Our cars: Peugeot 508 SW - February 2012

Peugeot 508 SW 2.2 HDi 204 GT

Week ending February 24
Mileage: 18,010
Driven this week: 854 miles

Peugeot 508 SW review

It’s just as well that the Austrians look after their roads when the snow arrives, because the Spikes Spiders snowchains we had hoped to use in heavy snow would not fit our 508. We are currently investigating the cause, but it’s hoped ‘user error’ will be ruled out. Almost a foot of snow landed whilst we were on our stay, but happily it was all cleared by the time we left.

The drive home was tackled in one day, whereas we had split the first journey with an overnight stop in Stuttgart. A 14-hour journey is a tough test for any vehicle, but the 508 was superb.

I had originally wondered whether the build quality of the Peugeot would withstand such a firm ride, but after 18,000 miles it remains in good fettle and the interior still looks new, with little or no signs of wear and tear. In my hands the 508 gets a pretty heavy workout, with small children and a dog to cope with. It is coping admirably.
andrew.golby@whatcar.com

Week ending February 17
Mileage: 17,156
Driven this week: 958 miles

A giant drive through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and finally Austria is complete. As a long distance European cruiser, the 508 is in its element. The poorer roads of Belgium and Luxembourg highlight the Peugeot’s firm ride, but at speeds of 80-85mph we achieved a test best of 42.8mpg for the trip.

Companions travelling with us in a 2007 Audi A6 Avant 2.7-litre turbodiesel winced at the extra 200-mile range of the Peugeot, which can go 650 miles between stops.
andrew.golby@whatcar.com

Week ending February 10
Mileage:16,198
Driven this week: 522 miles

With two very long journeys ahead we’ve fitted a pair of Nextbase DVD players to the 508 to keep the back seat passengers happy. I’ve had a set previously, but the new generation have moved the game on notably. Our set are ‘click and go’ which take seconds to slide on and off. We’ve also got two pairs of wireless headphones, which work brilliantly.

We’ve come a long way since the endless games of eye spy that I remember, but gadgets like this make it so much easier for young families to travel long distances. I’m all for them, and although £229.99 (plus £22.99 for each pair of headphones) is not cheap, my guess is that we’ll get lots of value from them.
andrew.golby@whatcar.com

Week ending February 3
Mileage: 15,676
Driven this week: 538 miles

I’m now just 4500 miles from the 508’s first service and in the past few days a low-oil warning alert has appeared a couple of times. I’ll be adding a litre tomorrow, but given the high number of motorway miles the car has completed (probably two-thirds of the total mileage to date), this doesn’t seem at all unreasonable.

I’ve also been contacted by an owner this week, who may have had more luck finding winter tyres than I did. I will be using a pair of Spikes-Spiders instead on my trip to Austria, which combine chains and studs in one. They certainly look impressive and I’ll report back on their effectiveness on my return.

Andrew.Golby@whatcar.com