Nice styling inside and out which is a little different; nice to drive; family-friendly space in a clever package.
Four-speed auto
During the summer months Parisians love to escape the city and head to the Cote d’Azur beaches. Sound familiar? We’re thinking the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Sydney’s Palm Beach or Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.
Cue the compact SUV – a perfect blend of city convenience and weekend practicality. And for people in France a popular choice for those trips to St Tropez, Nice and Monaco is the smartly packaged Peugeot 2008.
After spending the a few weeks in a Peugeot 2008 we can assure you this compact and chic French compact SUV is eminently suitable for Australian motorists too. Our 2008 handled the family load, covered plenty of distance with ease and, with combined-cycle fuel consumption of 6.5l/100kms, didn’t require many trips to the fuel pump.
Well, sure we would like to have spent our holidays in the Cote d’Azur but this time round we had to stick with Australia!
Peugeot 2008 Overview
In recent times Peugeot’s Australian distributor, the Sime Darby Group, has assembled a sharp management team so it was no surprise when the www.carshowroom.com.au phone rang with the offer of a 2008 for a weeks.
The car in question was the best of the petrol-fuelled models the Allure automatic which retails for $29,990. One week is the standard for road test cars so a 300 per-cent gain on that certainly allowed us to get-to-know the stylish French compact SUV.
Like the all-new 208, the larger 508 and certainly the gorgeous RCZ, the new 2008 is part of a new breed of Peugeot vehicles and this team is steering the French giant back to a good place. Peugeot knew it needed a good compact SUV to conquest sales in what is globally a massive segment and the 2008 has delivered.
The Peugeot 2008 range kicks-off at $21,990 with the Active model powered by Peugeot’s tremendous 60kW/118Nm 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine. Driving through a five-speed manual transmission, the three-pot Peugeot 2008 averages a miserly 4.9l/100kms fuel consumption.
Stepping-up to the Allure grade we tested brings not only the more powerful 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine but handy extra kit such as integrated satellite navigation, dual-zone climate control air-conditioning, leather/cloth seats, leather-trimmed handbrake lever, panoramic glass roof, cornering front fog lights, auto wipers and headlights, height adjustment for the front passenger seat, some extra exterior chrome and dark tinted privacy glass for the rear windows.
Peugeot 2008 Engine
The Peugeot 2008 shares its drivetrains with the 208 hatchback – two choices of petrol engine (1.2-litre three-cylinder and 1.6-litre four cylinder) or the 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel. Of course the 2008 misses-out on the 208’s turbocharged 1.6-litre engines (115kW/240Nm for the Sport or 147Nm/275kW for the GTi).
Our Allure grade Peugeot 2008 employed the 1.6-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine which delivered 88kW of power at 6000rpm and peak torque of 160Nm at 4250rpm. Drive was to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission.
Combined-cycle fuel consumption scores at 6.5l/100kms for the automatic Peugeot 2008 we tested or 5.9l/100kms for the five-speed manual Allure model.
Peugeot 2008 The Interior
Compared to some in this class, cargo volume is where the Peugeot 2008 scores maximum points. We’re talking 410-litres with the rear seat in-place or a massive 1400-litres when folded.
Our Allure grade model Peugeot 2008 scored the nice Oxford leather/cloth seat trim combination and the seats were nicely supportive and plusher than those fitted to German rivals.
We loved the small leather-wrapped steering wheel (possibly the smallest steering wheel we’ve used). This gave the 2008 a distinctly sporty feel for the driver.
Likewise we were very keen on Peugeot’s spin on instruments and cockpit layout. Very practical and easy to read but pleasingly different to the somewhat boring mainstream designs so common in this market segment.
The Car Showroom juniors enjoyed plenty of space in the rear seat and gave a big tick to the ‘on-trend’ LED lighting for the panoramic glass sunroof. We must admit we thought it was cool too.
Peugeot 2008 Exterior & Styling
The Peugeot 2008 is another example of where the term ‘SUV’ (even ‘Compact SUV’) is being stretched these days. Much like how a Christian Dior shirt compares to a shirt from Target, with its hallmark Peugeot front and rear-end style, generous window proportions and nice body curves, the 2008 presents a classy French spin which is contrary to some of the more rugged vehicles wearing the ‘Compact SUV’ moniker.
Measuring 4159mm in length, 2005mm in width and standing 1556mm high, the Peugeot 2008 isn’t going to cause a nervous sweat when parking in the CBD. The 2537mm wheelbase is a pointer to the handy interior dimensions.
Peugeot 2008 On The Road
Peugeot has been around since the 1800s – no surprise then the French giant knows a thing or two about the demands of European customers for driving dynamics. So underneath the Peugeot 2008 we have a very nicely developed and calibrated combination of front MacPherson strut and rear torsion beam suspension and nice 16-inch alloy wheels.
Marry that combo with the surprisingly lively 88kW/160Nm 1.6-litre engine and you have a proper European compact SUV. Shame about the four-speed automatic transmission.
Nevertheless over our high-speed mountain roads test loop (and we saw a lot of those roads both one-up and with the family on-board during the course of our family break!) the Peugeot 2008 showcased its sophisticated chassis with a nice ride and precision handling even when pushed. It’s not as firm as the Germans (some will applaud that news) but still top-notch in terms of cornering poise and body control and perhaps more compliant over the bumps and road imperfections.
Around town the Peugeot 2008 was commendably refined although the 1.6-litre let you know when you squeezed every last Nm and kW from it to snare a gap in freeway merging. Isolation from exterior noise was excellent and the standard rear-vision camera made for easy work when parking in those tight spots while handling the shopping centre parking fiasco.
Peugeot 2008 Challenges
For a just-launched all-new model we’re astonished the Peugeot 2008 runs an old-school four-speed automatic transmission. Especially baffling given the Peugeot 308 comes with a six-speeder.
Peugeot 2008 Verdict
After a three-week holiday ‘torture test’ from the www.carshowroom.com.au family we thought the Peugeot 2008 was a terrific car. Yes there are some excellent compact SUVs out there, but all things considered, the Peugeot 2008 fits the bill in every department, does so with genuine French flair and, at $30,890 as-tested (including an extra $900 for the ‘Premium Paint’ on our test car but the starting price $21,990 remember, ), it certainly doesn’t fail the value-for-money test.
Nicely styled, great practicality - as demonstrated by the www.carshowroom.com.au family road trips – and nice to drive, we’re thinking the Peugeot 2008 deserves to be a Car Showroom Favourite.
Peugeot 2008 The Competition
The Europeans have gone crazy for compact SUVs. So with so much focus on this market segment, predictably there are some worthy contenders out there.
The latest Skoda Yeti has tidied-up the confronting styling of the previous generation and now actually looks quite good…in a quirky way. At $28,290 the Skoda Yeti Ambition 90TSI is a direct competitor for the Peugeot 2008 Allure we tested. With 90kW/200Nm from the Volkswagen-sourced turbocharged 1.4-litre engine and the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the Skoda Yetis isn’t lacking for technology. A clever design delivers comparable luggage space. but the firm German style seats may test sensitive junior tailbones on long family outings.
Skoda’s parent company Volkswagen has the Tiguan and it is a beauty and, priced from $28,490, it’s certainly great value. That entry-level model Tiguan is the 118TSI which gets the ‘twin-charged’ 1.4-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine offering 118kW/240Nm (but the 6-speed automatic version is a tad thirstier than the Peugeot 2008, averaging 7.3l/100kms). Inside the Volkswagen is a tad smaller for cargo space, the incredibly efficient German styling is a tad conservative compared to the flair of the Peugeot 2008 and the firm German seats may test sensitive junior tailbones on long family outings.
And we’re including the Nissan Juke because we like it. As per the Peugeot 2008 and Skoda Yeti, the Juke is European (designed and sourced from Nissan in Britain) and its looks certainly aren’t mainstream. But beneath that quirky exterior it too delivers family-friendly space and practicality. The ST model auto (a CVT but Nissan has the best of the CVTs) is priced at $24,390 and is powered by Nissan’s 86kW/158Nm 1.6-litre engine.
