Long-term test: Peugeot E-408 GT Premium
First report: Our man explains why electric trumps combustion in his eyes
Verdict
It’s still early days in my time with the Peugeot E-408 – especially after it spent a week off the road after a puncture – but it’s a case of so far, so good. That may sound as if I’m damning it with faint praise – and yes, there are a few niggles – but there’s plenty to like beyond the stunning looks. I’m very much looking forward to the next few months.
- Mileage: 1,258 miles
- Efficiency: 4.0mi/kWh
Petrolheads should look away now, because I’m about to write something possibly quite enraging. But the truth is that I’m delighted to be back in an electric car – especially one as stunning as the Peugeot E-408.
Prior to the French fastback’s arrival, my family ferry was a mild-hybrid Volkswagen Tiguan – and I liked it very much. But as soon as I drove the Peugeot, I remembered how much I appreciate the instant torque and near-silent running that are part and parcel of EV life.
The past month has been the perfect demonstration of why, for me, EV beats ICE. The Peugeot’s arrival coincided with the end of the summer holidays, and I can count the number of long trips we’ve done since on the fingers of one foot. For now, my motoring life consists of frequent short journeys to and from school, sports fixtures, shops and drama rehearsals – and the Peugeot has fitted straight into that routine. Not least because I have off-street parking and my own wallbox, so life with any EV is convenient and cost-effective.
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The reason I picked this Peugeot is clear in these pictures: it’s stunning, particularly in Flare Green, which remarkably is a standard colour with the top GT Premium trim. I haven’t driven another car in the past five years that has drawn more positive comments.
What also appealed to me about the E-408 is that it’s a rare car from an increasingly rare brand. I like to do things differently from the masses, so a car that’s not from one of the top-selling marques immediately attracts me.
Mind you, the Peugeot also does all the regular family car things very well. Despite those racy lines, there’s plenty of room inside for myself, my wife and my 12-year-old daughter. And, although we haven’t properly put it to the test yet, a boot capacity of 471 litres should be more than enough for us.
I also like the high-class feel inside, with details such as green stitching on the seats, plus a mix of leather and Alcantara. The level of customisation is good, too, but now that I’ve set everything to my liking, it’ll stay like that.
Initial driving impressions are positive. There’s more than enough performance for my needs and the slight firmness to the ride around town gives way to a smoother feel at higher speeds. I’m also impressed with average efficiency of 4.0mi/kWh so far and the fact that I can turn off some of the more irritating assistance features with one press of a button.
Above all, I’m interested to see how I’ll cope with Peugeot’s i-Cockpit layout. I’m more than six foot tall and haven’t liked the arrangement in previous Peugeots I’ve driven, but the good news is that – after a few days of trial and error – I managed to juggle the driver’s seat and steering wheel into a driving position that I’m comfortable with.
It’s not exactly what I would like, though, because to allow me to see the instruments, the steering wheel is set lower than I would normally have it; and, to stop my knuckles scraping my knees every time I turn a corner, I’ve had to slide the driver’s seat quite a long way back to lower my legs. For the moment, it’s comfortable enough and I have got used to it, but we’ll see if that feeling lasts.
That’s because there is a downside: I can only reach the touchscreen by leaning slightly forward. To make matters worse, because that screen is quite shallow, the icons when I use Apple CarPlay are rather small. So swapping between Google Maps and my phone’s music apps on the move can be hit and miss.
Also irritating is the lack of a rear wiper. When it rains, water collects on the steeply raked screen, but doesn’t run off as readily as it does down a more vertical screen. I know a wiper would add weight and hurt the car’s aerodynamics, but I’d be happy to make those sacrifices for a better view out in poor weather.
| Rating: | 3.5 stars |
| Model: | Peugeot E-408 GT Premium 58kWh 210 |
| On fleet since: | September 2026 |
| Price new: | £39,095 |
| Powertrain: | 58kWh battery, 1x e-motor |
| Power/torque: | 207bhp/343Nm |
| CO2/tax: | 0g/km/4% |
| Options: | None |
| Insurance*: | Group: 34 |
| Mileage/economy: | 1,258 miles/4.0 miles/kWh |
| Any problems? | Puncture |
*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.
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