Used Peugeot 408 cars for sale

Used Peugeot 408 buying guide

Wait… that's a Peugeot? Despite looking like it drove straight off the floor of the Paris Motor Show, or a Lamborghini Urus, the 408 is a car you can drive right now. Its elegant faceted body blurs the lines between saloon, coupe and hatchback would be enough to mark this car out on its own, but it doubles down with an imposing SUV like stance with a tall ride height and big wheels to take on the concrete jungle. And it's more than a pretty face – it the 408 has excellent passenger space, refined road manners and a swish, upmarket cabin.

What used Peugeot 408 trim levels are there?

Standard equipment on entry-level Allure models is generous, featuring alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, part-faux-leather upholstery and driver's lumbar adjustment. You also get automatic emergency braking and an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

For a brief period Allure Premium sat in the middle of the range, but was quickly phased out. It gained adaptive cruise control, additional front parking sensors, acoustically insulated side windows and larger alloy wheels – the latter of which were added as standard to Allure when Premium was dropped from the range.

Range-topping GT cars include a heated steering wheel, a powered boot lid, ambient cabin lighting, part-Alcantara suede upholstery, and full LED headlights and brakelights.

Keep an eye out for rare First Edition models, too. These get massive 20-inch alloys, a faster on-board charger for PHEV models, and electrically adjustable front seats with heating and massage functions.

Peugeot 408 interior and technology

It's not just the 408's exterior looks that impress. Inside, there's a dramatically angular dashboard featuring a super-sharp widescreen infotainment system with neat touch-sensitive buttons beneath. Below those are some piano-style buttons for important functions and a proper volume knob for easy on-the-go adjustment. Peugeot's distinctive high-mounted digital dials and oddly small steering wheel – which makes three-point turns easy – come standard and work well, but might take an extra beat to account for when finding a comfortable seating position.

Peugeot's infotainment system has improved with each generation and the version fitted to the 408 looks quite modern. The screen is high resolution and less cluttered than previous versions and, while we still don't like touch sensitive controls as much as proper buttons, the Peugeot's shortcut keys are so large that they're easy to hit – even if you forgot your glasses. All cars include a digital gauge cluster, which is easy enough to read, although we wish Peugeot would simplify the graphics, which seem to be competing for space.

Practicality is good, although you'd expect that from a car measuring nearly 4.7 metres long – just shy of a BMW 3 Series. Front room is generous and there's lots of rear legroom for six-footers to stretch out – although they might find their heads brushing the ceiling if they prefer to sit upright. There's 536 litres of space in the boot, or 471 if you choose a PHEV version – those aren't class-leading figures but there's easily enough room for a family's holiday gear or a medium-sized dog.

Peugeot 408 engine range explained

There's one standard petrol engine, then a full hybrid and a pair of plug-in-hybrid options. All engines come with an automatic gearbox as standard.

Peugeot 408 1.2 PureTech 130 petrol

The 408's entry-level engine is a 1.2-litre turbo three-cylinder petrol used widely across Peugeot, Citroen and Vauxhall models. This is probably enough for most buyers and should be the most affordable option. It'll dash from 0-62mph in 10.4 seconds and average more than 41mpg.

Peugeot 408 1.2 Hybrid 136 hybrid

This engine is a fairly new addition to Peugeot models and the 408 is one of the first to get it. It's only recharged when you slow down or by the engine directly and doesn't need to be plugged in. The extra electric motor means a marginal drop in the 0-62mph time to 10.2 seconds with 48mpg or more possible in the right conditions.

Peugeot 408 1.6 Plug-In Hybrid 180 PHEV

The first of two plug-in-hybrid engines available for the 408. This setup pairs a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine with a fast-acting electric motor and a sizeable battery pack. 0-62mph should be dispatched in a brisk 8.1 seconds and, in ideal circumstances, you should be able to average more than 170mpg or travel 34 miles on electric power alone.

Peugeot 408 1.6 Plug-In Hybrid 225 PHEV

This is a slightly beefed-up version of the 408's standard PHEV powertrain. With 225hp on tap, the 0-62mph time falls to 7.8 seconds, but average economy and electric-only range are unaffected.