PEUGEOT 508 SW Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

At the beginning of 2023, Peugeot refreshed its flagship model lineup, the 508, for both versions of it, the sedan and the station wagon, also known as the 508 SW.

Peugeot was one of the founders of the Stellantis family thanks to its big sales, and the 508 was one of its most important products. That lineup was introduced in 2018, and five years later, in 2023, it received a well-deserved update. But, apart from the exterior improvements, the car also benefited from some additional upgrades on its interior as well.

The car's front was heavily reworked and included a new design for the grille with a 3D pattern flanked by the two fang-like LED daytime running lights. In addition, the car sported new, slimmer headlights that were available with Matrix-LED technology. From its profile, the shooting-brake silhouette was enhanced by the raked-forward tailgate and a discrete roof spoiler above the rear windscreen. Last but not least, Peugeot redesigned the taillights, which sported a three-fang signature light pattern.

More upgrades were seen on the inside, where a 10" touchscreen for the infotainment system replaced the older 8" unit. Even though the car was a family hauler, it was available with high-bolstered bucket seats at the front, depending on the options. At the back, the same split-folding bench was installed.

Under the hood, Peugeot launched the vehicle with a choice of turbo-diesel, gasoline, and hybrid powerplants paired with either six-speed manuals or automatics, depending on the options.

Peugeot Sport Engineering upgraded both the station-wagon and the sedan as well. The special department was responsible for creating successful race-cars, and in 2020 they applied their knowledge to the production vehicles.

Peugeot is one of the oldest brands in the motoring industry. Even if it started with coffee mills and bicycles, the French brand made its way into the world, and its name was tightened with victories on various races such as the LeMans, Paris-Dakar, Pike's Peak or the World Rally Championship.

The 508 PSE featured a new front fascia, with an LED strip for the daytime running lights that crossed the headlight onto the front bumper. The Kryptonite color (a special gray) was offered exclusively on the PSE range. They used the same color for the three-claws badges on the back and the car's side. Even if the car was named station-wagon, since it was based on a car that was more of a four-door coupe, its overall shape was closer to a Shooting-brake.

Inside, the French specialist put the three-claw badge on the bottom of the steering wheel, but in green-lime accents. Another line with the same color crossed the dashboard. The Peugeot i-Cockpit graphic animations and the central 10-inch HD capacitive touchscreen have adopted the division's signature for an even more upscale feel.

The powertrain was a significant development. It featured a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that offered 360 hp. The battery pack could recharge in less than two hours from a 7kW wall-box socket or seven hours from a standard home outlet. It featured a 42 km (26 miles) range on EV mode. On top of that, the 508 PSE was all-wheel-drive. The gasoline engine powered the front wheels while the electric motor sent its power to the rear axle.

Peugeot didn't want to quit on their share of large station-wagons on the European market and it announced the second generation of the Peugeot 508 SW in May 2008.

After the initial announcement, the car was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, in June 2008. While its predecessor had more like a calm look, the 2018 model offered an angry-looking face with a sporty design. The company's French management thought that, since there was a bigger concern about environmental issues, the buyers will return to station-wagons from the cross-over and SUV car-categories. So, Peugeot wanted to be prepared and launched its five-door version of the 508.

The 508 SW featured optional LED headlights and two “fangs” that crossed from the headlights through the bumper toward the lower grille. The main grille though was smaller but with a 3D design instead of a mesh. Viewed from the side, the car looked more like a shooting brake than a regular station-wagon, with raked rear D-pillars and a roof-spoiler.

Inside, the i-Cockpit was the name of the infotainment and instrument cluster unit. It was based on two large displays, one in front of the driver and the other on the center console. The luxurious interior was more part of the premium-car market than in the mass-market category.

Despite the long vehicle and sporty look, the 508 SW featured rather small turbocharged engines instead of big displacement units. The standard transmission for some engines was a 6-speed manual while an 8-speed automatic was offered as an option.

Peugeot had to upgrade its lineup in 2014 in order to meet the mandatory Euro6 emission standards, and when it implemented the revised engines, it also refreshed the 508 range.

When the French carmaker introduced the facelift for the 508 range, it also improved the station wagon version. Thus, it tried to be more appealing to its customers, adding more features and amenities to keep them coming to the brand's showrooms. Apart from the aesthetic changes, it also improved the car's safety systems.

From the outside, the main difference was at the front, where the car received a new front fascia, with a more vertical grille that sported the company's badge in the middle instead of on the hood as before. Moreover, the LED headlights, foglights, and daytime running lights created an emblematic presence of the car on the road. The station wagon version, named SW, sported the same long profile with a sloped-down roof and blackened C- and D-pillars. Thus, the carmaker's designers created a shooting-brake appearance for the vehicle. The back of the car was also enhanced with new LED taillights and, depending on the version, a dual exhaust that peaked under the bumper.

Inside, there was also an improved infotainment center, fitted with a 7" touchscreen placed atop the center stack. Moreover, Peugeot offered a head-up display with an additional flip-folding screen that showed essential driving data. Like the non-facelifted version, the 2014 508 version featured a split-folding rear bench that expanded the trunk size from 530 liters (18.7 cu-ft) up to 1780 liters (62.9 cu-ft).

Under the hood, the carmaker prepared a wide choice of turbocharged engines, ranging from 114 PS (113 hp) to 200 PS (197 hp). A six-speed automatic was available for selected versions.

While the Peugeot 508 sedan might be a replacement for both 407 and 607, the 508 SW was clearly the successor of the 407 SW.

The French carmaker had a long history with station wagons behind it, and it didn't want to give up on them yet in 2010 when it introduced the 508 SW. But the Sochaux Lion didn't think about that kind of bodywork as a regular family vehicle with a bigger trunk. It considered it as a vehicle fit for leisure. Moreover, it was available with features that were not included on the sedan's options list.

From the outside, the 508 SW kept most of its front parts from its sedan sibling up to the B-pillar. Behind that, it changed everything. First of all, the design team extended the roof to a slight slope toward the car's back. The D-pillars were raked forward and fitted a roof-spoiler on top of the tailgate. Unlike the sedan, the SW was available with a panoramic glass roof, which brought more light inside the car.

The interior featured a German-inspired dashboard, with the infotainment screen placed at the cross-section between the center stack and the horizontal panel. Inside the instrument cluster Peugeot installed four large dials for the speedometer and tachometer, and the gauges for the fuel level and coolant temperature between them, on top. Something "Audish," but it worked well. Unlike the sedan, the SW version featured a split-folding rear bench that expanded the trunk size from 530 liters (18.7 cu-ft) up to 1780 liters (62.9 cu-ft) for the 2WD versions.

Peugeot used the EMP2 platform for the 508 SW, which was built to get gasoline and diesel engines. A hybrid version with an all-wheel-drive system was available as well.