Peugeot 508 review - MPG, CO2 and running costs
Plug-in hybrid tech makes the 508 more relevant to company car users, but insurance costs might be a little higher than expected
Despite its sleek looks, the Peugeot 508 shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg to run, offering reasonable economy and CO2 levels.
It shouldn’t come as a great surprise that the 1.5 BlueHDI 130 model is a pretty efficient machine, managing up to 62mpg, with CO2 emissions from 121g/km. The (now discontinued) 2.0-litre BlueHDi 160 was able to return 52.9mpg, while the more powerful BlueHDi 180 had a best of 50.3mpg on the WLTP combined cycle. CO2 figures range from 145g/km to 163g/km.
Again, the Puretech 180 and 225 petrol models are no longer available, but if you do source a used example, you should still see average fuel economy over 40mpg, although CO2 emissions are a little high at 146g/km and 156g/km respectively. The 128bhp version will cost less to run, as it's capable of averaging 49.1mpg, with CO2 emissions from 131g/km.
The best economy figures in the 508 range come from the plug-in hybrid 225 model. The PHEV is able to travel between 33-39 miles solely on electric power, with claimed combined fuel consumption of 166-235mpg. Of course you'll need to ensure you charge the battery regularly to get anywhere near these figures in real-world driving. CO2 figures are 30-38g/km, ensuring low Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company car tax.
Insurance
When it comes to insurance, it’s likely that the 508 will be broadly competitive with its class rivals. But some competitors do have lower groupings, especially for entry-level models. The 1.5-litre diesel will be the cheapest to insure, with groups ranging between 22 and 24.
The more powerful 508s fall into groups 29 to 32 for the diesels and 28-34 for the petrols, while the plug-in hybrid falls into groups 31-33, depending on trim level.
Depreciation
The Peugeot 508 has average residuals of 42 per cent over three years and 36,000 miles, which isn’t bad when you consider that the family hatchback class is falling out of favour with new car buyers. The best performing model in the 508 range is the Sportswagon PHEV in GT trim, which holds onto around 47 per cent over the three year period.
