Peugeot 508 SW Hybrid interior, dashboard & comfort

If you’ve not been in a Peugeot recently, you might be in for a bit of a shock – the 508’s cabin is a long way from more conventional rivals. That said, the 'i-Cockpit' layout, with its small, low-set wheel and instruments perched higher up on the dash works well, provided you can find a driving position that lets you see the dials.

Peugeot’s quality has taken a real step up, too, and while it’s not quite there with some German offerings, it feels like a genuinely premium product, with nice materials, a quiet and refined cabin and plenty of technology. The sci-fi looks don’t detract from usability, either.

Peugeot 508 SW Hybrid dashboard

The 508 SW Hybrid’s dashboard is dominated by two things: An unusually small, two-spoke steering wheel (with a squared-off top and bottom), and a view of the dials above it. Some drivers might find their ideal driving position slightly obscures the dials with the top of the wheel, but the layout does feel sporty and is fundamentally unchanged from non-hybrid 508s – you just get slightly different information on the digital display ahead. The metallic physical switches on the centre console feel good to use, too.

Equipment, options & accessories

As the SW Hybrid can be specified in several different trims, there’s a wide range of kit available. The trim-level structure was updated in November 2021 to reflect customer preferences for higher-spec cars. The entry point to the Hybrid range is now Allure Premium, which comes with 17-inch alloys, automatic headlights and wipers, leather-effect and cloth seat trim, front and rear parking sensors, a 180-degree reversing camera, a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 10-inch colour touchscreen and adaptive cruise Control.

GT increases wheel size to 18 inches, adds GT badging and a chequered radiator grille. There are also full LED 3D signature ‘Claw Effect’ lights and blue ambient lighting inside the front door panels and centre console. GT Premium builds on that with leather-effect and Alcantara seat trim, power-adjustable heated front seats, premium speakers, a 360-degree colour camera and fully automated parking assistance.

Infotainment, apps & sat nav

There’s a 10-inch display perched centrally in the dashboard through which the car’s infotainment is controlled. It’s not the most responsive system on the market, but mercifully Peugeot has provided a bank of physical buttons below it (quite nicely picked out with a metal finish) that skip between major functions like audio, navigation and driving data, including the hybrid system’s behaviour. Some functions use the instrument display ahead of the driver.