THE PEUGEOT 508 RXH is a five-door estate that presents itself as a high-performance all-roader.
It has an increased ride height, longer equipment list, added body-kit and a higher price than the standard 508 SW… but is it worth the extra?
To mark this out as an RXH model, exterior styling features include wheel arches and sill extensions, aluminium front and rear bumper scuff plates, satin chrome roof rails, 18-inch alloys and claw-effect LED daytime running lights. The RXH has a raised height of 5cm over other 508 models. And I think it looks striking.
I am equally enamoured with the interior, which has a premium feel to it and is very well put together. The interior is sumptuous and the black leather with copper stitching is so soft. This leather continues to the doors and there is a lovely mix of gloss black inserts and chrome in all the right places.
The panoramic glass roof, which comes as standard, fills the cabin with light but even with the roof covered the off-white headliner makes the cabin feel very bright.
Up front, the heated massage seats are amazingly comfortable and supportive and the soft leather steering wheel feels lovely. There is a very spacious feel to the cabin but there isn’t a huge amount of storage. The glovebox is small, door bins not very wide and there is nowhere for your phone. But there are two cup holders and a deep cubby in the armrest.
There is an overwhelming number of buttons on the multi-function steering wheel and infotainment system but you soon become familiar with the ones you use the most and once you find your way around them all you notice that they are positioned quite logically.
The instrument cluster is nicely designed and is clear and easy to read. The colour head-up display is also well positioned and fully adjustable, and it helps keep your eyes on the road.
There is plenty of seat adjustment and steering wheel reach and rake meaning you can find a very comfortable driving position no matter what your size. The visibility is great too.
There is tonnes of leg and head room in the back with plenty of space to put your feet under the seats in front of you – six-footers should be very comfortable back here.
The boot is wonderful and spacious with a tiny lip so it makes sliding things in and out a breeze and from the boot you can tumble the rear seats with just the press of a button which gives you an almost flat loading area. The boot can hold 512 litres or 1,598 litres with the rear seats folded. This is a good size for this type of car.
It is powered by a 2.0 BlueHDi diesel start/stop engine mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. It makes 180hp at 400Nm of torque. The powertrain is very efficient and it has CO2 emissions of 119g/km placing it in tax band A4 at €200 a year and an official combined fuel economy figure of 4.6 litres/100km (61mpg).
It has a max braked trailer weight of 1475kg.
As much as this car looks like an ‘all-road’ it doesn’t have all-wheel drive. It is front wheel drive only but it does seem to have plenty of grip.
On the motorway, it is very comfortable and soaks up the kilometres with ease making the Peugeot a great long distance motor. Its soft suspension set-up helps make poor road surfaces go practically unnoticed. All in all, it is a very easy and relaxing car to drive.
The transmission is smooth when out on the open road but it can feel a little sluggish at other times.
On narrower, more rural roads, it doesn’t feel as confident and isn’t as relaxing to drive. It is a little sketchy when cornering, especially as speed and the suspension seems to work hard when presented with a lot of undulating surfaces in quick succession. It also has some noticeable body lean.
The steering feels well weighted and accurate though and around town the car is easy to manoeuvre.
Overall, it is a beautiful car, inside and out and is very comfortable especially over long distances.
At €41,780 plus delivery it is expensive for an estate 508 (entry-level models start at €29,975 plus VAT) and there are more premium brands on offer in the same price bracket as the RXH but these are entry-level models. The RXH is the top of the range model and has all the bells and whistles you could possibly need and want as well as a suite of active and passive safety systems.
Is this the right car for you?
If you are looking for a premium feeling, spacious car for your active family that is very comfortable and has an efficient engine then the Peugeot 508 RXH may be the car for you.
If you are looking for a spacious family estate with all-wheel drive, a classier cabin and premium badge and you have a larger budget to spec the car up, then the Audi A4 Avant may be worth checking out. It starts at €38,200. But it is more costly to run.
Looking for something that has decent off-road capabilities, all-wheel drive and a lower starting price? Take a look at the Skoda Octavia Scout, which is priced from €33,795.
Looking for a rugged estate that is extremely capable, has great handling and driving dynamics? Then check out the Subaru Outback, priced from €40,995. It has higher running costs and you’ll need to spec it up but it is a very good car.
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