VIVE LA DIFFERENCE

The Peugeot 2008 is both a suprise and a delight

LIFE WILL ALWAYS throw us all a few curve balls; and we’re thinking especially of those from a quarter where you know something individualistic will come but when it does it still leaves you a little breathless.

Peugeot has mastered the art of surprise and the arrival of the new 2008 puts another notch in the French carmaker’s belt.

This compact crossover SUV is definitely at the high end quirkiness. It’s as if Peugeot has broken the shackles in terms of many designed norms and marched to its own beat.

Surprised? Not at all. This factory has been doing this from its inception.

Gate-crashing the compact SUV party means Peugeot is up against some staunch challengers; there’s a broad range at play here, from economy to premium priced.

But if you have doubts about this type of vehicle, then the 2008 could change your opinion.

We’ve been enjoying the GT Line which at $45,990 tops the range in the new 2008 line-up. For a tighter budget, consider the entry level Active ($33,990) or the mid-range Allure ($39,990). The price difference simply means less in terms of features.

Let’s start inside first. The cabin is a beauty, featuring a unique three-dimensional instrument panel which Peugeot dubs its 3D i-Cockpit a 10-inch wide panel providing a virtual hologram that seemingly floats in front of the driver, providing sharp-as-a-tack visuals. . Look closely and you’ll see things like the tachometer and speedometer read-outs in a totally new dimension.

As the range topper, the GT not unexpectedly comes loaded with the sorts of things that make motoring so enjoyable. But take your time to familiarise yourself with the controls. And that includes the switch gear that moderates many of those functions, such as climate control and navigation.

The whole of that dashboard has been designed to fit the driver’s eye-line. As well as the hologramtype instrument panel, the touch screen to the centre of the dashboard has been shaped toward the driver too.

As well as exceptional fit and finish, the GT comes with sports seats that provide excellent support.

There’s no fretting about space either. Exceptional headroom is obviously helped by setting the floor pan lower. It means the door sills sit high and it’s more a matter of stepping over them to get into your seat. But if this is the compromise to create my headroom, we can live with that.

The engine is a little unit really — just 1.2 litres of turbo petrol busy-ness — but the 114kW it issues gets to the driving front wheels via a seamless eight-speed automatic transmission.

And like most vehicles nowadays the 2008 GT comes with economy, normal or sport drive mode. But unlike some, switching the 2008 GT into “sport” brings about an abrupt and clearly defined change of character. It’s all edginess and aggression. It really does show up the engine and transmission in the best light and that you can wring an awful lot of drive from a small engine.

To be frank, the new 2008’s big and blunt front end is a shape that only a mother could love. But don’t let that detract from everything else this crossover brings. It features eye-catching clawshaped lights and impressive daytime running lights.

The GT features a semiautomatic driving function with a lane positioning system and adaptive cruise control. This is the system that sets the car centrally to the middle of the roadway, making those steering adjustments to keep it there. And it will adjust the speed to match that of the vehicle ahead to keep the best stopping distance.

And there’s a parking assist function on call which takes over the steering function when you’re negotiating especially tight parking spots.

Other safety systems include driver attention alert, speed limit recognition and frontal collision warning. There’s also the reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors.

So, the bottom line? It’s a given the Pug will always provide quirky in bucket loads. But beyond that special trait, the 2008 is one hell of a compact SUV. The engine is a Mighty Mouse and coupled to an eight-speed auto means the driving pleasure simply goes up several notches. And you’d be too fussy to find fault with the finish.

The 2008 gives driving a shot in the arm just when it’s needed. Others competing in this class provide outstanding value for money — but the Peugeot 2008 brings a new dimension and just the sort of individualism some motorists crave.

It’s called a point of difference and we’re always going to applaud that.

This new Peugeot would put a smile on anyone’s face.

Inside the vehicle and you want to touch all the switches, the plush finish, the ambient lighting and especially take in that wonderful 3D instrument panel. And I love how they have turned the big centre dashboard screen toward the driver’s position.

The 2008 provides a great drive with a superb auto gearbox and it’s oh so quiet on the highway.

The front end is quite imposing and the LED running lights are a show in themselves.

I loved this new Peugeot, especially that interior.