And you thought MPVs couldnt have flair
Peugeot is never scared to take a radical approach. The results are rarely bland and theyre often very impressive. The 5008 is a case in point, illustrating that a seven-seat MPV can be stylish cool, even without losing out in terms of practicality.
All 5008s have a good range of safety gear including ESP and side and curtain airbags. Its worth pitching at least some way up the range, though, to get the kit that makes the most of the vehicles space and design. A flat-folding front passengers seat, for example, which lets you load long items all the way from the tailgate to the dashboard, only comes in on the mid-range Active model. So too do cruise, Bluetooth and parking sensors, as well as stowage areas under the front seat and in the footwells. Our test vehicle, meanwhile, was the range-topping Allure. This adds a bigger alloys and a head-up display, plus a full-length glass roof a sure-fire hit with your kids. Even on the Allure, theres room to add a lot of options. Most of these are well priced, though youll pay handsomely if you want leather seats and the best of the sat-nav options.
The entry-level 5008 has a 1.6 petrol engine whose job is very much to keep the price down. The same unit gets a lot more zest to it in 1.6 THP form, trading a little worse fuel consumption for a lot better acceleration. But its diesel that people want, and Peugeot makes good uns. The smaller 1.6 HDi is available with a traditional manual gearbox or, for a bit more money, the EGC automated manual unit. The latter improves fuel consumption around town by about 20%, as well as shaving a fraction off the vehicles 0-62 time. At the top of the range, though, is a 2.0 HDi whose high torque output makes for strong and relaxed progress. This was the engine in our test car, mated to an auto box and therefore tuned for a little extra power.
The 5008s interior features a second row made up of three individual seats and a third row made of two. Between them, they allow you to configure the vehicle for just about any conceivable combination of people carrying and load lugging. Learning how to work it all takes a little time. But the seats flexibility really is the 5008s party piece. That second row can slide back and forth, recline or fold flat; even when theyre all the way back, they still dont offer enough legroom for one tall adult to sit comfortably behind another, but for family duties its outstanding. Up front, the dash looks impressive and is trimmed out in good quality materials. Theres an awful lot of small buttons to get your head around, but it soon becomes intuitive though thats more than can be said for a sat-nav system we never really managed to work out. Another irritation is the impossible-to-reach position of the dials for the heated seats, where fitted, and we could only find one (badly placed) cupholder. But the seating position is excellent, as is the provision of places to stow your bits and bobs.
All too often, cars that major on practicality are a let-down behind the wheel. Not so the 5008. Despite its size, this is a vehicle that steers sharply and handles smoothly, with an impressive lack of body roll in corners. Its wheels pick up a lot of bumps around town, but it rides very well on the motorway. This top-option 163 HDi comes with an auto box as standard, and it shifts very well. You can control it manually, too, but its so good in full auto mode that there doesnt seem much point. This doesnt mean its blindingly quick, but it feels very positive as you drive it. The engine is nice and quiet, too, even when pushed, and at cruising speeds it settles down very well to a muted purr.
Peugeot dealers are known for being generous with their discounts, and weve seen the model tested here on offer at as much as 25% off. Thats stunning value, because even at list price its a lot of car for your money. It wont sting you on running costs, either, particularly considering how much usability you get from it. Dont expect it to hold its value in a vice-like grip, though. If keeping a lid on costs matters a lot to you, youre much better off buying a manual than the auto we drove. Its fuel consumption is (literally) miles better, and the difference in CO2 emissions is so great that theres three tax bands between them.
