It’s kind surprising to see a car maker removing hybrid equipment from its cars.
After all, with promises of all-electric motoring for everyone by 2050, and the complete elimination of fossil fuel use from this country by the end of the century, surely this is a backward step?
Technologically, perhaps so. Commercially, most definitely not. When Peugeot first introduced the 508 RXH in 2011, it was supposed to be the vanguard of a revolution. A car with the twinned economy potential of a diesel engine and a hybrid electric powertrain, all wrapped up in a sleek-looking crossover 4x4 estate. It had 99g/km of CO2 at a time when most cars were struggling to get down into band A. It had 70mpg fuel economy. It had very few buyers, especially in Ireland where sales were notable only for their absence. A combination of high price, awkward robotised transmission and the usual poor real-world fuel consumption of a hybrid kept buyers away.
However, at the National Ploughing Championships earlier this year, Peugeot Ireland showed off a new RXH, similar in all respects on the outside to the old one – aside from having the same revised grille and lights as the rest of the 508 range – but with something of a revolution in reverse underneath – this one was front-wheel drive and had just the diesel engine. Somewhere along the line, the hybrid batteries and electric motors had been quietly shoved to the back of the factory cupboard.
While at the Ploughing the car was on the receiving end of more than a few admiring glances, and Emma Toner, Peugeot Ireland's marketing manager told The Irish Times that "it's not a hybrid, but instead uses a 180hp diesel with an automatic transmission. We decided that the look of the car was just so strong that it would be a shame to drop the model entirely, so after discussions with Peugeot this is the route we've taken.
“We’ll have one car in the country to evaluate and to show at the National Ploughing Championships and we’ll be able to issue full specifications and a price shortly.”
Shortly has now come to pass and the RXH goes on sale this week with a price tag of €41,595. It’s using the 180hp 2.0-litre HDI diesel engine with claimed CO2 emissions of 119g/km and fuel economy of 61mpg. Decent figures both, and better yet, that engine is the latest-techBlueHDI diesel, meaning it’s smoother and quieter than the old 2.0-litre and is compatible with the latest Euro6 emissions regulations.
It also has a staggeringly long list of standard equipment. The revised 508 range as a whole has pulled off the same trick, offering a lot of kit for your money, but the RXH really seems to take the equipment biscuit.
