Peugeot’s new 408 is the John Lewis of cars: RAY MASSEY

If Peugeot had a High Street store, which one would it be?’ I asked Alain Favey, the French automaker’s CEO, at the unveiling of its new 408 fastback crossover sedan near Marseille.

Favey, who has been at the helm of Peugeot since last year, had no doubt about the answer to this question. ‘John Lewis,’ he said.

So why try to draw a parallel with Central Britain’s favorite shopping chain with its famous slogan: ‘Never knowingly undersold’?

The Frenchman came to know (and love) John Lewis and its food arm Waitrose during his time working in Britain – first managing Citroen, then working as sales and marketing manager at British luxury carmaker Bentley in Crewe.

He said: ‘John Lewis stands for quality in both its products and customer experience. Peugeot is not a luxury brand like Bentley. Not Fortnum & Mason. Nor does it aim to compete with BMW or Audi; however like that A quality brand in the market. ‘I’d be happy for Peugeot to be the John Lewis of cars.’

Priced from £31,995, the striking new 408 is available with a choice of three engines from an ‘all-electric’ range: pure electric, plug-in hybrid and self-charging hybrid.

There are three trim levels: Allure, GT and GT Premium.

Tweaks to the exterior design include a more assertive stance, a redesigned grille and bumper, daytime running lights and an illuminated Peugeot shield and front grille on GT and GT Premium models.

The new Flare Green paint, which changes color in the light, is also offered as standard at no extra charge.

Inside, it offers a high-tech yet comfortably appointed, lounge-like interior that includes new seat fabric, an updated instrument panel, improved driver assistance from cameras and a decent-sized practical trunk.

I spent most of the time driving the 210-hp all-electric E-408, powered by a 58 kWh battery, with a range of 283 miles on a single charge.

It accelerates briskly from 0 to 62 mph in 7.2 seconds and reaches a managed top speed of 99 mph.

Inside, it offers a high-tech yet comfortably appointed, lounge-like interior that includes new seat fabric, an updated instrument panel and improved driver assistance from cameras.

Three levels of regenerative braking are available via steering wheel-mounted paddles.

Prices for the range start from £31,995 for the self-charging hybrid in Allure trim, rising to £34,495 as GT and £36,795 in GT Premium trim.

The plug-in hybrid starts from £38,495 in base Allure trim, rising to £40,995 as GT and £43,895 as GT Premium; This is also the most expensive option available.

Thanks to a taxpayer-funded £1,500 electric vehicle subsidy, the all-electric version of the Peugeot 408 is cheaper, with the Allure trim starting at £32,695 (from £34,195); GT trim is £35,095 (down from £36,595); and £37,595 (down from £39,095) for the range-topping GT Premium.

Never knowingly undersold? You be the judge.

The all-electric option has a claimed range of 283 miles, while the plug-in hybrid variant offers a zero-emission EV-only range of up to 50 miles. That means the 408 is as green as its paint

I took a shorter trip in the recently launched second-generation plug-in hybrid model, which combines a 1.6 L gasoline engine and a 92 kW electric motor coupled to a 7-speed automatic transmission with a dual-speed clutch.

The combined 240 hp allows the PHEV to accelerate from rest to 62 mph in 7.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 144 mph.

The 16.2kW traction battery provides a zero-emission, electric-only range of up to 50 miles.

The 145hp self-charging hybrid version combines a frugal 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with a dual-clutch 6-speed automatic electric transmission; It utilizes a 0.9kWh 48V lithium-ion battery under the passenger seat and accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 9.4 seconds with a 16kW electric motor integrated into the transmission, reaching a maximum speed of 197mph. Pure electric driving is limited to just 0.6 miles in gentle driving, such as at low speed and in slow-moving urban commuter traffic.

However, fuel economy goes up to 56.5 mpg.

Generous boot offers up to 536 liters of cargo space with the rear seats in place

The generous boot offers up to 536 liters of cargo space with the rear seats in place and expands to 1,611 liters with the 60:40-split rear bench folded.

Standard kit on the entry-level Allure trim includes 19-inch alloy wheels.

Dark-tinted rear windows, full LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, 10-inch instrument cluster and central touchscreen.

The GT trim adds features such as an illuminated front grille and Peugeot badging, a power tailgate, front parking sensors and a driver sport package.

GT premium adds 20-inch wheels to PHEV models, upgraded Alcantara interior and seats, 3-way heated front seats, 4-way lumbar adjustment for driver and passenger, foot movement-activated ‘smart’ boot lid, heated steering wheel, a more powerful 7.4kW on-board EV charger and 3D digital instrument cluster.

The launch of the 408, which included some cinematic driving routes, took place in and around Marseille (the backdrop for the hit 1970s film ‘The French Connection’ starring Gene Hackman) when Peugeot partnered with French film giant Pathé (known in the UK for the legendary Pathé News film reels of yesteryear). So while we were making one of our pit stops at a movie studio, I couldn’t resist posing a little with my car on set.

If you’re intrigued by this latest offering from the ‘John Lewis of cars’, remember that our well-paid Members of Parliament choose taxpayer-subsidized furniture and fittings for their own second home properties, using what is known at Westminster as the ‘John Lewis list’ and the officially approved list.

They know a good thing when they see it.

So, in the wake of this week’s local government election turmoil, consider this: if it’s good enough for our political masters at Westminster, it must be good enough for us humble voters (though take it at your peril).

So, does the new Peugeot 408 family fastback pass Peugeot CEO Alain Favey’s John Lewis test?

In my opinion, the sophisticated new Peugeot 408 certainly fits the spirit of the upper mid-market John Lewis niche, which means high-quality products. Pricing, while not cheap, offers good value for money without bargaining grounds.

So if you’re shopping for a new car, it’s definitely worth checking out.