Wait, Peugeot makes big bikes, too?
Yes. Actually, Peugeot Motocycles Philippines already has the Metropolis in its lineup—that’s the large three-wheeled scooter, in case you weren’t familiar. The XP400, however, is still relatively new, so you’d be forgiven if you didn’t know what this was.
Peugeot Motocycles launched the brand-new XP400 at EICMA in November 2022. Then, at the 2023 Makina Moto Show, Motostrada unveiled this new scooter in our market. In case you missed it, we did a quick walkaround preview then.
This thing looks pretty good.
Why, yes, it does. It looks really good. This one’s a real head-turner. It’s got that black plastic trim and that beak that accentuate the front fascia quite nicely. The large headlights blend with the sporty appeal as well.
Moving towards the rear, you’ll see more silver and black plastic accents on the fairings. The design is by no means simple, and that’s okay—all these lines and edges give it a more muscular look. I also have to point out just how bulky this looks up close—it really is a chonky boi.
Sweet. What’s the engine on this one?
The XP400 gets a 400cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder PowerMotion engine capable of 35.6hp at 8,150rpm and 38.1Nm of torque at 5,400rpm. It can supposedly go up to 137kph, but I wasn’t really able to find out.
Not only did our quick test ride around White Plains not allow us to go at three-digit highway speeds, but the scooter’s also just... slow. There’s no going about it. Its acceleration compares to that of a 150cc scooter.
There’s plenty of power in that 400cc powertrain, but it’s just not enough for the scooter. See, the XP400 doesn’t just look big—it is big. It weighs 231kg, which is even heavier than bikes with bigger-displacement engines. It’s not exactly a deal breaker as you’d still get to highway speeds—eventually—but it is something that we really should point out.
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I see. Then what about the ride?
Now, the engine performance may be a bummer, but at least the XP400 promises a very comfortable ride. Going around not-so-smooth roads in Quezon City proved to be a cinch. The suspension setup just eats up most road imperfections without any problems whatsoever. I can imagine this scooter will just float across smoother parts of our expressways.
The 17- and 15-inch front and rear spoked wheels with the Pirelli tires also provide good grip. You will feel the weight of the bike when you’re cornering, but it’ll still feel like you have enough control over your steed. Granted, of course, that I wasn’t able to take this through twisties (at least not yet), the quick test ride did give me a glimpse of what I might get when I finally get to ride the scooter across, say, Marilaque.
As for potential off-road riding, well, we can’t comment much on that just yet. There are plastic guards to protect all the mechanical bits underneath, and the step boards—while positioned a bit high from the ground—are not only comfortable to use but also allow for stand-up riding. However, we’ll need to take this through perhaps an easy trail first before we find out just how far it can venture off the beaten path.
Worth the price, then?
The XP400 comes with a pretty hefty price tag of P555,900, so I wouldn’t exactly say so. You’ll definitely see bigger maxi-scooters at this price point, or get something similar to the Peugeot with a much smaller asking price. However, it still remains to be seen what the overall experience with this scooter will be like, so I’m still eager to give it a shot. I’ve yet to properly test the instrument cluster, the windshield, the storage compartments, and all the other amenities here.
We know a lot of bikes are way more than what their price tags and the spec-sheets suggest, and that might be the case for this one. Rest assured, we’ll put out a full review once we’re able to take this out for a proper spin. For now, tell us what you guys think about this scooter in the comments.
