PARIS, France — Peugeot has pulled the wraps off its new 408, a fastback-style crossover which the brand says will break the mould in the sedan segment.

The car will feature a pair of plug-in hybrid drivetrains, alongside a regular internal combustion engine (ICE) variant, while a fully electric model is expected to join the line-up later next year. 

The 408 will go on sale across Europe at the end of this year, but there is no confirmation yet of the car's availability for Singapore.

Peugeot has previously used the 408 moniker on a series of China-only sedans, and the new fastback model will thus be dubbed 408X in that market, with China getting its own separate 408 sedan model.

The new 408 fastback adopts a sleek coupe-SUV stance, similar to that of its sister offering, the Citroen C4.

The front end features the distinctive Peugeot style that has been seen on the brand's recent new models, with the body-coloured grille blending into the front bumper, and hiding the necessary radars required for the driving assistance systems.

They are complemented by the slim and sharp headlights which incorporate matrix LED technology.

The rear end is characterised by the black bumper, which form part of the black cladding that emphasises the car's raised and rugged stance.

The sloping rear roofline is marked out by a pair of 'cat ears' on either side on top of the tailgate, which Peugeot says is a design element that is meant to optimise aerodynamic airflow.

The flared wheel arches meanwhile accentuates the car's sleek and aggressive demeanour.

Inside, the 408 features the same distinctive Peugeot style that has been seen on the brand's models in recent times.

Despite the sloping roofline, Peugeot says that the 408 will offer generous space for passengers, with the 2,787mm long wheelbase making it the most spacious Peugeot in the current line-up.

Boot space stands at 536 litres, expandable to 1,611 litres if the rear seats are folded down.

Up front, the usual compact steering wheel remains present, and the 10-inch fully digital driver's instrument cluster sits above it, with the information able to be fully customised.

In higher-spec GT trim, the instrument panel can even display information in 3D form. The centre console is dominated by a 10-inch touchscreen, matched with a set of fully digital toggle 'buttons' that can be customisable according to the driver's preferences.

Peugeot i-Connect, the brand's infotainment system, has been upgraded for the 408. It now offers the ability for up to two phones to be connected via Bluetooth, and incorporates the "OK Peugeot" voice recognition command system.

The TomTom-based navigation system also offers over-the-air real time updates.

The 408 also comes with a whole host of driver assistance systems, including features such as adaptive cruise control with stop and go, automatic emergency braking with collision warning, active lane departure warning with lane correction, blind spot monitoring, driver attention alert, and a night vision system which can detect pedestrians or animals at night using infrared technology. 

The upcoming Drive Assist 2.0 package that will be offered later on will also come with two new features, namely semi-automatic lane change, which will work at speeds between 70km/h and 180km/h, as well as anticipated speed recommendation, which will suggest to the driver to adjust his speed based on the prevailing speed limit signs.

At launch, the 408 will be available with two plug-in hybrid drivetrain options.

Technical details are yet to be revealed, but Peugeot says that the 180 e-EAT8 version will have a 150hp PureTech engine mated to an 81kW electric motor, and the 225 e-EAT8 model will have a 180hp PureTech engine matched with the same 81kW electric motor.

The lithium-ion batteries on both plug-in hybrids have a capacity of 12.4kWh, and can be fully charged via a 7.4kW wallbox charger in one hour 40 minutes.

There will also be a regular ICE model, featuring a 1.2-litre PureTech petrol engine that produces 130hp, and mated to an automatic gearbox, and is a likely a strong candidate for sale in Singapore thanks to its COE Cat A eligibility.

Peugeot also says that a fully electric version of the 408 will be launched at a later date, but did not reveal further details.

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This article was first published in CarBuyer.