Head-turning Peugeot 408 now looks even sharper thanks to 2026 facelift
The facelifted Peugeot 408 fastback has been unveiled at the 2026 Brussels Motor Show
The Peugeot 408 has never understood the perks of being a wallflower and now the already head-turning family car looks even sharper and more aggressive after a mid-life refresh.
The most significant changes are up front. The 408’s distinctive fang-like daytime running lights are replaced by sleeker ‘three-claw’ DRLs that are connected by LED strips incorporated into the new more sculpted grille, similar to the design on latest 308 hatchback and estate.
Sitting in pride of place in the grille is an illuminated Peugeot shield, which will be found on top-spec models and goes with the lit Peugeot lettering that’s been added to the bootlid. The new 408 is the French firm’s first car with this feature, which is integrated into a transparent strip spanning the rear, which also connects the new three-claw tail-lights.
In order to not distract from the striking new daytime running lights, Peugeot has tried to conceal the headlights, using sleeker units and placing them lower down in the redesigned bumper and integrated into glossy black inserts. Similarly, the car’s proximity radar is hidden behind the Peugeot badge.
Gloss and matt black accents to the new 408’s grille give it a more elegant look, and there is also an exclusive Flare Green paint colour. Its hue is supposed to change depending on the light levels, shifting towards bright yellow in sunlight and deep green in shadow.
The interior is largely the same as the current Peugeot 408, which you can currently save nearly £10,000 on brand-new examples of through our Buy A Car service. There are some updated graphics on the 10-inch driver’s display, however, plus new fabrics and other materials chosen to boost perceived quality, especially in top-spec models which will feature aluminium, Alcantara and Nappa leather.
Peugeot will offer the new 408 with a choice of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure-electric powertrains. The entry-level model features a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and an e-motor built into a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which work together to deliver 143bhp and fuel economy of up to 56.5mpg. Plus Peugeot claims it should spend half the time driving in EV mode around town.
The 408 plug-in hybrid pairs a larger 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a more powerful 123bhp e-motor and a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. Combined power output stands at 237bhp, while a 14.6kWh battery offers a 53-mile electric driving range, up from roughly 40 miles in the old PHEV model.
Finally, the all-electric E-408 gets the same 58.2kWh usable battery as before, but thanks to refinements to the car’s aerodynamics is supposedly more efficient now and can cover 283 miles on a single charge (three miles further than before).
A single electric motor producing 211bhp and 343Nm of torque drives the front wheels, and with a maximum charging speed of 120kW, Peugeot says topping up the E-408 from 10 to 80 per cent should take around 30 minutes.
The new Peugeot 408 will go on sale in the UK in the next few months, with prices likely to start from around £33,000, the same as the current model.
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