The small SUV market in Australia is hyper-competitive, with 31 different makes and models across a wide range of prices. We find out if Peugeot’s new 2008 can cut through the traffic.
VALUE
Peugeot wants to be viewed as a premium brand and has priced its vehicles accordingly. The French brand has two variants of its compact 2008 SUV starting from about $39,000 for the base Allure we are testing here and rising to about $48,000 for the GT Sport. That’s a lot of money for a small SUV.
Initial impressions are good, but the list of standard features isn’t as long as you’d expect at this price level. There are no heated seats or wireless device charging, which are common on some cheaper cars, and there are also some notable items missing on the driver assistance front.
It’s a chic little machine, though, with head-turning looks and an attractive cabin. A five-year/unlimited kilometer warranty covers 2008, and servicing is reasonable at about $2200 over five years with industry-standard 12-month/15,000km intervals.
COMFORT
2008 is a pleasant space. Occupants are surrounded by a mix of high-quality hard and soft-touch materials. Faux-leather trimmed, manually adjustable seats are firm but comfortable. The GT Sport scores leather upholstery and heated electronically adjustable front seats.
The digital instrument display can be configured to suit the driver’s tastes, from information-heavy to minimalist. A seven-inch touchscreen is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but you’ll have to dive into the infotainment to access the aircon settings, which is a distraction on the move.
There is plenty of headroom for rear-seat passengers, but legroom is tight. There are no rear air vents, but two USB charging points are a welcome addition. Boot space is generous at 434 liters or 1467 liters, with the rear seats folded.
SAFETY
Safety is a mixed bag. Most of the critical driver aids are covered, but you’d expect more in this price range. The car will brake to avoid a collision with the vehicle in front and stop you from drifting into other lanes, but there is no blind-spot monitoring on the Allure grade, and neither version can be had with rear cross-traffic alert. Handy attention shows up in the driver’s instruments to tell you if you are too close to the car in front.
