Peugeot 508 Touring possible for Australia

After revealing the 508 sedan at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, Peugeot has now completed the 508 lineup by unveiling the 508 Touring. Not yet confirmed for Australia, the 508 launches in Europe in January 2019.

Featuring the same range of engines and technology as the 508 sedan, the 508 Touring takes the sedan’s fastback style and adds an extra dose practicality with a boxier but still very handsome overall look. If it’s sold in Australia, don’t expect it for at least another year.

“After the radical fastback coupé-saloon, we now have the estate car! And it’s just as punchy and breath-taking! New Peugeot 508 SW confirms the Brand’s transformation and this model with its spectacular body line and impressive features, it really enriches the range” said Jean-Philippe Imparato, Peugeot CEO.

“Our ambition to make Peugeot the leading premium-range mainstream brand is taking shape very nicely.”

According to Peugeot, medium-sized wagons are still extremely important – at least, in Europe. Over 1.4 million mid-size cars were sold there last year and one third of that were wagons, making the 508 SW an important car for the brand. Like the new 508 sedan, the 508 Touring is a whole 60mm lower than the previous generation of 508, yet still a practical shape, according to the brand. The 508 Touring’s 4,780mm overall length is 30mm longer than the sedan, yet 50mm shorter than the previous 508 SW.

Inside, the Peugeot 508 Touring uses the same high tech and futuristic cabin as the 508 sedan, though previewed with a new shade of red leather upholstery. There’s Peugeot’s iCockpit 2.0, with a digital driver’s display, and a large central touchscreen and angled transmission tunnel. It appears to be a high quality space, just like the 3008 and 5008 SUVs.

Practicality is also a strong point for the 508 Touring, with a 530-litre boot that opens up to 1,780-litres when the rear seats are folded flat – identical to the Volkswagen Passat wagon, though smaller than the Skoda Superb wagon’s 1,950-litre figure. All are much larger than comparable SUVs, however.

Like the 508 sedan, the 508 Touring is loaded with technology, including night vision for enhanced road viewing in dark conditions – a first in the segment. The 508 also has radar cruise control with stop&go functionality, lane keep assist, full park assist (the car will accelerate and brake by itself), automatic high beam headlights, forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind spot monitoring with active steering, rear traffic alert with braking and extended traffic sign recognition.

The 508 Touring is built on PSA’s EMP2 platform, and has lost 70kg of weight compared with the last generation 508. The 508 Touring’s range of engines is the same as the sedan, with a 96kW 1.2-litre turbo petrol, a 96kW 1.5-litre turbo diesel, a 1.6-litre turbo petrol with 132kW and 168kW tunes, and a 2.0-litre turbo diesel in both 118kW and 133kW tunes.

All are front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive will likely be sold with the upcoming plug-in hybrid – hopefully with the return of the 508 RXH raised wagon.

The 2019 Peugeot 508 Touring goes on sale in Europe in January. Peugeot Australia has confirmed that it wants the 508 Touring, but it is yet to be confirmed. Our prediction is that it will be sold here, but not for at least another year.

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