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Peugeot 2008 car review – big inside, small on the wallet

For £1000 more than the 208 hatchback, the 2008 crossover gives you much more space and the definite impression of a bigger car.
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4 June 2013

Peugeot 20089 crossover
Doesn’t look a bit like the 208, but under the skin they’re pretty much the same

Peugeot 2008 1.6 e-HDi Allure 92

What is it?

The Peugeot 2008 is the SUV ‘crossover’ version of Peugeot’s successful 208 hatchback – a winner in our SME Company Car of the Year Awards.

The two cars are based on the same platform but share only a few exterior elements.

These include the windscreen and the lower halves of the front doors, although the cabins of the two cars have more in common. 

Peugeot 2008 crossover
The crossover format – small car running costs but more space inside – is proving attractive to company car drivers

In particular, the 208 and 2008 have the same unusual dash layout incorporating high-mounted instruments; drivers are expected to read these over the top of, rather than through, the steering wheel, which is smaller than normal.

But the big question for company car drivers is whether the 2008’s extra space makes it a better option than the 208 for the additional £1000 on the price tag.

The 2008 will face plenty of competition in the emerging market for small SUV crossovers. Nissan got there first with the Juke, while Peugeot’s French arch-rival, Renault, has just launched the Captur which is very similar in size, concept and character to the 2008.

Slightly more rugged rivals include the Chevrolet Trax and the Vauxhall Mokka, and Ford is also expected to introduce the EcoSport, already popular in some emerging markets, to Europe soon.

The Peugeot 2008 is available to order now, with the first cars arriving in the UK in July.

 

Peugeot 2008 crossover
There’s no 4WD, but higher spec models get Peugeot’s ‘Grip Control’ which is surprisingly effective on slippery surfaces

What’s hot

  • Although its operating economics should be similar to those of the 208 hatch on which it is based, the 2008 is more practical, thanks to its extra space and raised ride height
  • Unlike Renault’s Captur and some other “soft” crossover rivals, the 2008 does make more than a token effort at providing some decent cross-country ability to go with its semi-SUV looks; there’s no four-wheel drive, but pricier variants get Grip Control, an advanced form of traction control designed to help in snowy or muddy conditions – you can read how this works on a Peugeot van here: Who needs a 4×4 when you can have a Peugeot ATV?
    Peugeot 2008 crossover
    Peugeot has improved a lot on trim quality – much better than earlier models
  • Wide choice of diesel and petrol engines; company car drivers will be drawn to the 1.4-litre (68 horsepower) and 1.6-litre (92 and 115 horsepower) diesels but the new 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol, with CO2 emissions of as little as 99g/km should give them a run for their money.
  • As in the case of other recent models, Peugeot appears to have invested heavily in trim quality here, making for a very pleasant environment for driver and passengers.
  • Safe, although not exciting, handling, and good ride comfort under most conditions.

 

What’s not 

  • While most of the engines we sampled in the 2008 do a good job, the larger 1.6-litre petrol feels a bit lacklustre in this setting, just as it does in the 208 – a surprise given that it’s the same basic power unit as BMW uses in the MINI Cooper.
  • While the 2008 is broadly appealing in appearance, like other recent Peugeot designs it suffers from slightly fussy detailing.
  • By most yardsticks the 2008 is good value for money but its starting price is undercut by that of its main rival, the Renault Captur, by about £500.

 

Peugeot 2008 crossover
The 2008 is another example of Peugeot’s recovering ability to build attractive and practical cars

Business Car Manager road test verdict

The Peugeot 2008 provides more evidence that Peugeot, after quite a lean patch, has recovered something of its talent for making appealing cars.

That’s one of the reasons we voted the Peugeot 208 Most Cost-Efficient Car for an SME to Buy in our SME Company Car of the Year awards.

The 2008 builds on this success of the smaller 208. 

The Peugeot 2008, with its increased ground clearance and taller body, provides quite a bit of extra practicality and space. The raised seating position gives it something of the feel of a much larger vehicle.

It closely matches its most obvious rival the Renault Captur – the Captur’s entry level price is slightly lower and it has a more eye-catching exterior, but the 2008 hits back with a much more sophisticated, more nicely finished interior.

Peugeot 2008 crossover
The sector is increasingly crowded, but we think the 2008 will do well

The relatively new market for small crossovers is already getting crowded and Peugeot didn’t quite get there first, but the 2008 has what it takes to do well.

For the company car driver it poses an interesting dilemma. The same version of the 208 is £1000 cheaper, though you’d sacrifice the extra space. Then again the 2008 is £1000 cheaper than the corresponding 308. And the company car tax on the 2008 tested here is only £53 a month for a 20% tax payer. 

So is it worth the extra money to upsize from the 208, or is it a viable downsize from the 308?

 

The Low Down…

Doors and body style  5-door hatchback crossover
Engine/gearbox  1.6 litre 4-cyl turbodiesel
CO2 Emissions 103g/km
Economy 70.6mpg 
Power/torque  92HP/230Nm
0-62mph/top speed  12.8secs/113mph
Insurance group N/A 

…and what it costs

P11D Value  £17,090
Monthly business rental (ex VAT)  From £238 (3yrs/30,000 miles)
Road tax (VED)  Band B
Company Car Tax Bands 2013/14 to 2015/16  15%, 16%, 18%
Benefit in kind 2013/14 to 2015/16  £2564, £2734, £3076
Annual/Monthly fuel benefit (20%)  £633/£53
Annual/Monthly fuel benefit (40%)  £1266/£106
Annual/monthly company car tax (20%) £513/£43 
Annual/monthly company car tax (40%)  £1026/£86
Figures correct at time of posting 
For latest figures Use our company car tax calculator

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Matt Morton

Matt Morton

Matt Morton is an automotive content writer for Business Car Manager

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