Peugeot 2008 Review

Published on 14 August, 2016

The 2008 is an attractive, more rugged and upright version of the massively successful 208 small hatch.

Overview

Provided by Independent.ieThe household is seriously beginning to think about the next car. In truth I would rather it be an old Saab, vintage Riley or that rather lovely Lagonda that seems to inhabit my dreams. But as always my way will not be got. The Hyundai i10, which is the house's main runabout and portable dog kennel, will be five-years-old next year, and we should start making preparations for when I won't be in the enviable position of having a host of lovely cars to test drive.We will need a car that not only does the day-to-day dog work, but also will take us into the hills for our Sunday walks and possibly holidays although, with the right planning, it often makes more sense to hire something big for two or three weeks a year rather than have something constantly that you don't really need.There's a good chance that the latest version of the i10 might fit our bill because it is a lot bigger than our model.But our minds aren't made up, which was one of the reasons I was keen to drive the new Peugeot 2008 at the beginning of this month. The 2008 is an attractive, more rugged and upright version of the massively successful 208 small hatch.It gives the appearance of being a small SUV but doesn't have a 4WD option, although some models can be fitted with its excellent Grip Control which acts on the front wheels in different conditions of snow, mud or sand.The gradual move upmarket by Peugeot, as with other marques, finds expressions in the top of the range 2008GT Line, which has a lot of gloss, badging, stitching and even seat belts with red borders.It also gets masses of other kit and comes with a hefty price tag of €27,280 for the 1.6 BlueHDi120bhp diesel. However petrol models account for 36pc of 2008 sales, and the range starts at €19,400.My preference would be for petrol especially the 1.2 PureTech 110bhp version; by choosing your options well a very good package could be put together for about €23,000. It is a car that is very easy to live with, although I found that the ergonomics around the steering wheel weren't ideal for my legs. I haven't seen other reports of that and maybe it is my awkwardness. I found the front seat gave really excellent lower back support. The low and flat rear compartment and seats that fold flat in a jiff are ideal. I could easily sit behind my driving seat and the 2008 seems to have better room than most of its rivals.It is a very simple but robust car that gives you confidence, especially when backed up by the Grip Control, which is only a €395 extra. Other worthwhile extras are Park Assist (from €455) and Active City Brake (from €575). However the latter is only £250 in the UK. Peugeot pride themselves on really excellent consumption figures so you can expect to get about 60mpg in diesel form and 50 in petrol.Peugeot compete with the likes of Hyundai by offering a five-year warranty, which is now a must for us. We were both very attracted by the 2008, it is a much more substantial car than the i10. However whether it is worth an extra €8k is another matter.I feel it is better than the Renault Captur and Nissan Juke. The company makes much of its infotainment and touchscreen which aren't that important to us. But as the car looks and feels substantial it could do the trick. Its reliability should be very good as much of the 208 is carried over.