Peugeot 5008 Review

The Peugeot 5008 is a great-value seven-seat SUV with a hi-tech dashboard

Strengths & weaknesses

  • Seven-seat practicality
  • Distinctive design inside and out
  • Efficient engines
  • Bouncy ride
  • Slow-reacting dashboard screen
  • Panoramic sunroof reduces headroom

Latest-generation Peugeot 5008 prices from £14,944
   Finance from
£277.04 per month

Buying a seven-seat car isn’t just about being able to carry lots of passengers. They tend to be tall, practical, and - when the back row is folded down - have an enormous boot.

Seven-seaters are increasingly stylish too, being designed as sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) with tall and chunky looks, like the Peugeot 5008. It’s a marked change to the older minibus-like Peugeot 5008 that ended production in 2017.

The 5008 is cheaper than cars such as the Land Rover Discovery Sport - not that you’d know it. Peugeot have pushed it to premium levels with flashy touches. Its indicators, for example, illuminate in a swooshing motion - like those on a modern Audi.

Wash the windscreen and the fluid squirts along the wipers, without impairing your vision - just as in a Mercedes S-Class. The dual screen dashboard that wraps around the driver; chrome switches and joystick-style automatic gearbox could have been inspired by BMW.

Despite this, the 5008 is still one of the most affordable SUVs of its type. Used 2018 models currently start at £14,944 or from £277.04 per month on finance on BuyaCar. A brand new entry-level car costs from under £26,000. Strong demand for the car makes monthly finance prices reasonable too.

It’s cheaper than a Skoda Kodiaq, Nissan X-Trail and Land Rover Discovery Sport, even before you factor in the extra cost of adding the optional seven-seat layout in those cars (it’s standard on the 5008). Every 5008 includes the two dashboard screens, called i-cockpit; climate control; parking sensors; plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for using phone apps, including messaging, with the touchscreen or voice control

Next to the 5008, the standard equipment makes the Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace seem sparse. Peugeot’s three-year warranty can’t match the seven years offered with the seven-seat Kia Sorento but the Peugeot 3008 - a five-seat version of the 5008 that uses the same mechanical parts - has excellent reliability ratings.

None of these cars have space for seven passengers to stretch out. The 5008’s middle row of seats is spacious but legroom in the back two is tight, so these seats are best for children. If you do need them to carry adults regularly, you’re better off with a slightly more accommodating Kia Sorento. People carriers, like the Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer or Ford Galaxy, are more comfortable still and similarly priced. Alternatively, you could spend more on a large SUV such as the Volvo XC90 or Audi Q7.

In seven-seat mode, boot space is barely existent- as with most cars of this size - but with five seats in place, the 5008’s boot is as large as most families will need. The 952 litre capacity is big enough for a set of holiday suitcases and more than the 720 litres in the Skoda Kodiaq. It can be further increased to 1,060l by lifting the seats out. All rear seats fold flat, and the front passenger seat folds forward, so you can carry flat-pack furniture, for example, that’s up to three metres long.

There’s storage space underneath the middle row of seats and this is reinforced to support car seats with legs. There are three sets of Isofix mounts in the middle row only, so you’ll need narrow child seats if you plan on fixing three in the car this way.

As an SUV, the Peugeot looks like it could handle tough off-road conditions. It is available with a clever electronic system called Grip Control, which can help get the car moving on muddy fields, on ice, or loose ground, but there’s no four-wheel drive option, as it’s really designed for smooth roads.

Peugeot has focused on comfort, and the car rides smoothly over bumpy roads, which makes sense in a long and heavy seven-seat car, which is never going to be particularly nimble in corners - where you do need to take it easy to avoid too much leaning.

It doesn’t actually feel particularly large when you’re behind the wheel, with good visibility looking ahead. Looking backwards is a different matter though, as the car’s pillars and small rear screen limit your view. Allure specification, which includes a rear camera, is recommended.

The 5008 is available with a 1.2 petrol engine that’s small and efficient but powerful enough to haul the car effectively. With a manual gearbox, you’ll need to rev the engine before pulling away or it’ll stall easily, If you’re towing, the smooth diesel engines are a better bet.

Safety is excellent, with the car awarded a five star rating by the independent Euro NCAP organisation, based on the crash test performance of the 3008, which is virtually identical - just a bit shorter.

 

Key facts

Warranty 3 years / 60,000 miles
Boot size 823 litres
Width 1837mm
Length 4529mm
Height 1639mm
Tax £145 to £165 in first year, £145 thereafter

Best Peugeot 5008 for...

Best for Economy – Peugeot 5008 Active 1.5 BlueHDI 130 EAT8

This version is the most economical 5008, with official fuel economy of up to 56.3mpg. Active is the cheapest trim.

Best for Families – Peugeot 5008 Allure 1.2 PureTech 130

The 1.2 petrol engine is cheaper than the diesel option and powerful enough for most family trips. Allure trim brings seat-back picnic tables, extra safety kit, luxury touches, sat nav and privacy glass.

Best for Performance – Peugeot 5008 GT 2.0 BlueHDI 180 EAT8

This most powerful diesel may not be the quickest 5008 from 0-62mph (that honour goes to the slightly faster 1.6 PureTech 180) but through the gears when overtaking or accelerating to motorway cruising speed it certainly is.

One to Avoid – Peugeot 5008 GT Line Premium 1.5 BlueHDI 130 EAT8

The slowest 5008 in a sporty trim level: not a happy combination. It’s an expensive one, too.

History

  • 2017 Model launched. Beware early models which lacked sat nav
  • 2018 GT Line Premium spec launched with keyless entry and gesture operated bootlid.

Understanding Peugeot 5008 names

Trim level GT Line Premium

The trim level dictates the amount of standard equipment - and the price.

Engine 2.0 BlueHDI 180

The first number is the size of the engine in litres. BlueHDI is the badge for diesels and PureTech is the label for petrol engines. The final number is the engine's power in horsepower.

Gearbox EAT8

EAT8 is Peugeot's name for its automatic gearbox.

Peugeot 5008 Engines

The 5008 shares its petrol and diesel engines with its smaller sister car, the five-seat Peugeot 3008 model. There’s no increase in power to compensate for the 5008’s extra bulk but the engines are fine as they are – powerful and, for the most part, economical.

If you do average mileage and only the occasional long-distance drive with everyone aboard, the 1.2 PureTech petrol will do just fine. It’s offered with a six-speed or eight-speed automatic.The latter dents economy and performance a little but takes the stress out of city driving.

If you want more performance, consider the more powerful 1.6 PureTech. However, you’ll pay at the fuel pumps and in any case, its diesel equivalent is a stronger performer.

Of the diesels, the 1.5 BlueHDI is, considering the size of the 5008, very economical if a little slow. It’s the obvious choice if you do a high mileage and are counting the pennies.

The powerful 2.0 BlueHDI can't claim to be as economical but it’s a great all-rounder that’s as economical as the 1.2 PureTech but a lot quicker through the gears when overtaking.

 

Fuel

Official fuel economy

Power

Acceleration (0-62mph)

Top speed

1.2 PureTech 130

Petrol

43.6-44.2mpg

131hp

9.9-10.2sec

117mph

1.6 PureTech 180

Petrol

39.6mpg

181hp

8.3sec

135mph

1.5 BlueHDI 130

Diesel

55.1-56.3mpg

131hp

11.1-11.8sec

119mph

2.0 BlueHDI 180

Diesel

47.1mpg

177hp

9.2sec

134mph

Peugeot 5008 Trims

Active, Allure, GT Line, GT Line Premium, GT

The 5008 is a well-equipped SUV and even in basic Active trim wants for little in the way of essentials. Highlights include automatic emergency braking, dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, and a digital radio with good connectivity. The dual-screen dashboard is standard, and there’s enough here for most undemanding families.

Allure builds on this with sat nav, more safety kit including blind spot detection, front parking sensors and seat-back tables. It’s perfect for families seeking practicality and luxury at an affordable price.

GT Line ups the ante with additional luxuries but no more essentials than Allure. GT Line Premium adds keyless entry and a panoramic sunroof. Which leaves top-spec GT trim with its all-round camera system, electric seat adjustment and sporty-looking exterior additions, which make the car look wider aboe the wheels. It’s available only with the powerful 2.0 BlueHDI engine.

Peugeot 5008 Reliability and warranty

The 5008 hasn't featured in the Auto Express Driver Power owner satisfaction survey but its sister car, the smaller five-seat 3008 has when it was ranked at the top of the table.

The model has a three-year/60,000-mile warranty as standard. That’s typical of the industry and enough for most owners financing their car on a three-year finance agreemnt. However, Hyundai and Kia go further with five and seven years respectively.

Used Peugeot 5008

As a family car, a 5008 in Allure trim is sure to be more popular and worth more than one in less well-equipped Active trim.

Likewise, despite the dwindling popularity of new diesel cars, a used 5008 with the 1.5 BlueHDI engine should find fans among cost-conscious family buyers contemplating extended holiday jaunts or long weekend drives to relatives. The 1.2 PureTech engine should suit most undemanding families and paired with mid-price Allure trim will make a great used buy.