Perhaps in the mid-range segment, the Peugeot 408 deserves to be the most beautifully designed new car of the year.
The Peugeot 408 marks 10 years of collaboration between Thaco and Peugeot in the period 2013 – 2023. This is truly a breakthrough product in terms of design compared to other new models introduced this year.
As a French brand, Peugeot is famous for its fashionable design. This is completely true in terms of design aspect of Peugeot models currently available in Vietnam such as 3008, 5008 or even 2008. However, with the 408, the exterior factor is emphasized even more than ever.
Peugeot 408 is not only impressive in terms of design lines. It stands out in terms of body shape as well. This compact sedan does not share the same chassis with sedans like the Mazda3 or Honda Civic, with a ground clearance of up to 189 mm, equivalent to many crossover models.
However, the Peugeot 408 definitely does not line up with models like the Mazda CX-5 or Toyota Corolla Cross, because the height of the car stops at 1,510 mm. lower than the average height of 1.6m of CUV models.
And especially, Peugeot 408 is not a hatchback or fastback model. In other words, the 408 brings a harmonious combination of various elements: high ground clearance, slope roofline, and the length and width equivalent to C segment cars.
Pause for a moment, if we set aside the logical factor and only use our hearts to look and feel, then we must assert that this French lion is beautiful and elegant.
Peugeot 408 is not tall and robust, but it is very sporty and dynamic with its extremely high stance. In the top-end version, the car is equipped with 20-inch solid wheels with a futuristic design, bearing the breath of pure electric models.
With the Allure and Premium versions, the 5-spoke 2-tone wheels with a size of 18 inches are more than enough to show personality and sportiness. The car body is not too thin, but very agile and extremely sharp.
The front part of the car is designed with a long hood and pressed lines; combined with the frameless grille to create an extremely attractive appearance. The simulated air intakes on the sides are formed into sharp triangular planes.
The main lighting system with matrix technology on the top-of-the-line GT version (and FullLED on the other 2 versions) is placed horizontally, synchronized extremely smoothly with the curved demi LED strip lights placed vertically, accurately describing the powerful allure of a lion ready to pounce on prey.
In particular, the roof of the car is designed to slope down to the rear along with the trunk – a sporty appearance that cannot be refused – learned from SUVs or sporty fastbacks. Perhaps that is why the Peugeot 408 is highly regarded and is not “inferior” when compared to the Lamborghini Urus or BMW X6.
The rear of the car is also impressive with the rear lights divided into 3 separate sections. The rear bumper is made very thick and integrated with low reversing lights and a very neat and sophisticated hidden exhaust pipe.
The new-generation lion logo, with a simple and compact design – in addition to appearing in the middle of the front/rear of the car, is also raised with leaf-shaped shields on both sides of the car, right below the rearview mirror – affirming its origin from the proud fashion cradle of the world.
There are full sensors around the car: front/rear, rear-view camera, and especially a 360-degree camera system as well as a safety radar on the top GT version.
Entering the car’s cabin, Peugeot 408 will easily overwhelm users with its spacious interior – completely opposite to the image of a traditional sporty car (which is supposed to be cramped and somewhat complex).
The rear seats on the Peugeot 408 can accommodate tall adults over 1.7m, although the reclining angle is not really outstanding (due to the coupe-like roofline). The charging port and air vents are also provided for passengers in the second row.
The car trunk is also extremely spacious when compared to C-segment sedans. Therefore, it is difficult to deny the practicality of this sporty model.
At the front seats, Peugeot 408 is equipped with sport seats upholstered in leather with hip and shoulder support pads, with intricate stitching lines on the surface. Of course, the front seats can be adjusted electronically, and even feature massage and memory functions for the driver’s seat in the GT version.
