Bringing MPV smarts to SUV crowd
Reimagining the Peugeot 3008 as a people mover might be a stretch, but it’s been achieved with the 5008,
There are so many cargenre mashups these days, it’s a waste of time trying to define them. Most involve an SUV in there somewhere, but with the blender on max-speed you’re usually just ingesting a strange automotive smoothie by the time a new model reaches the showroom.
But the new Peugeot 5008 is quite simple by contemporary standards. It’s a true portmanteau: equal parts SUV and MPV (or ‘‘people mover’’ if you prefer).
There’s a lot of 3008 in there, including the platform, powertrains, some styling detail, high ground clearance and of course Peugeot’s idiosyncratic iCockpit interior design, with the steering wheel way down low and instruments way up high.
But there’s also very clear demarcation between that and the MPV bits. Or should we say the bits inspired by the previous 5008, which you might not be familiar with because it was never sold in New Zealand. It was an old-school people mover: the boxy, tall, super-spacious, extremely practical and rather plain-looking kind.
The new 5008 is not plain at all; it’s rather rather avant garde from some angles. Nor is it any taller than the 3008, despite being 190m longer (165mm of it in the wheelbase).
But the 5008 does have a squared-off roofline and it is overflowing with clever MPV packaging ideas.
From the front seats forward it’s pure 3008. But the second row has three chairs which slide and fold individually. The backrests also recline for your comfort and if it’s a tad bright for your delicate eyes, there are blinds on the side windows. Each centre-row seat has an ISOFIX mounting point and the outer seating positions get fold-up tray tables.
No, you can’t actually remove these seats like you probably could in a proper MPV, but when you fold them the squabs ‘‘kneel’’ out of the way to ensure a low, flat load surface.
We did say ‘‘second row’’, so you can safely assume there’s a third. The two rearmost chairs are occasional only (or for small children all the time), with virtually no leg or foot-space. Some second-row sliding is required. But that third row is still protected by a window-curtain airbag.
You can fold seats six and seven away under a cover to end up with a five-seat SUV boasting truly vast cargo space: 702 litres, which is substantially bigger than any medium-SUV and larger even than the Skoda Kodiaq (630 litres).
If you’ve got a really long load, you can fold the front passenger seat forward so you can use the cabin length right from the tailgate to the dashboard. And still theoretically carry five people.
If you’re going really over-thetop, you can remove the third-row brace of seats (11kg each) completely to add another 78 litres of cargo volume. It’s not superuseful space because it’s cluttered with the seat-attachment hardware, but it’s a handy (hidden) compartment for valuables at the very least.
Downsides? There are a few. The sleek styling means you don’t get MPV-style headroom, and the individually shaped second-row chairs do bring some compromise in adult comfort compared with a conventional split-folding bench; remember, the 5008 is only 20mm wider than its 3008 sibling.
But as a parent-and-child express, this thing is sublime. And not the least bit uncool.
But is it any fun to drive? More polished than purposeful perhaps, but the GT’s turbo-diesel engine has impressive torque delivery and the chassis is capable in corners as long as you keep it smooth. If not, it can feel a bit abrupt in its responses – something exacerbated by the tiny steering wheel.
It’s FWD only, with no AWD option offered. Peugeot does offer a system called Grip Control that configures the powertrain and traction control for different surfaces – but it’s a $500 option and you have to step down a wheel size to 18 inches.
What’s most surprising about the dynamic package is the ride, which can feel distinctly lumpy on urban surfaces. It’s not terrible, but it’s probably not what you were expecting from a French family car with lots of seats. It should theoretically be smoother than the 3008 because it has a longer wheelbase, but the jury’s out on that one.
As with the 3008, it’s likely that the turbo-petrol Allure version, with less power and smaller wheels, will be a more balanced dynamic package. It’s also $10k cheaper, although you miss out on some of the GT’s surprise-anddelight stuff: the ‘‘Amplify’’ version of iCockpit with enhanced engine noise and choice of cabin ambience (including fragrance), Alcantara upholstery/dash trim, and five-mode driver’s seatmassage function.
Or you could add Grip Control to your GT and get the smaller rims as part of that package (the system is actually standard on the Allure).
The GT is also alone in having the Safety Pack as standard: adaptive cruise control, front collision warning, advanced emergency braking up to 140kmh, parking assistance and 360-degree camera. But you can add that to the Allure for $1750.
Don’t get too excited about the adaptive cruise if you’re an urban driver. It works right down to standstill, but once you’ve stopped it won’t start up again automatically: you have to get the vehicle up to speed before it can be re-engaged.
Sound like a first-world problem? Possibly, but it’s a niggle in a vehicle with such impressive attention to detail.