Fast plug-in estate shootout | 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered v BMW 330e | Autocar

There's nothing that says 'every car you'll ever need' quite like a fast estate car, and here are two of the best and the newest. Which means that as well as having engines, you can plug them in.

The newest is the 2021 Peugeot 508 SW Peugeot Sport Engineered (or as we've come to refer to it, the Peugeot 508 PSE). It makes its performance by having a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine and small electric motor at the front, with four-wheel drive provided by an additional motor at the back.

It makes 355bhp in total, which is good for 0-62mph in 5.2 sec and a top speed of 155mph, while it has a zero-emissions range of 26 miles, officially returns 138.9mpg and has a CO2 output of 46g/km. It costs £54,000.

It meets one of the traditional players in the fast wagons sector, a BMW 330xe Touring, which costs a little less than the Peugeot, at £49,280.

The BMW has a 2.0-litre engine in the front, and that's where you find its electric motor, too - they can work independently or together. In total, they combine to produce 289bhp, which is enough for 0-62mph in 5.9sec and a top speed of 139mph. Officially it returns 176.6mpg and produces 41g/km of CO2.

Which, though, is the most compelling to drive? Join Matt Prior and James Disdale as they test the two back to back on the road, and decide which is the more alluring proposition.




Autocar, the world's leading motoring magazine and website, delivers industry-leading news, the most in-depth car reviews and opinion from our team of experts. Our presenters include some of the world's top motoring journalists who have unrivalled access to the world's fastest, rarest, most exotic and most exciting cars on some of the world's best roads and race tracks.

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[CarToneHK]

The Peugeot is just such a brilliant looking car

[leonknapp]

Peugeot is gorgeous, reminds me of the Alfa 159SW.

[Stevieboy]

Great to see the Beemer isn't the automatic choice. The Peugeot looks wonderful and would definitely cause me t consider it if I was in that market. I would have to try the I-cockpit first though.

[silverelgrandlow]

The fluidity and progressive feel of cars is something so terribly underrated these days. By just focusing on the numbers and what people deem to be sporty, many cars have lost what it is just basically a nicely tuned chassis which will not break your back everyday but give you so much control over any form of road surface.
You are not driving everyday on track people!

[Chris.Davies]

The BMW looks foul. Like a genetic throwback to 2008.
The Peugeot looks stunning.

[pap_chr]

Peugeot 508pse is a realizar premium car. It feels amazing inside, very premium and the materials are great.Although Peugeot is a semi premium brand that makes steps to be premium in the near future. Also this car is by far the most beautiful in the segment

[georgimihalkov]

I just love Autocar's comparison videos...There's never a straight answer in the end.

[DanLMH]

As the even more left field choice, I'd still take the V60 T8/Polestar Engineered :D

[johnwhite]

Ive never really thought about peugeot cars but this one in video looks absolutely gorgeous what a car 👌👌👍

[steveberridge]

I own a BMW but love that Peugeot - one to buy in 3 years time as I suspect the residuals will be awful like most large, niche French cars

[BonuxCouleur]

I love the "premium brand" tag of BMWs, especially when you know their 3 and 1 series have used Peugeot-Ford-Volvo engines for ages. Jaguar also used Peugeot-Ford engines in their recent past. I am not sure premium means anything when your car is an assembly of parts from the competition.

[dezsijanos]

In regards to the specs it seems they just simply messed up their DD and took the F30/F31 330e and not the G20/G21 330e... I would say that’s quite a massive mistake and makes this whole video a bit confusing

[atlanticjatt]

Why Peugeot is not available in Canada. Such a good looking car and attractive price.

[knudar]

Why does the 330e get a smaller battery in England? or have you been looking at the data for the F30 model? ;-)

[jamiep]

I enjoyed watching the Video Comparison. The BMW Is my favourite 🤩

[alfamonk]

SW is a sharp-looking thing. Brits will default to the BMW of course but if I had the cash I’d take the 508

[hoagy_ytfc]

The in-car footage in the Beamer is shocking quality.

[avaraz]

Seeing the comments... Damn, people still thinks german brands are "premium" ? Same amount of plastic in a BMW or a Peugeot these days, while the peugeot has a better price for the options compared to a bmw

I'm looking for my next car, and for the same price in second hand, I can either have a 2019 508 with adapt suspensions, 230hp, full options, alcanatara electric massage heated seats, or a 2016 audi a5 with a few options, 170hp max, no digital dials, tiny ugly screen and tissue seats?

You guys need to make up your mind about the "premium" myth of german cars, Peugeot is clearly owning it lately

[azamchaudhri]

For God sake, how much longer are car journalists going to go on about plastics not up to scratch. And that tap on the door card to prove it is so annoying. They all do that stupid tap. I've sat in the 508 and didn't go around thinking it was not a 54k car. Maybe I should have tapped the plastics more.

[Tommere]

Would like to see a drag. I got a 2021 330e xdrive touring that does 0-100 in 5, 2. Its quicker than claimed. The xdrive works very well in wet and snow. The adaptiv susp and weight balance makes it a very good car to drive. It also runs perfect without any issues. Can that be said about the Peugeot in 3-5 years? What about rest value and 2nd hand marked. BMW for me.