2023 Peugeot 508 facelift arrives to revolutionise the rep car

• Tweaked exterior with revised grille
• New entry-level PHEV model
• Due on sale later in 2023

Aiming to revive the dwindling executive car market, the facelifted Peugeot 508 saloon has arrived for 2023 with a tweaked exterior design, upgraded technology and even more efficient hybrid powertrains. 

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The Peugeot 508 – a favourite of fleet drivers and family buyers alike – will go on sale in facelifted form later in 2023 with a streamlined range of three trim levels: Allure, GT-Line and Peugeot Sport Engineed. Although pricing is yet to be revealed, we expect a small uplift over the current car’s £33,945 starting price. 

After the recent departure of the Mazda6, the updated Peugeot 508 will have very few direct rivals, apart from a handful of models including the Volkswagen Arteon and Skoda Superb. It’ll also go head-to-head with more-popular family SUVs and crossovers like the Hyundai Tucson and Peugeot’s own 5008.

2023 Peugeot 508: design

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Peugeot has kept the changes to the exterior of the 508 relatively subtle; this is no bad thing, however, as it’s already one of the best-looking cars in its class. The facelifted car gets a resculpted front-end design, reminiscent of the new Peugeot 408 fastback, stamped with the French brand’s recently redesigned crest logo. 

This is flanked by a set of new matrix LED headlights which resemble the fangs of a lion; LED technology features at the rear too, where the 508 gets tailights with a ‘lion’s claw’ effect and pulsing indicators. As before, the Peugeot 508 will be available in both hatchback ‘sedan’ and ‘SW’ estate bodystyle, while buyers have a choice of seven distinct exterior colours. A new 18-inch alloy wheel design has also been introduced with concealed wheel nuts.

Interior and technology

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On the inside, the facelifted Peugeot 508 gets an updated version of the French marque’s concept car-esque i-Cockpit infotainment setup. The central 10-inch touchscreen, while not getting any larger for this update, now runs Peugeot’s latest i-Connect Advanced software. This can be customised to the driver’s preference through the use of widgets on the home screen, while TomTom navigation and a “Hey Peugeot” voice assistant also feature.

Elsewhere, the 12-inch digital instrument cluster that sits above the small, square-shaped steering wheel, now boasts even greater functionality. Drivers can now configure this to display the current map readouts from the sat nav, while plug-in hybrid models can show current energy consumption and estimated electric range.

Befitting of its executive car status, the updated Peugeot 508 gets AGR (a German healthy back organisation)-approved seats that are wrapped in faux leather and Alcantara suede/fabric as standard. Sumptuous, quilted Nappa leather as well as heating and massage functions are also available as optional extras.

Engines and specifications

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As previously mentioned, the Peugeot 508 will be available in three different specifications: Allure, GT-Line and the range-topping Peugeot Sport Engineered performance model.

The majority of buyers will likely opt for the Allure and GT-Line models which are available with either a petrol, diesel or one of two plug-in hybrid powertrains. One of the few models to still be offered with diesel power, the 508’s diesel engine comes in the form of a 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit with 130bhp. Also with 130bhp is the 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol model, which is likely to appeal to lower-mileage drivers. Both come as standard with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Company car drivers, on the other hand, will be best suited by one of the plug-in hybrid models on offer. While the outgoing 508 was already offered with a 222bhp 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid powertrain, the new car will also be available with a more-affordable 178bhp setup – as seen in the latest Vauxhall Astra. 

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All plug-in hybrid 508 models utilise a 12.4kWh battery pack; the Citroen C5 X – with which the 508 shares many of its parts – recently received an update featuring a more efficient hybrid system that improved the car’s electric-only range. While it’s yet to be confirmed, it’s highly probable this improved hybrid tech has made its way into the new 508 as well, potentially pushing the car’s zero-emissions range over 40 miles and thus the car itself into the lower 8% Benefit-in-Kind tax bracket for company car drivers.

Finally, the Peugeot Sport Engineered utilises the same 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid powertrain as seen in lower-spec models, this time with an extra electric motor to provide all-wheel-drive and an output of 355bhp. It also gets lower, retuned suspension, uprated brakes and a wider track (the distance between the wheels on each axle) for improved handling.

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