Peugeot 2008 2014 Review

Enter the latest round of SUV contenders – the light car-based Holden Trax, Ford EcoSport and Peugeot 2008.

Although it could be argued, probably successfully, that these less than small SUVs were actually predated by the likes of Suzuki’s Ignis, introduced locally in 2000, it’s also true that the segment hasn’t really been taken seriously until now.

With the aforementioned car-makers already present and accounted for, and others to follow, it appears tiny-tot SUVs aren’t about to go away in a hurry.

Peugeot’s 208-based 2008 follows a similar front-drive-only formula to its Holden and Ford competitors, but adds a touch of Gallic flair, and thusly asks a slightly higher top-end price.

Where the Holden Trax tops out at $27,990 (plus ORCs) with the Ford EcoSport sneaking slightly under at $27,790 (plus ORCs), the maxi-spec Peugeot climbs past the $30,000 barrier – and does it with a five-speed manual transmission only.

The justification is that Peugeot offers a diesel version where the others are petrol-only – a choice of a conventional 1.5-litre four-cylinder or a high-tech 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo in the Ford, and a 1.8-litre four-cylinder in the Holden.

The Pug’s 68kW and 230Nm 1.6-litre turbo-diesel is only available in the top-spec Outdoor version and is part of a line-up that also includes two petrol engines: a 60kW and 118Nm 1.2-litre three-cylinder, and an 88kW and 160Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder. Both are normally aspirated.

Like a (diminishing) number of other car-makers, Peugeot only offers the diesel with a manual transmission, and a pretty old-hat, five-speed one at that.

Peugeot offsets the seeming contradiction of having the top model as a manual-only by positioning it as the 2008 to buy if you have some (limited) off-road adventures in mind.

Central to this is the Outdoor version’s selectable, Grip Control driveline technology that attempts to bring some measure of off-road capability to the package.

The system is essentially a computer-guided traction control system that offers five modes of operation.

Normal: which works pretty much the same as a conventional traction control system, regulating wheelspin according to grip levels at each wheel.

ESP Off: which exactly as described switches off both stability and traction control systems below 50km/h to allow the driver to juggle the accelerator at will.

Snow: which directs drive to the wheel with more grip while allowing a bit of appropriate wheel spin.

Mud: which actually allows the wheel with less grip to spin and clear the treads until grip is restored.

Sand: which enables an amount of simultaneous wheel spin to keep the vehicle moving, helping lower the chances of bogging down.

Although our road test route didn’t allow full exploration of the 2008’s capabilities, it did nevertheless perform well on a rutted forest track to which we’d normally not subject a front-drive hatch. Naturally we did proceed warily – grip was less of a concern than the 165mm ground clearance.

In its more natural, on-road environment, the 2008 shows some differences compared to its Ford and Holden competitors.

Fort a start, it has a stature more comparable with a regular light hatch than a small SUV. Where the EcoSport (1708mm) and Trax (1674mm) stand quite high, the 2008’s 1556mm makes it barely any taller than, say a Toyota Yaris (1510mm).

Despite this, Peugeot has juggled the space so that, while rear-seat legroom is best described as adequate, the quoted load area is actually the best of the three. The seats-in-place boot volume of 410 litres (helped by the use of a space-saver spare wheel) is almost sedan-like, while total volume opens up to more than 1400 litres.

The interior is otherwise less a study of French quirkiness than a fundamentally conventional design. The main point of difference is the above-wheel location of the instrument display, which actually works well provided the wheel is not set too high where it can obscure the odometer readouts.

Touch and feel aspects convey an impression of quality, with soft (-ish) padding on the lower parts of the dash, abundant use of piano back and chrome, and a small, thick rimmed, two-way adjustable steering wheel.

The climate controls are located centrally and the seven-inch touch-screen sat nav display is clear and easy to operate.

The translucent fabric cover for the glass roof suggested the 2008’s climate-control could be put under pressure on a hot summer’s day, while the thick-grip aircraft-style handbrake lever left us unsure whether we would have preferred a more normal arrangement.

On our test car, the in-mirror rearview camera that is standard on all 2008s was a bit erratic in operation, working on some occasions but not on others. It was at least backed up by rear parking sensors.

The 2008 gets a full complement of six airbags, as well as the usual dynamic safety aids, and was recently awarded a five-star EuroNCAP rating.

Peugeot’s diesel-powered 2008 might sound a little power-challenged but it does the job as well as any other small-capacity oiler; and because the maximum torque appears early (1750rpm) it pulls strongly right through the mid range. It can be caught out if the driver allows the revs to fall much below that, though it does feel faster though than the officially quoted 11.5 seconds for the zero to 100km/h dash.

We didn’t get anywhere near the 4.0L/100km quoted combined fuel consumption claim with an on-test average of 5.4L/100km. But you would hardly say the e-HDi-powered 2008 was a fuel guzzler. And the 103g/km CO2 rating is impressively low.

The somewhat notchy five-speed transmission was not the smoothest manual we’ve driven. It appeared badly matched with the characteristics of the diesel, as it throttled back abruptly on upshifts (particularly from first to second), making for often-jerky changes. The late-engaging clutch pedal didn’t help either.

Peugeot has got the ride-handling compromise pretty right. The 2008 doesn’t have the slightly top-heavy feel noticeable in, for example, the Ford EcoSport. It rides well on its MacPherson strut (front) / torsion beam (rear) all-coil suspension, guided by a speed-sensitive rack and pinion steering steering system that is accurate, well weighted and relatively quick with 2.6 turns from lock-to-lock.

The Outdoor’s bigger 17-inch alloy wheels with 205/50-series tyres help too (other versions use 16-inch alloys with 195/60-series tyres) and the brakes are all-disc, ventilated at the front, to easily contain the 1131kg 2008.

Probably the most stylish entrant so far into the micro SUV class, the abundantly chrome-clad top-level 2008 issues a strong challenge to its Ford and Holden competitors.

At the top end it might be priced above $30,000, but it’s the only car in its class to offer the option of a diesel engine, and is closer to a regular hatch in driving characteristics, while still retaining some of the SUV elements car-buyers find so appealing.

2013 Peugeot 2008 Outdoor pricing and specifications:
Price: $31,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 68kW/230Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel: 4.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 103g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star EuroNCAP