Peugeot 508 review - Reliability and safety

Peugeot has a good reputation for safety these days, and this is borne out by the 508’s five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, earned in 2018. The car scored an impressive 96 per cent for adult occupant safety and 86 per cent for child occupant safety – virtually identical to the figures posted by the Volkswagen Arteon saloon, which Peugeot hopes the 508 will also attract buyers away from.

Standard safety kit is good, although Allure Premium models and above feature systems that the Active Premium cars do without. Entry versions still get Emergency Brake Assist, cruise control, a distance alert system and a Lane Keeping Assistance function, while tech such as smart cruise control, a driver attention alert, blind-spot detection and road sign recognition are found on models further up the price list.

The 508 didn't feature in our 2022 Driver Power survey, although the 208 supermini, 2008 crossover and the 3008 SUV all appeared on the list of the 75 best cars to own. Peugeot itself finished in 11th-place out of 29 manufacturers, in 2021, but managed an impressive climb to fourth place in the 2022 poll. Ride and handling were areas that received the highest praise, while exterior design and finish were also commended.

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Warranty

Peugeot’s new car warranty is pretty average – three years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. While this matches companies such as Volkswagen and Vauxhall, it falls short of some premium rivals from which Peugeot are hoping the 508 can steal sales – both BMW and Mercedes, for example, offer three-year unlimited mileage policies. And, of course, they’re all a long way short of the five-year and seven-year warranties offered by Hyundai and Kia, respectively.

Servicing

The 508 requires a yearly service every 12 months or 12,000 miles, while the manufacturer offers service plans for up to five years with various mileage options. Monthly plans for petrol and diesel models start from around £16 a month, although you'll pay nearer £21 every month for a PHEV version.