Peugeot 5008 HDi 150 review

"Whisper it, but I reckon Peugeot has got its mojo back"

What is it?

The Peugeot 308 range used to make sense. There’s the 308 hatch, an SW version which turns the 308 into an estate, and recently we got the 3008, which is a surprisingly good crossover SUV thingy. But Peugeot has muddied the once-clear waters with the 308-based 5008 MPV.

What’s it like on the outside?

The 5008 continues the design themes of the 3008 with a big, chromed gaping grilled which I’m not wild about. There’s a nice chrome feature line which picks out the wavy shoulder line that’s I like more, leading back to the Citroen C6-eque taillight graphic. Overall it’s not a bad effort, looking a little more resolved than the 3008, and a little more premium than the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso with which the 5008 shares much of its oily bits.

What’s it like on the inside?

The 5008 is a proper seven-seat MPV, so the interior is packaged accordingly. Up front there’s plenty of space, and plenty of storage for crucial items like water bottles and toys with which to diffuse sibling disputes in the back. In the second row, posh spec cars get headrest-mounted DVD screens which can show different things, again emphasising the family-friendliness of the 5008. There’s underfloor storage too, and posh cars get a massive panoramic roof. Added to the huge windscreen and ample side glass, the 5008 boasts a whopping 5.77 square metres of glazing. Fact.

As with a lot of seven-seaters, the rearmost pair of chairs are only really designed for smaller kids. The panoramic roof robs a bit of headroom here too. All the seats fold into the floor, and for an extra £50 the front passenger seat folds flat too, making for a very capacious load carrier.

What’s it like to drive?

Whisper it, but I reckon that Peugeot is beginning to regain its mojo when it comes to making a half-decent drivers’ car. Granted, the 5008 isn’t the most likely choice to hurtle down a deserted B-road, but it copes surprisingly well with speedy bends. The steering isn’t the most feelsome, but it’s dead easy to twirl the wheel with a deal of accuracy.

The ride’s a bit fidgety on 17-inch alloys though. 18s are an option, but I’d rather go for the smaller 16s and gain that extra bit of long-distance comfort. The 150hp 2.0-litre diesel engine is torquey enough too, and makes for great motorway cruising. But the 156hp 1.6-litre petrol engine is even better – it’s 100kg lighter than the oil burner, and makes the 5008 much less nose heavy and much more agile as a result.

Verdict

The Peugeot 5008 doesn’t make much sense in terms of the 308 range’s continuity, but it does make sense as a well-priced, well-specced and well-sized MPV. The fact that it drives really well for such a big bus is really encouraging news too, especially with the – admittedly much less practical – RCZ Coupe’s arrival. We’ll get our grubby mitts on that next April.

By Tom Phillips