New 5008 sure is a lot of car

FEATUERS: BOTH TRIM LEVELS ARE SPECCED TO BRIM

Seven seater design allows for easy removal of third row seats.

In stark contrast to the 108, the 5008, aside from representing the sharp-end of Peugeot’s product portfolio, sees the moniker now featuring a seven-seat SUV as opposed to the MPV equivalent that went out of production three years ago.

The effective sister model of the Opel Grandland X as both are based on PSA’s EMP2 platform, the 5008 pronounced five-thousand-and-eight and not five-double oh eight, is altogether more striking aesthetically than its rather staid German counterpart. It boasts 308-styled wraparound grille offset by the thin LED headlights, tapering bonnet and tasteful chrome detailing together with more than a series of strong lines.

While the somewhat slab-side inside profile will not resonate with some, the rear facia is arguably the most uhmm, eye-catching thanks to the 3D claw-motif taillights, chunky rear bumper and the gloss black detailing on the bootlid as part of the two-tone body finish.

As styling as the 5008 is on the outside, the i-Cockpit interior, while being suitably futuristic in its design, will split opinions despite receiving the thumbs-up from a premium perspective in terms of build quality and materials used.

Centre to the frustration is the freestanding eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system which is somewhat of a pain to use when scrolling through, while the toggle switch shortcut buttons placed below, are not as intuitive as one would’ve expect or indeed setup for a feature assigned to it.

This frustration aside, the 5008’s forte is practicality in that its overall length is just shy of 4.7m translates to a spacious cabin festooned with storage areas and of course, with those seven seats.

The key to the third row is the ease in their design with both being covered when folded into the floor, thus resulting in a completely flat loading area. While a simple tag sees them folding up with little effort, both can individually be removed by means of a clipping mechanism.

Once out, the seats, which weigh 11kg each, frees up an additional 210-litres of space and can be slid back into place with little fuss when needed. Overall, the 5008 offers 780 litres of space with the usual five seats up and a massive 1 940 litres with the second and third rows down.

For South Africa the 5008 offers a choice of two trim levels; Allure and GT-Line, both so richly specced that it would require a full write-up of its own. Notable items though are dual-zone climate control, heated and folding electric mirrors, kick-motion opening electric tailgate, auto on/ off headlights, tyre pressure monitor, keyless entry, a six-speaker sound system, rain sense wipers, front and rear parking sensors and a 12.3-inch digital instrument 1.6 THP Allure AT .................................. R534 900 1.6 THP GT-Line AT ................................ R579 900 2.0 HDi Allure AT .................................. R554 900 2.0 HDi GT-Line AT ................................ R599 900 cluster.

Building on these, the GT-Line adds a black diamond roof with contrasting mirror caps, an optional panoramic sunroof, full LED headlights with cornering function, Mistral Nappa leather upholstery, a 180 degree rearview camera, fragrance dispenser, a wireless smartphone charger and voice recognition together with satellite navigation.

With the exception of Autonomous Emergency Braking available only the GT-Line, safety and driver assistance teach across the range includes, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Active Blind Spot Monitoring, Driver Attention Warning, Park Assist, Front Collision Warning and Traffic Sign Recognition.

Up front, Peugeot has made the 5008 available with a choice of two engines, the familiar 1.6 THP petrol that produces 121kW/240Nm and the 2.0 HDI turbodiesel that makes 110kW/370Nm.

While the 5008 is front-wheeldrive only and comes with a sixspeed automatic gearbox as the sole option, it is nevertheless a willing performer, especially with the oil-burner in place.

Out on the short launch route, the diesel 5008 is eager to impress and pulls well, though the ride is somewhat compromised by the 19-inch Washington alloy wheels, 18-inch Detroit wheels on the Allure, that comes as standard on the GT-Line. In addition, the wheels, together with the firmly sprung suspension, resulted in the 5008 feeling nervous on the short gravel section of the route, no doubt also thanks to it being front-wheel-driven.

Back on the black stuff, the 5008 continued to impress as the steering, highlighted by the tiny steering wheel, felt nicely weighted and the seats comfortable with an added bonus being a massaging function, oddly, for the driver’s chair only.

As radical as Peugeot has been with its latest re-launch strategy, it remains to be seen whether brand loyal South Africa will see it fit to forgive it for its past sins. While both the 108 and the 5008 are indeed worthwhile contenders in their respective segments with lots to offer, the Lion’s success is hinged on whether it will be a docile cub or, as it has been in the past, a devouring carnivore to buyers.