√2023 Peugeot 408 due here this year with petrol, plug-in hybrid power

The Peugeot 308’s sedan-turned-SUV sibling – the new high-riding 408 – is due here this year with the option of plug-in hybrid power.

The 2023 Peugeot 408 small SUV is poised to offer the choice of petrol or plug-in hybrid power when it arrives in Australian showrooms by the end of this year.

Peugeot’s new 408 is twinned under the skin with the just-launched 308 hatch – but is stretched to the length of a Toyota RAV4 for a ‘liftback’ like profile, and adopts taller suspension for an SUV look.

Australian government certification documents have outlined three versions: a petrol-powered version in two model grades, and one top-of-the-range plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

Prices are yet to be confirmed, but if European pricing for the 408 and 308 is a guide, a top-of-the-range petrol 408 could cost $55,000 plus on-road costs – rising to $65,000 to $70,000 plus on-roads for a similarly-equipped plug-in hybrid.

That pricing would place the 408 – which is lower to the road, but has a longer body and is fitted with more technology – close to the current 3008 mid-size SUV, which costs $50,075 to $63,431 plus on-road costs for petrol and diesel models, or $84,790 plus on-roads for the PHEV.

The Peugeot 408’s engines in Australia match the 308, the documents reveal – available across two model grades, provisionally named Allure and GT.

A 96kW/230Nm 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder is standard in petrol models, combined with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.

Meanwhile, the plug-in hybrid upgrades to a 132kW 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder, an 81kW electric motor, eight-speed auto and 12.4kWh battery for a total output of 165kW (based on European specifications).

European models claim up to 60km of electric driving range, and a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of 7.8 seconds – compared to 10.4 seconds for the petrol.

The 408’s dimensions are listed as 4685mm for length, 1850mm for width, 1485mm for height and 2790mm for wheelbase – meaning it occupies a similar footprint to a Toyota RAV4 or Nissan X-Trail, but is not much taller than a Hyundai i30 hatchback.

Tare weight (without fuel or fluids) ranges from 1361kg in the entry-level petrol model, to 1684kg for the plug-in hybrid – about 100kg and 80kg more than equivalent 308 hatchbacks.

According to the government documents, spending more on top-of-the-range models could add a sunroof, upgraded matrix LED headlights, and for the PHEV, 20-inch alloy wheels.

Available features on European models include LED tail-lights, dual 10-inch interior screens, wireless phone charging, heated and massaging front seats with power adjustment, nappa leather trim, a Focal premium stereo, panoramic sunroof, and a suite of advanced safety technology.

The 2023 Peugeot 408 is due in Australian showrooms sometime this year, with more details – including pricing and confirmation of engines – due closer to launch.

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