Peugeot 5008 review @ MotorBar

“Size matters. Not so much outside;
inside is where buyers want more.
And the loudest shout at the moment
is for seven seats with, you guessed
it, SUV styling. Drive forward the all-
new Peugeot 5008...”

A FEW YEARS AGO seven seats meant one thing: 'People Carrier'. Not the sexiest of labels and even politically correct drivers were unhappy about admitting they drove one. But with the onward and upward boom in crossovers and SUVs over the past decade plus the growing availability of seven-seater versions, family drivers can finally hold their heads high.

And when it comes to rakish good looks the family- friendly 5008 showcases real kerb appeal. Its seven individual seats are wrapped in a ruggedly chiselled two-box SUV body enhanced by interesting detailing, full LED headlights, sequential scrolling front indicators, and a chequered radiator grille plus, at the tail, signature LED 'Claw Effect' back lights and an upright tailgate designed not only to accommodate more luggage but two extra seats. Make no mistake; the 5008 definitely has enough charisma to go head-to-head with more prestigiously badged offerings.

“State of the art,
that’s the look of the
5008’s sleek cabin.
Packed with tactile
upmarket materials and
trim (including an
Alcantara dash skin plus
front and rear door
panels) and showcasing
elegant French style,
the cockpit really
draws you in...”

Engines choices should satisfy both petrol and diesel fans: petrolheads can pick from Peugeot's award-winning PureTech 131hp 1.2-litre engine and a 165hp 1.6 petrol-drinker while clean BlueHDi diesels come in 1.5 and 2.0 litre sizes (respectively 131 and 177hp). Transmissions, depending on the chosen engine, can be stick shifters or automatics; an eight-speed torque-converter autobox with manual mode is reserved for the most powerful diesel model.

Given the athletic sports-utility body style, you'd be expecting some matching 'go'. And you'll get it — we've been driving the most powerful 5008, propelled by Peugeot's four-pot turbodiesel unit that puts out 174bhp (177hp) — it's good for 134mph and accelerates from standstill to 62mph in a crisp 9.2 seconds. It's a willing and agreeably hushed performer courtesy of the 295lb ft of torque that's on call from just 2,000rpm, serving up its oomph in a cultured manner; wafting past slower traffic is satisfyingly easy, particularly if you first press the Sport button.

Our test team recorded an overall average of 46.7mpg. Although few would grumble about that, most owners should beat our figure — the official Combined Cycle number is 57.6mpg. And thanks to a 56-litre (12.3 gallons) fuel tank at a time when tanks, like parking spaces, are shrinking, even at 45mpg you could drive without refuelling for a convenient 500 miles.

State of the art, that's the look of the 5008's sleek cabin. Packed with tactile upmarket materials and trim (including an Alcantara dash skin plus front and rear door panels) and showcasing elegant French style, the cockpit really draws you in.

The sporty seats are beautifully finished in soft leather with eye-catching quilted-look centre panels and comfy bolstering. You sit high and between your head and panoramic glass roof there's a good fist of headroom that combined with the compact steering wheel and head-up instrument panel makes for a first-rate driving position that lets you see the tops of the wings and the bonnet, all of which makes accurately placing the 5008 a breeze.

There's plenty of room to go round too, and your front passenger will be able to totally stretch out without cramping someone sitting behind. The driver benefits from a snug wraparound centre tunnel and centre stack treatment that imbues the cockpit with a genuine 'GT' feel. He or she also enjoys a multi-adjustable powered seat with massage function offering five programs, each with three intensity settings; power-adjustable lumbar support is also standard along with a two-setting memory for seat and mirror positions. Both front seats have fast-acting seat heating and extending front seat cushions for extra under-knee support.

“The sporty seats are
beautifully finished in
soft leather with
eye-catching quilted-look
centre panels and
comfy bolstering. You sit
high with a first-rate
driving position that lets
you see the tops of the
wings and the bonnet,
all of which makes
accurately placing the
5008 a breeze...”

Perfectly to hand is a cool Star Trek-ish gear selector lever that's intuitive to use, while the multifunction steering wheel (with paddle-shifters for manual shift overrides whenever you have the need), wrapped in soft perforated leather, is defined by flattened upper and lower rims so that the driver can easily view the 12.3-inch digital instrument display over the top arc of the wheel.

The screen is multi-configurable so you can select the information and layout that best suits you; views include 'dials', active 'driving' systems, and full-width live mapping that leaves the central 8-inch infotainment touchscreen free to show whatever media, vehicle or phone info that's appropriate. And to keep you legal there's a large digital speed readout side-by-side with the official posted limit.

Below the touchscreen are smart piano-style toggle shortcut keys that jump you straight into the core menus (radio and media, climate control, navigation, vehicle or driving, telephone, apps, etc). Combined with the steering-wheel's comprehensive multifunction controls and pin-sharp graphics on both displays, these make operating the 5008 a no-brainer on the move.

3D navigation (with TomTom real-time traffic updates, local weather, fuel stations, and local search) is standard, as too is voice control for media, navigation and telephony. Smartphone linking is managed by MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus there's wireless smartphone charging along with a DAB radio, Bluetooth, and Peugeot Connect SOS and Assistance.

You'll also find plenty of power outlets, well sited cabin spotlights including ambient lighting that not only looks good during the daytime but enlivens night-time drives no end. And generous stowage space for all that personal 'stuff' we carry around with us every waking hour: a massive chilled storage box under the padded butterfly-wing opening centre armrest that easily takes bottles and comes with a handy high level tray, twin siamesed dual-use cupholders, and capacious flock-lined 3.5-litre door bins along with a 'secret' underfloor storage compartment in the second row.

With the potential for six nagging passengers, a good ride is crucial. And the 5008 delivers, riding seriously well with settled body control and an impressive ability to fluently absorb the flaws of the UK's tatty tarmac. Adding to the comfort is a very well insulated cabin that keeps wind and road noise contamination at bay. Overall the 5008 has clearly been designed to provide refinement for everyone aboard — even when rolling on the GT's 19" two-tone diamond-cut alloys it's quiet and refined and makes a mockery of long-haul motorway trips.

“With the potential for
six nagging passengers,
a good ride is crucial.
And the 5008 delivers,
riding seriously well
and with settled body
control and an
impressive ability to
fluently absorb the flaws
of the UK’s tatty tarmac.
Adding to the comfort
is a very well insulated
cabin that keeps wind
and road noise
contamination at bay...”

With all seven seats occupied few sensible drivers will be thinking of flinging their 5008 around like a 208 hot-hatch. That's not to say pressing-on is off the menu. Mais non! Body lean is well managed, the joyfully direct flat-bottom and flat-topped wheel is great to grip (and clears your thighs far better than a perfectly round rim) and the 5008's nose always keen to respond — meaning bends can be taken with verve rather than 'swerve'.

So, yes, A-to-B can be covered with meaningful pace and although the 5008 can be worked hard, why bother when the alternative is to chillax and savour its sweet zone?

While all 5008 models are front-wheel drive, you can tick the box for Peugeot's optional advanced traction and descent control system — Advanced Grip Control. This manages grip for a range ofweather and terrains such as Snow, Sand, and Mud and comes with hill descent control plus a set of on/off-road M+S (mud and snow) tyres that let you make greater use of its high-riding 236mm ground clearance.

Buy the top-of-the-line GT and you'll want for nothing. Along with all the essentials such as one-touch power windows, auto-dimming rearview mirror, ambient lighting, automatic dual-zone climate control (that does a very good 'icy' even when, as it was during our test, it's 90 degrees outside), powerfolding (on demand and automatically on leaving) heated door mirrors with puddle lights that project a pattern of light onto the ground with a 'Peugeot Lion' at its centre, privacy glass, wireless smartphone charging, keyless entry and push button start, smart powered tailgate (opening and closing), panoramic glass roof (the front section tilts and slides and there's a powered blackout sunblind), 19-inch two-tone diamond-cut alloy wheels, 360-degree colour camera system with front and rear sensors and automated parking assistance, FOCAL premium hifi speaker system, and electric parking brake (with auto application when the engine is switched off).

Safety kit is equally well specced with intelligent automatic emergency braking, distance alert with active safety braking, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, active lane keeping assistance, driver attention alert, dynamic stability control, hill assist, adaptive cruise control with stop function and speed limiter, speed sign recognition, self-levelling LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED foglights with cornering function, a full suite of airbags, auto wipes and lights with auto dip/main switching, height-adjustable front belts, and tyre pressure monitoring.

Sitting in the 'back seats' (centre row) is a pleasure, and not just because it's pretty plush back there. Thanks to the panoramic glass roof — standard on the range-topping GT model — it's also delightfully airy, plus each of the three passengers has their own individual seat which they can slide fore/aft to achieve the most comfortable legroom; each can also set their own preferred backrest angle depending on whether they want to people-watch or just snatch forty winks.

“Adding to the pleasure
of travelling in the
business class-like rear
cabin is a fist of
headroom, plenty of
legroom, lots of foot
room, pull-up mesh
sunblinds for the side
windows, a dedicated
rear ventilation system
with vents and fan
booster, drop-down
picnic trays, and net
magazine pouches...”

Adding to the pleasure of travelling in the business class-like rear cabin is a fist of headroom, plenty of legroom, lots of foot room courtesy of a full-width flat floor, pull-up mesh sunblinds for the side windows, a dedicated rear ventilation system with vents and fan booster, drop-down picnic trays, and net magazine pouches.

Those with youngsters will appreciate the driver-operated rear door child locks and seatbelt unfastened audible and visual warnings; even more will they like the fact that three (not the usual two) child seats can be fitted side by side in the centre row.

When not required, seats six and seven stow conveniently under the boot floor. Once sprung up out of their wells they can be accessed via either back door; and while they're perfect for youngsters, grown-ups can also be accommodated in the two individual seats.

When is a boot not a boot? When, like the 5008's, it becomes a gargantuan loadbay. No argument that the 5008's boot qualifies as 'vast': with seats six and seven folded into the boot floor there's a blockbuster 952 litres behind the in-use second row of seats; now drop the middle-row and you'll be looking into a cavernous 2,042-litre loadbay with a seamless, totally flat floor.

For the record, the third-row seats can be completely removed — do this as well as folding down the middle-row seats and the cargo bay will swallow even more: 2,150 litres. As we said at the beginning; size matters. Also useful for accommodating extra-long loads (or providing a table for work or play) is the front passenger seat's fold-flat backrest.

Opening and closing the powered tailgate is effortless and can be done hands-free (just waggle a foot under the rear bumper); the actual physical loading and unloading is made equally straightforward by a low loading sill while for those who prefer to haul their cargo the 2.0 turbodiesel will tow a braked 1,800kg.

There is now getting on for 30 million SUVs driving around and over our Blue Planet. And with a hard-to-beat cocktail of laid-back driveability, debonair cabin ambiance and carry-all versatility, Peugeot's seven-seater 5008 is perfectly pitched to appeal. Isn't it time you climbed aboard? ~ MotorBar

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