Stellantis unveils latest Peugeot 408 for Korean market

Stellantis unveiled its latest Peugeot 408 for the Korean market Thursday, a month before its official introduction.

Peugeot 408 crossover [STELLANTIS KOREA]

Stellantis unveiled its latest Peugeot 408 for the Korean market Thursday, a month before its official introduction.

The crossover will be available with a gasoline engine unlike the previous Peugeot 308 model, which was only released with a diesel version.

It is the first crossover utility vehicle (CUV) that the Peugeot brand is offering in Korea. The CUV, which is between a sedan and an SUV, offers a wider interior and views like SUVs but weighs less.

Interior of the Peugeot 408 [STELLANTIS KOREA]

The trunk capacity stands at 536 liters (142 gallons), extending to 1,611 liters when the second seats are folded down.

Thanks to the 2,790-millimeter wheelbase, it offers 188 millimeters of legroom.

Equipped with a 1.2-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine, the vehicle generates a maximum of 130 horsepower.

"Peugeot 408 is large as an SUV but will offer an enjoyable driving experience like a sedan," said Kim Byoung-hee, a sales trainer at Stellantis Korea, during a media event Thursday.

Details about the price were not disclosed, though the company said it will be set at around 40 million won ($30,200).

Peugeot has been suffering a sales decline in Korea. It sold a total of 1,965 vehicles in the domestic market last year, down 15.3 percent on year.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]