The entry-level Peugeot 408 is powered by a 1.2-liter three-cylinder with just 128 hp
April 9, 2023 at 05:47
by Brad Anderson
The new-age Peugeot 408 is one of the most beautiful crossovers on the market, combining modern and sharp design details with a sleek shape and futuristic look. However, a crossover needs to have more going for it than just good looks. Among other things, it needs to handle well and it must be safe, so km77 recently put it through the moose test.
For the first test, the crew from the Spanish publication attempted the moose test at 73 km/h (45.3 mph). However, the rear end of the crossover soon stepped out and the driver was unable to keep it between the cones. That’s not good as one of the 408’s key rivals, the Renault Arkana, completed the moose test at 77 km/h (47.8 mph) not too long ago.
Read: 2023 Peugeot 408 Coupe Crossover Lands In Paris To Banish Boring Family Cars
The highest speed at which the 408 was able to successfully complete the moose test was at 72 km/h (44.7 mph) and even at that speed, it only just managed to pass, coming within millimeters of taking out two cones. Other attempts made at 75 km/h (46.6 mph) and 76 km/h (47.2 mph) were unsuccessful.
It was then time to see how the 408 would perform in a slalom. The best time recorded was 25.9 seconds. That’s not bad but it’s also not impressive, placing the 408 behind the Nissan X-Trail with its 25.5-second time and just 0.2 seconds quicker than the much larger and heavier Range Rover Sport P510e Autobiography.
No doubt one of the reasons why the Peugeot was quite slow in the slalom is that the example tested was equipped with the standard 1.2-liter three-cylinder. This model is good for just 128 hp, is front-wheel drive, and has an eight-speed automatic transmission. The crossover needs a pedestrian 10.4 seconds to hit 62 mph (100 km/h).