PEUGEOT 408

Pure-petrol version of this fastback-topped SUV rises above the PHEV variant

- ILLYA VERPRAET

TESTED 1.2.23, OXFORDSHIRE ON SALE NOW

Ancient mythology often combined the features of various creatures to create new ones. Think of the centaur, the minotaur and the sphinx. No longer content with simple hatchbacks, coupés and SUVs, Peugeot is doing the same with the 408, which it described in the press presentation as the bottom half of an SUV with the top half of a fastback.

Unlike most sphinxes, the 408 also has the ears of a cat. Really just look at the rear spoiler. But, according to the literature, it also has a 'feline stance'. And like the man-lion-eagle hybrid, the 408 presents a bit of a riddle: what, and who, is it really for? Here is a car that looks like an SUV and has the higher centre of gravity, but not the tall driving position or generous glasshouse. Then again, those same ingredients haven't stopped the Cupra Formentor from becoming a success. Peugeot hopes that the 408's unusual shape will be a catalyst for people who wouldn't ordinarily consider the brand to take another look at it.