Peugeot 2008 review

• Overview
• What is it?
• What changes did the facelift bring?
• Is it as glitzy inside?
• What are my engine options?
• How much does it cost?
• Our choice from the range
• What's the verdict?
• Ford Puma
• Volkswagen T-Roc
• Renault Captur
• Driving
• What is it like to drive?
• What’s the handling like?
• How does the electric variant compare?
• Interior
• What is it like on the inside?
• Can it seat families comfortably?
• Anything else we should know?
• Buying
• What should I be paying?
• What are the kit choices like?
• Where’d you spend your money?

Overview

What is it?

Peugeot’s recently (as of mid-2023) facelifted dinky SUV. We liked the look of the pre-facelift model mind, which looked from the off like it was designed as an individual model (as opposed to the old 2008, which had the demeanour of a 208 hatchback carrying lockdown weight). The facelift improves things further.

OK, it’s yet another dinky SUV, but it’s hard to be angry at something wearing the face of a robotic chipmunk like this Peugeot 2008 does. And it’s certainly more eye-catching than the likes of the Ford Puma, Hyundai Kona, Volvo XC40 and VW T-Roc, and to our eyes perhaps even the fetching Vauxhall Mokka.

Launched back in 2019, as well as the usual handful of petrol (no diesel) options, there’s a fully electric e-2008 in the range that simply slots the battery and motors beneath the regular car and wears some very minor exterior tell-tales. Click these blue words if it’s the EV you’re after.

What changes did the facelift bring?

Well, it gets a slightly wider face, a black or body-coloured grille depending on spec, and Peugeot’s latest three-claw LED daytime running light signature, the most tenuous of links to the manufacturer’s 9X8 hypercar.

Round the back it also gets re-shaped rear lights, and Peugeot lettering running across the entire length of the bootlid, as seems to be the fashion these days. There’s also new alloy wheel designs, and Peugeot’s new badge all around too.

We won’t try and sway you too much when it comes to looks, but we reckon the updates are subtle yet effective, improving on an already stylish car.

Is it as glitzy inside?

It’s a familiar layout from elsewhere within the Peugeot range, complete with compact steering wheel and high-mounted instrument cluster.

Post facelift you now get a newly designed 10-inch digital instrument cluster (from mid-spec upwards) – complete with 3D dials on top-spec versions – while all models now come with a 10-inch infotainment display as standard (though the OS remains a little confusing). The gear selector is now a toggle switch instead of gearstick.

You’ll either love it or hate it, but it’s a far nicer place to be than its predecessor and feels premium in here. Head over to the Interior tab for the full lowdown.

What are my engine options?

You’ve now the reduced choice of just two 1.2-litre turbo petrol engines: the entry-level 2008 has 99bhp and gets a six-speed manual gearbox, while the upper variant (if you can call it that) has 128bhp and can be combined with a six-speed manual or eight-speed auto gearbox. The 153bhp petrol and diesel are no more.

It’s pleasant enough to drive, though we did find the ride slightly on the firm side if you upsize beyond 16in alloys. The sharp handling makes up for it, with the 2008 feeling slightly sportier than its competitors. Full details on the Driving tab.

From 2024, a new 134bhp hybrid powertrain will join the line-up, combining a 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine with a new six-speed dual-clutch electrified gearbox incorporating an electric motor. More on that as we have it.

How much does it cost?

Prices start at a whisker over £24,000 for the entry-level petrol in base spec trim, around £2k more than the pre-facelift model.

You’re looking at just over £31k for the most powerful engine in range-topping trim, which remains roughly on par with the cost of the pre-facelift model. Head over to the Buying tab for more deets.

Our choice from the range

PEUGEOT

1.2 PureTech 130 Allure 5dr EAT8

£28,510

We can hear you stifling your yawns from here. This one, though, is among the good ‘uns: it suits its skin rather than looking like a bloated hatchback, the interior feels genuinely fresh, and it’s one of the better driving, sportier small crossovers in a bustling, often dizzyingly crowded segment.

Cost might be of minor concern, however: if you want one of the nicer transmissions, the two-tone colour scheme and some decent safety equipment, you’ll be sailing over 30 grand before you know it. Peugeot’s strict opposition to discounting means its cars have better residuals than ever, mind.

Ford Puma

£20,510 – £31,985

Volkswagen T-Roc

Renault Captur

£15,505 – £33,840

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Driving

Driving

What is it like to drive?

The 128bhp 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol is expected to be the best-seller. It’s a good’un too, accelerating keenly (0-62mph takes 8.9 seconds in the manual, 9.1s in the auto) and cruising politely.

It’s pleasant enough around town, too, although the ride does feel slightly on the firm side, especially on the plump 17 and 18in alloys: potholes are especially jarring while speed bumps are best approached at walking pace. As ever, if you can resist the larger alloys you’ll have a nicer time for it.

What’s the handling like?

The payoff of that firm-edged ride is reasonably sharp handling, and the 2008 certainly makes its case as the sportiest small crossover thing in the Peugeot, Citroen, DS and Vauxhall empire. Whether buyers will care (or even notice) that it’s amenable to being thrown around is another thing, of course.

More relevant is how hushed it is on a motorway cruise and just how flipping good the eight-speed automatic is. A bit of us dies inside saying it, but it’s a better choice than the manual. We’ll hand our petrolhead card in at the door.

Drive modes include Eco, Normal, Sport, Sand, Mud and Snow. As ever, you’ll likely just leave it in default Normal and forget all about them. Against an official claimed range of between 43.1-52.6mpg (spec dependent), we actually managed towards the upper figure, averaging around the 52mpg mark. Not bad.

How does the electric variant compare?

Much like the e-208, it lacks the holy-heck-what-just-happened acceleration (0-62mph takes 8.5s) even the weediest of EVs offer at urban speeds, instead smoothly delivering its power to never upset grip at the front axle.

A Drive Mode toggle switches between Eco (80bhp), Normal (108bhp) and Sport (the full 134bhp) and allows you to best balance performance and battery range. And while some EVs don’t ride especially well – stiffened up to counter their extra weight over internal combustion – the e-2008 doesn’t suffer too badly. Click these blue words to head over to our full review.

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Overview

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Interior

Interior

What is it like on the inside?

Sure, it’s decent to drive, but we reckon more fans will be won over by the inside of the 2008. It’s a big, big step up on its predecessor with plush materials, fancy stitching and some ambient lighting that doesn’t have a whiff of a cheap provincial town nightclub.

The star of the show is the 3D cockpit (standard on top-spec GT trim), which adds a double-layered, holographic feel to the 10-inch digital instrument display, and, says Peugeot, cuts 0.5 seconds from drivers’ reaction times. We can’t verify that, but we will tell you it looks as impressive as anything else out there.

The biggest compliment we can pay is that it makes sense of Peugeot’s diddy steering wheel, finally warranting the compromised driving position it brings taller drivers. Try before you buy is all we can really say.

Can it seat families comfortably?

Where some in the compact crossover sector suffer for rear seat space on account of their short wheelbase – the VW T-Roc springs to mind – the good news is the 2008 doesn’t fall into that sector, with most adults able to fit comfortably.

Luggage capacity is 434 litres with the seats up, slightly less than the Ford Puma and VW T-Roc (but edges both with the seats down at 1,467 litres), and it doesn’t change between petrol, diesel and electric variants, either. The boot floor is two-tiered too, which should make loading the weekly shop that little bit easier.

Anything else we should know?

The standard 10-inch infotainment display looks the part, but the OS is more than a little confusing to operate, while the bulk of the climate controls require delving into the touchscreen. Annoying. There are a couple of touch sensitive shortcut buttons and physical keys seated below to help matters though, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto fortunately come as standard.

A neat, forward-hinged cubby hole will also safely prop a phone up in portrait mode (and hides the wireless charger), thoughtful if you’re keen to use Google Maps while still viewing the car’s own media set-up; a distraction otherwise. There are four USB ports – three in the new-fangled USB-C format, one the old style – as well as optional wireless charging (£120, but standard on top-spec models), so you won’t be short of power for you and your passengers’ devices.

Perhaps the only other real negative comes if you swing a door open while the car’s still running (while checking your distance from a kerb, or suchlike), a move which initiates the most dreadfully shrill noise in the history of motoring. It’s afflicted Peugeots for years and it’s awful.

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Driving

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Buying

Buying

What should I be paying?

The cheapest 2008 you can buy – the 1.2-litre petrol with a six-speed manual – will set you back from £24,170. Next up, the 128bhp and six-speed manual, starts from £27,370, or £28,970 in auto guise.

Monthly payments start at around £310, rising to around £410 for the range-topper in top-spec trim, on a four-year agreement with a six-month initial payment.

Rivals? A Vauxhall Mokka is almost identically priced, while the Hyundai Kona, VW T-Roc and Volvo XC40 are all more expensive. In fact, this is one of the cheaper small SUVs about.

What are the kit choices like?

The trim options have been updated (Peugeot claims ‘simplified’) as part of the facelift, with your options now Active, Allure and GT.

Highlights? Active trim models feature 16-inch alloys, LED running lights, a 10in touchscreen with smartphone connectivity, rear parking sensors and cruise control as standard. Not bad, but you can do better.

Allure trim adds a body-coloured grille, 17in alloy wheels, roof rails, a 10-inch instrument cluster, voice recognition and front parking sensors. That’s more like it. Top of the tree GT variants get full LED headlights, fancy 3D dials, a leather steering wheel, reversing camera, wireless charging and keyless entry.

Standard colour is grey, otherwise you’re looking at £650 for white or black, and £850 for blue or red.

Where’d you spend your money?

We’ve made no secret that our favoured engine would be the 128bhp petrol, while the eight-speed auto is arguably better than the six-speed manual, but you can’t really go wrong either way.

Trim? That second-rung Allure might be the best balance of all of the 2008’s attributes, offering improved looks and some bonus tech features. Just a shame it doesn’t get those 3D dials as standard.

With the auto ‘box and in that spec, you’re looking at just under £29k, or around £392 on lease.

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Interior

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Specs & Prices

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