Peugeot 508 RXH - Car review

“It’s going to be a thoroughbred experience”, was the intro at the start of a launch drive of the new Peugeot 508 RXH. Intriguing . . . then it hit me, we had to be doing something involving horses. And indeed we did.

So what’s the point of telling you that? – I hear you thinking.

Well all will be revealed and it was very pertinent to the latest cub out of the Peugeot stable.

The Peugeot 508 is already available in saloon and SW (estate) variants, and now, with the launch of this 508 RXH, it’s available as a four-wheel drive, diesel-electric hybrid with taller suspension and a wider track to handle a little more rough stuff and low-grip situations – as we discovered on the drive.

There is also a mode where you can run the car purely on electric, and hence with zero emissions, as we did through two stables of valuable thoroughbred racehorses without causing them to twitch a nostril – and they’re the first things to alert you to when a horse is not happy along with the ears going back.

It is powered by a 163bhp, 2.0-litre diesel engine and a 37bhp electric motor.

On the road the Peugeot 508 Hybrid4 performs very well and is comfortable without being too staid. While it might not be that quick out of the stalls compared to other rivals in its sector, it will sprint from 0-62mph in 9.5 seconds and it has a top speed of 130mph.

A drive around the roads of south Cheshire included busy towns where the stop/start system for the diesel engine proved very efficient, very quickly cutting the engine when you stop and starting equally quickly when you touch the accelerator to get going again. Fuel savings will be substantial and ever more important as cost continue to rise.

And you can also go around town using just the electric motor and onboard battery which, as mentioned before gives zero emissions, as we did around the stables.

We also tested out its sure-footedness by driving up alongside the gallops as the horses were being exercised.

It had been pouring with rain, there was a long, gradual but steep climb on deeply rutted grass, but the car positively cantered up and at times even made a gallop.

This all means that the 508 RXH has a tax-related CO2 rating of 107g/km which makes it very attractive for company car drivers and fleet managers.

For private owners the low CO2 output means zero road tax for the first year and then £20 per year thereafter.

Fuel economy claims look good and if they live up the figures claimed will prove a big incentive.

Looks-wise, the 508 is curvey and smooth and inside you get comfort and a quality finish.

The seats support your back well and the side supports are raised keeping you held firmly in place. The electric seats have plenty of adjustment which means you can get a perfect driving position and the standard specification is good including cruise control, parking aid and parallel parking guide, sat-nav and Bluetooth, a catalogue of safety features and Peugeot Connect SOS and Assistance.

One brilliant feature, which I also recently enjoyed on the Peugeot 3008, is the head-up display which makes it very easy to check your speed without taking your eyes of the road.

The Peugeot 508 RXH Hybrid4 not only has a premium look and feel to reflect its price tag, it is also a premium car. It is indeed a thoroughbred experience.

The range starts at £33,695, and rises to £36,000 for the Limited Edition.