Tourer de France

What we like:

Cat A engine

Cat B body

What we dislike:

Engine is a little uninspiring

Up front the biggest news is that you get a 1.6l turbodiesel engine that makes 120 hp and an earthshaking 300 Nm of torque. While it sounds good on paper (more so for that 10-year lifespan paper), in the real world the engine isn't what you’d describe as lively or powerful.

The 508 BlueHDi picks up speed without much drama, so it feels a touch slow but glance at the speedometer and you’ll realise you’re going much faster than you think. Fuel consumption is nowhere near the claimed 25.6 km/l, but I managed a good 15 km/l over two days in all kinds of traffic so it’s not exactly poor either.

The cabin is decently insulated and together with the supple suspension you get an everyday car that’s easy to live with and use for the next decade. And if for some reason you decide to drive it hard like I did (my excuse is that I have to come up with this article; what’s yours?) you’ll be pleasantly rewarded with some pretty accurate steering and more agility than you might expect.

As a family man’s choice the 508 is an interesting alternative to just about everything traditional really. Sure it’s not the best at anything, but it has everything you need to get places each day while saving you money at the pump; perhaps it is best at being what it is – the practical choice.

Credits: Story and Photos by Alvan Sio