Name: Peugeot 508 PSE (2021 - present) | Expert Rating | The Car Expert
Item: Peugeot 508 PSE
Rating: 64.0

Summary

A high-performance plug-in hybrid, the Peugeot 508 PSE (Peugeot Sport Engineered) is the flagship version of the Peugeot 508, offered in both liftback and estate body styles.

As well as the car’s sportier bodywork that the manufacturer says improves aerodynamics, the Peugeot 508 PSE produces more than double the power of the standard 508 saloon, thanks to its 355hp plug-in hybrid powertrain which combines a petrol engine with two electric motors.

Peugeot says that the 508 PSE can complete a 0-60mph sprint in 5.2 seconds, and travel a maximum of 26 miles on just electric power.

This is the most expensive model that Peugeot has ever sold, and by current plug-in hybrid standards, that all-electric range is middling. The cheaper Volvo V60 Recharge comparatively has an electric range of 54 miles.

Although its review scores have been quite poor compared to similarly priced cars from other brands, a number of outlets argue that the 508 PSE has some charms – Carwow explains that this sports saloon and estate is “extremely handsome, fast and comfortable”, while Auto Express says that this is “a versatile machine loaded with kit that also boasts strong efficiency”.

If you find this flagship performance model intriguing, you may be deterred by its price tag. Parkers comments that, “with a list price of more than £50,000, the 508 PSE is a tough sell for private buyers”.

A facelifted version of the 508 PSE arrived in the second half of 2023, and the model was discontinued in 2025. As of September 2025, you can still find new car stock at Peugeot dealers but you can’t order a new vehicle from the factory.

As of September 2025, the Peugeot 508 PSE holds a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 64%. Being a plug-in hybrid, it has very low official CO₂ emissions. Its safety rating and new car warranty score are only average, and its running costs are media review scores are poor.

508 PSE highlights

Impressive performance
Low running costs
Agile handling and body control
Comfortable on long cruises
Distinctive styling

508 PSE lowlights

Average interior quality
Small battery range
Unreasonably expensive to buy outright
Slightly cramped rear seating
Infotainment lags behind rivals

Key specifications

Body style: Mid-sized liftback and estate
Engines: Plug-in hybrid
Price: From £53,975 on-road

Launched: Autumn 2020
Last updated: Spring 2023
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Featured reviews

“Aside from a few visual tweaks, Peugeot’s 508 PSE hasn’t really changed with this facelift, so will remain an expensive niche offering that has a few rough edges offset by some genuinely impressive driving manners.”

Model reviewed: 2023 facelift liftback

Score: 8 / 10

Read full review

Auto Express

Jordan Katsianis

“The Peugeot 508 PSE is an extremely handsome, fast and comfortable performance plug-in hybrid. Its electric range is a bit limited, though, and it’s really not cheap.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 7 / 10

Read full review

Carwow

More reviews

Auto Express

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Genuine pace done differently and chassis revisions that help round the package into a different take on a practical performance car. It’s a versatile machine loaded with kit that also boasts strong efficiency – its rivals can’t match that. However, it looks pricey in areas, even if it does have exclusivity on its side.”
Read review

Car

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“What makes this car stand out against rival performance PHEVs is the fact it gives away very little in terms of outright practicality. The boot capacity is the same as a non-plug-in Pug at 487 litres, and despite being way more fun and accomplished to drive than the standard 508, it’s barely any less comfortable day-to-day.”
Read review

Company Car Today

Model reviewed:
“The 508 PSE’s sporting nature is instantly noticeable through the hard ride quality, but that does translate into sharp handling, in what is a very composed and rapid cross-country machine. That combination of powertrains provides performance that feels quicker than the figures suggest.”
Read review

Driving Electric

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Practical, efficient and fast, the 508 SW Peugeot Sport Engineered is an unlikely but worthy rival to the more established sporty saloon and estate offerings from German brands.”
Read review

Evo

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“While the 508 is a really strong design, especially so in SW guise (the most popular of the 508’s two body styles) it’s only available in grey, black or white with black wheels, which strikes us as being a little too bland and unadventurous for a car that is anything but to drive.”
Read review

Motoring Research

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid SW estate
Score: 7 / 10
“There’s much to enjoy about the Peugeot 508 PSE. It looks fantastic, is interesting and fun to drive in equal measure, and its rarity makes you feel part of a select and rather special club.”
Read review

Parkers

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.8 / 10
“On paper, the 508 PSE seems to tick a lot of boxes, offering sharp looks, everyday practicality, performance and low running costs, but with a list price of more than £50,000, it’s a tough sell for private buyers.”
Read review

The Sun

Model reviewed: Range overview
“Peugeot can be as proud as it likes about this car but people will only pay what they think it’s worth. At £35k, with all that kit, it dances all over a basic Beemer. But £54k? Rising to £56k for the estate?”
Read review

Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Peugeot describes the 508 PSE as a ‘halo’ car, which is industry speak for saying it’s more about creating buzz than bolstering profit margins. We don’t expect to see many of these around, but we’ll salute anyone we do see driving one.”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: December 2018
Date expired: January 2025
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 96%
Child protection: 86%
Vulnerable road users: 71%
Safety assist: 79%

Notes on safety rating

The Peugeot 508 range – including the 508 PSE – was tested by Euro NCAP back in 2018 and awarded a five-star rating. However, this rating expired in January 2025 and is no longer valid as the car no longer meets the standards required for such a rating. This is normal practice, as Euro NCAP reviews its ratings on most cars annually with most ratings expiring after about six or seven years.

Although the rating has now expired, the score is still useful if you are comparing a used 508 PSE to vehicles of similar age – whose ratings will have probably also expired.

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of September 2025, the Peugeot 508 PSE has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Fuel consumption	Average	Score
Plug-in hybrid models	159 mpg	A

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Plug-in hybrid models	43 g/km	A

Battery range	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Plug-in hybrid models	32 miles	E

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	42	E

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£356	D
Year 2	£834	D
Year 3	£1,221	D
Year 4	£1,388	D
Year 5	£1,850	D
Overall	£5,649	D

Running costs for the Peugeot 508 PSE are generally expensive, according to five-year cost data provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our technical partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

Being a plug-in hybrid, fuel economy and CO₂ emissions look great on paper, but that’s due to the woeful EU/UK goverment lab tests that are completely useless at measuring a plug-in hybrid…

Battery range also looks woeful, but it’s fairly average for a plug-in hybrid. A fully electric car of similar size, by comparison, will usually have about 250-300 miles of range.

Insurance costs are expensive compared to the regular 508 models, while servicing and maintenance costs over the first five years are also worse than average.

Warranty rating

New car warranty information for the Peugeot 508 PSE

Overall ratingC56%
New car warranty duration3 years
New car warranty mileage60,000 miles
Battery warranty duration8 years
Battery warranty mileage100,000 miles

Peugeot’s new car warranty is pretty much the bare minimum offered in the UK, with a duration of three years and a limit of 60,000 miles. Other rivals in the price bracket do better (and in some cases, much better).

In addition to the standard new car warranty, the battery components of the 508 PSE have an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.

Warranty on a used Peugeot 508 PSE

If you are purchasing an ‘Approved Used’ 508 PSE from an official Peugeot dealership, you will get a minimum six-month warranty included.
If you are buying a used 508 PSE from an independent dealership, any warranty offered will vary and will probably be managed by a third-party warranty company.
If you are buying a used 508 PSE from a private seller, there are no warranty protections beyond any remaining portion of the original new car warranty.

If you’re looking to buy a used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.

Recalls

Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Peugeot 508 range

2021

2020

Date: August 2021
Recall number: R/2021/275
Model types: All
Build dates: 01/2018 to 06/2021
Number of vehicles affected: 3,376
Defect: The accessory roof rack for the Peugeot 508 saloon could detach from the vehicle if used to carry items other than a roof box.
Remedy: A full refund will be offered by the selling retailer (return of the roof rack and receipt) and recommend the customer purchase another solution to transport bicycle(s).

Date: November 2020
Recall number: R/2020/331
Model types: All
Build dates: 04/2019 to 07/2019
Number of vehicles affected: 959
Defect: The filtering performance of the diesel particle filter (DPF) may not meet the required specification.
Remedy: Replace the DPF on affected vehicles.

Date: February 2020
Recall number: R/2020/052
Model types: All
Build dates: 10/2019 to 01/2020
Number of vehicles affected: 78
Defect: Certain rear suspension fixing bolts may not conform to specification, which could cause them to break.
Remedy: Replace the affected bolts.

As of September 2024 (our most recent data point), there have been three DVSA vehicle safety recalls on the current Peugeot 508 range to address different issues.

Not all vehicles are affected by recalls. You can check to see if your car is included in any of the above recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Peugeot dealer.

If your car is affected by a recall, the vehicle must be repaired and you should not be charged for any work required. If you are buying a used Peugeot 508 PSE, you should insist that any outstanding recall work is completed before you take delivery of the vehicle.