturers increasingly introduce new drivetrain technologies in large, heavy and often rather shapeless vehicles.
This shift has had a negative impact on a segment that was once among the largest in Europe — that of the family sedan, represented by cars such as the Ford Mondeo or Volkswagen Passat. Today, that segment is slowly fading and could eventually disappear.
One thing that genuinely pleased me is the decision taken by Peugeot. Instead of reshaping the Peugeot 508 into yet another SUV-like creation, the company decided to make it more sporting, more desirable, more elegant and lower.
The result was excellent — and what followed was even better.
The French brand introduced a new performance line called Peugeot Sport Engineered, starting with the 508. The result is the most powerful production model in the brand’s history — the Peugeot 508 Sport Engineered.
But the real question is simple: have Peugeot created a true performance machine?
Design
The Peugeot 508 is the first Peugeot model in nearly twenty years that genuinely excited me the moment I first saw it. The reason is simple — the design. It combines balanced proportions, large wheels, distinctive details, bold solutions and — importantly — frameless door windows. Yes, frameless windows impressed me when I was eight years old, and they still impress me today.
Given how striking the standard 508 already looks, the visual elements of the PSE version are simply the cherry on top of the cake. With relatively small changes Peugeot has managed to create something noticeably more special.
Let us start with the colours. The 508 PSE is offered in only three colours. The standard one is Gris Selenium, a shade exclusive to the PSE version, while black and white metallic are optional.
Personally, I suspect Peugeot originally intended to offer the model only in this special grey colour, but eventually decided it would not look good to impose such a limitation — so they created the illusion of choice with black and white. In reality there is no real choice, because the exclusive grey simply looks perfect with the design of the car.
Choosing another colour almost feels like buying a Renault Megane R.S. without the famous orange paint.
Another distinctive colour appears in the details — the greenish (or, according to some, yellowish) Kryptonite accent colour, present in numerous elements across the car, including the Peugeot Sport logo
When I first saw that logo on the 508, I jokingly wondered whether Peugeot had collaborated with Adidas or perhaps with Fiat. The answer, of course, is neither. Peugeot’s current design language simply explores the theme of lion claws, teeth and scratches, which explains these visual elements.
The exterior changes also include a specific black grille, redesigned sport bumpers and side skirts, with the front bumper featuring larger air intakes.
One particularly distinctive detail are the aerodynamic fins positioned near the front and rear wheels as well as within the rear bumper. In practice they are mostly decorative, enhancing the visual impression of aerodynamic optimisation. Even if their functional value is limited, they definitely add character to the car.
Then there are the 20-inch wheels, fitted with 245/35 R20 tyres. These tyres are 10 mm wider than the widest tyres available on the standard 508. Behind the wheels we find 380 mm brake discs, with the braking system supplied by Alcon.
Overall, in terms of design the car is genuinely impressive and stands out in everyday traffic. The combination of the already beautiful 508 base and the additional elements from Peugeot Sport works extremely well — and I personally like it very much.
Interior
Inside, the Peugeot 508 Sport Engineered follows Peugeot’s well-known super-avant-garde interior design, which is actually more practical than it may seem at first glance.
Large flat surfaces dominate the cabin, while decorative trim pieces are finished in matte black Zebrano wood. One of the characteristic elements are the silver buttons beneath the central display, which many people compare to piano keys. Personally, they remind me more of clarinet keys — although that detail is not particularly important.
What matters is that they are a good idea. They act as shortcuts to specific functions, making the otherwise somewhat unintuitive infotainment system easier to operate. As with every modern Peugeot, the most distinctive element is the small steering wheel positioned below the instrument cluster. It is an unusual concept, but one you eventually get used to, even though it requires adjusting your seating position. The advantage is that the instrument cluster sits higher, making it easier to read — almost like a head-up display.
The differences in the PSE version are actually quite subtle: Kryptonite-coloured stitching, a Peugeot Sport logo on the steering wheel, and… that is largely it.
On one hand, perhaps more changes are unnecessary, since the standard 508 interior already feels special. On the other hand, I believe this version deserved more distinctive seats. The standard sports seats are comfortable but do not provide enough lateral support during enthusiastic driving. Considering all the marketing emphasis on the car being the most powerful production Peugeot ever, and given the aggressive exterior design, I would have liked to see more serious sport seats with integrated headrests.
One final note concerns space. The rear seats are somewhat limited, both in headroom and legroom. In this respect the Peugeot 508 SW offers about 4 cm more headroom and overall feels more spacious.
In terms of quality, however, the 508 PSE delivers a solid interior with materials that create a genuinely premium atmosphere.
On the road
Supporting the striking design of the Peugeot 508 Sport Engineered is an equally impressive drivetrain. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes just 5.2 seconds, top speed is 250 km/h, and the official combined fuel consumption is 2.03 L/100 km. Clearly, there are batteries involved here. The car is powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine producing 200 hp. In addition, there are two electric motors — one at the front delivering 110 hp and another at the rear producing 113 hp. Combined system output reaches 360 hp and 520 Nm of torque.
The battery can be charged in around 7 hours from a standard household socket, or in 1 hour and 45 minutes using a 32A Wallbox. Charging the battery overnight on a cheap electricity tariff costs roughly €0.80, which is about the price of a single public transport ticket in Sofia. That energy is enough for a pure electric range of around 45 km.
The car offers several driving modes:
- Electric – allows speeds up to 140 km/h, although at such speeds the promised 45 km electric range will quickly disappear.
- Hybrid – the default mode, which manages energy use as efficiently as possible. It prioritises using electricity from the battery but also allows you to reserve energy for later through the eSave function. Technically the engine can recharge the battery, although doing so is generally inefficient.
- Comfort – similar to Hybrid mode but with softer suspension settings.
- Sport – designed to extract the maximum performance from the drivetrain.
- 4WD – keeps the rear electric motor permanently engaged for improved traction.
My time with the 508 PSE began with the usual drive through Sofia’s traffic. In the company of this car, that experience becomes noticeably more pleasant — or perhaps simply less unpleasant. Sofia remains Sofia, but the 508 behaves calmly and somehow transfers that calmness to the driver.
I was slightly concerned that the large wheels and wide tyres might have compromised the excellent ride comfort of the standard model. Fortunately that is not the case. In Comfort mode, the suspension remains impressively refined, filtering out most of the imperfections of the city’s streets. I also appreciate that the steering is not overly nervous or artificially sporty, which makes the car very easy to drive in urban conditions.
The advantages of the hybrid system are particularly noticeable in the city. When driving calmly, the cooperation between the electric motors and the internal combustion engine is almost imperceptible — the transition between them is smooth and well integrated. I chose to drive mostly in Hybrid mode, which resulted in an average consumption of 3.1 L/100 km, despite spending a fair amount of time in heavy traffic.
At the end of the day I parked the car in my garage and plugged it into a standard outlet. The digital instrument cluster displays a visual charging animation along with the remaining time until the battery is fully charged.
The following day I eagerly returned to the grey French machine, because it was time to explore the Sport Engineered part of its name. In other words, it was time to find a proper empty road, switch to Sport mode and see whether the driving experience lives up to the car’s purposeful appearance.
For that purpose I headed toward Panichishte via Zheleznitsa.
Once I reached the empty winding road, I switched to Sport mode and pressed the accelerator. I will start with the suspension. Even in the most dynamic mode it still provides excellent comfort, yet it also keeps body roll well controlled. Combined with the genuinely impressive tyres, this results in excellent stability and grip.
Driving close to the limit, understeer appears predictably, giving the driver enough time to correct the trajectory either by easing the steering or reducing speed.
At lower speeds on tight hairpins, the rear-mounted electric motor becomes more noticeable and can even induce mild oversteer, delivering brief moments of classic driving enjoyment.
Since I mentioned the tyres — and I am genuinely impressed by their performance — the car comes standard with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S.
The car’s power is clearly noticeable and the 508 is undeniably fast, although not shockingly so. What I did not particularly like is that during more dynamic driving some weaknesses of the drivetrain become apparent. The way the power is delivered is not entirely linear, and the petrol engine sometimes feels slightly slow to react.
These are issues that appear mainly during enthusiastic driving and might remain unnoticed by many owners, but given the importance of this model as the flagship of the Peugeot Sport Engineered line, I expected slightly better integration.
In terms of steering feel, Sport mode adds pleasant weight and precision. Combined with the strong engine and capable suspension, the result is a driving experience that is very competent, although not quite as engaging as one might expect.
The brakes, however, are excellent. It is also worth mentioning that the car’s 1,850 kg weight does not feel overly intrusive. Of course it cannot be completely hidden, but the drivetrain and chassis do a convincing job of masking it.
Overall, it feels as though the focus here is more on “future-oriented performance” than on pure driving excitement. In that context, the fuel consumption is impressive — during the entire test I averaged 7.1 L/100 km, which is remarkable considering the driving style and route.
Finally, I want to highlight one system I encountered for the first time in the 508 PSE — night vision. This feature, which comes as standard, uses an infrared camera to detect pedestrians, animals and obstacles beyond the reach of the headlights. The image is projected onto the driver’s display, with detected pedestrians highlighted in green. It is an interesting and relatively rare technology that, in this class, is currently offered only by Peugeot.
Conclusion
The Peugeot 508 Sport Engineered is an impressive car that combines striking design with an avant-garde and high-quality interior.
Its drivetrain is modern and versatile — capable of being extremely efficient, yet also delivering strong performance when required. The car is comfortable both in terms of suspension and sound insulation, creating a very relaxed atmosphere during long journeys.
Practicality is good overall, although the rear seats are somewhat tight. The estate version, the Peugeot 508 SW, partially solves this issue.
In my opinion the 508 PSE is an excellent family car for people who value individuality, want a comfortable vehicle for their family but still enjoy cars and driving.
As a pure sports car, however, it is somewhat less impressive. It is not quite as firm, direct or focused as one might expect given its appearance. The hybrid drivetrain also feels slightly conflicted during very dynamic driving, as if the components are not always perfectly aligned.
That said, it seems likely that Peugeot never intended the 508 PSE to be a hardcore sports machine in the first place.
Finally, we reach the price — around €68,900. This includes almost everything available for the 508, with only two options remaining: a panoramic roof and a heated windscreen. Well… and the optional black or white paint — although, as we already agreed, paying extra for those instead of the exclusive grey would be madness.
eng. Tsvetan Iliev
