Peugeot 5008
Dowdy styling of previous model has been replaced by sharp SUV look. So is newcomer a class leader?
THE 5008’s baby brother, the 3008, rose to the top of its class, so Peugeot will be hoping this model can pull off the same feat. Here we test a £28,195 1.2 Puretech 130 version in GT Line trim.
DESIGN & ENGINEERING
THIS second-generation 5008 is radically different from its predecessor, with Peugeot repositioning the car as a full-sized seven-seat SUV, to meet the growing demand of buyers for off-roaders.
As part of that transition the car has moved on to the scalable EMP2 platform that underpins the smaller 3008 and cars from sister brand Citroen, such as the Grand C4 Picasso MPV.
The technology Peugeot offers in the 5008 is interesting. All models get a 12.3-inch digital dash display as part of the second-generation i-cockpit set-up. You’re meant to peer over the small steering wheel to look at the dash, and although it’s still not perfect this car’s higher driving position at least means it feels more natural.
That digital display is accompanied by another eight-inch central screen, which is intended to declutter the dash and give it a clean look.
In GT Line trim you get plenty of kit, including sat-nav, Bluetooth, DAB, climate control, LED lights, lots of safety technology and wireless smartphone charging. Our model was also fitted with options such as leather massaging seats (£1,990), which give a relatively affordable car plenty of appeal.
DRIVING
THE Peugeot isn’t as sharp to drive as the Skoda, but this family SUV does deliver lots of comfort. Its softer suspension set-up and long wheelbase mean the car smothers worn tarmac, and the good news is that this doesn’t come at the expense of body control, because it keeps movements in check with a refined, fairly plush feel.
However, there is a downside to this suppleness, because the Peugeot does suffer some roll in corners. To make matters worse, the small steering wheel makes it easy to turn too quickly and upset the car’s equilibrium. Still, there’s a good level of grip given the concessions to comfort.
A big, seven-seat SUV with a 1.2-litre threecylinder petrol engine might sound like a recipe for slow progress, but the unit’s turbocharger helps to deliver maximum torque of 230Nm from just 1,750rpm, which means the 5008 actually serves up some pretty decent performance.
Although it’s the least powerful car here and offers the least torque, the Peugeot is also the lightest of the trio at 1,310kg. Nevertheless, it was the slowest model on test, accelerating from 0-60mph in 11.1 seconds, and it wasn’t helped by the six-speed manual box’s woolly shifts. Still, it matched the Skoda in nearly all of our in-gear tests.
As a result the Peugeot doesn’t feel underpowered, and it’s much more flexible than the Nissan. It’s impressively refined, too; under load there’s a three-cylinder growl adding some character, but it’s not a harsh tone and it settles down at motorway speeds. There’s not much road or wind noise, either.
PRACTICALITY
ACCESS to the rearmost two seats of the Peugeot’s cabin is pretty much as easy (or difficult) as it is in both the Skoda and Nissan, because all three SUV bodies are a similar size and shape.
Where the Peugeot offers plenty of flexibility is with its individually sliding middle-row seats, allowing you to maximise legroom for the rearmost passengers, or boot space depending on your needs.
In five-seat form there are 952 litres on offer, making this the largest load bay here; with its middle row slid forward the Kodiaq provides only 765 litres. While legroom is similar in both these models, our Peugeot’s £870 optional panoramic roof did eat into headroom a little, so we’d steer clear and save the money while liberating a little more practicality.
There’s plenty of that on offer, because despite the interesting design, in-car storage is good (38 litres in total) with lots of trays and bins around the cabin.
OWNERSHIP
PEUGEOT’S mid-table result of 13th place in our Driver Power 2017 survey was some way behind Skoda’s second. But the French brand beat Nissan in 20th. Peugeot didn’t record any notable scores in the different categories, but owners didn’t rate it poorly in any, either, while its network closed the gap to Skoda’s with a finish of ninth out of 26 in our dealer poll.
As family transport the Peugeot will be reassuringly safe, offering autonomous braking and lane-departure warning as standard across the range, while Allure models and above get blind spot detection as well as lane-keep and high-beam assist.
There isn’t really any safety tech to add because most of this is included as standard, which helped the 5008 achieve the same five-star Euro NCAP rating as its smaller sibling, the 3008.
RUNNING COSTS
THANKS to its smaller engine and relatively low kerbweight, the Peugeot returned 41.9mpg over our mixed test route. This means you’ll spend £1,549 over an average year on the road (12,000 miles), which is only £57 more than drivers running the Skoda (43.5mpg). The Peugeot offsets this in other areas, although it’ll be £146 cheaper to fuel than the Nissan (38.3mpg).
Maintenance costs are competitive as well. Peugeot’s £13-per-month three-year servicing pack works out at £156 per year. Skoda’s is slightly cheaper at £140 per year, while the Nissan costs £212 annually.
AFTER making some subtle updates to the X-trail range, Nissan is hoping that its sevenseat family 4x4 can still take the fight to newcomers such as the 5008 and existing models like the Kodiaq in this ever-expanding sector. Priced from £29,350 in N-connecta trim (although our pictures show a Tekna) with this 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine, the Nissan has power on its side. But is this enough?
DESIGN & ENGINEERING
BACK in 2013 Nissan repositioned the X-trail as a more stylish SUV choice compared with its utilitarian predecessors. That change in philosophy for the car wasn’t as great as the more radical redesign for the 5008, but nevertheless Nissan was arguably one of the first manufacturers to cotton on to the modern trend for affordable seven-seat family off-roaders.
For this facelifted third-generation model the visual updates are minor, with a gentle restyle to the Nissan’s striking skin. However, under the surface, from next year Propilot semi-autonomous driving technology will be available.
The car is still based on the Renault-nissan CMF-CD platform, and the 161bhp 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit has more power than both its competitors here.
However, a car of this type has to deliver in all areas, and here the Nissan stumbles; it feels neither as plush nor as advanced inside as either the Peugeot or the Skoda.
Despite updates, the infotainment system is still behind the curve, while the fit, finish and design aren’t matches for either rival.
N-connecta trim gets a fair level of standard equipment, including plenty of safety kit, an improved infotainment system with a seven-inch colour touchscreen and 18-inch alloys. It’s the priciest car here, but remember you’re also paying for that more powerful engine, which is the only petrol variant on offer in the X-trail.
DRIVING
THE Nissan isn’t as composed as the Peugeot. It’s upset more by bumps and cambers, while the damping means the car reacts more violently to potholes and bumps in the surface – especially at the rear.
It’s also neither as responsive nor as rewarding to drive as the Skoda. The Nissan’s steering is nicely weighted, however, and although it leans quite a bit when you push it faster through corners, it doesn’t ever feel unsafe; just a little uncontrolled next to its more composed rivals here.
For similar money to the competition you get more horsepower, although the 1.6-litre turbo unit actually delivers 10Nm less torque than the Skoda, and higher up at 2,000rpm.
Despite its on-paper power advantage, the Nissan was actually the slowest car at our test track when it came to in-gear acceleration, taking 13.8 seconds between 50 and 70mph in sixth gear.
Its 10.2-second 0-60mph time was respectable, but mid-speed flexibility, not flat-out performance, is more important to SUV buyers, and the Nissan’s droney engine lacks punch. The gearchange isn’t as nice as the Skoda’s, either, while the shift action also feels flimsier than the Peugeot’s. Family 4x4s such as these aren’t necessarily the most interesting cars to drive, but the Nissan’s rivals – the Skoda in particular – offer a bit more engagement, which merely highlights its deficiencies in this regard.
PRACTICALITY
WITH all seven seats in place the Nissan offers the least load space (135 litres). In five-seat form it’s also way down, with only 445 litres. Fold both the middle and third rows and there are 1,996 litres available, and while the load space is good, it’s still slightly smaller than the Peugeot and Skoda can offer.
There’s plenty of room in the middle row of seats, plus both outer seats slide forward and fold to give access to the back row – although with the headrests up these hit the front seats.
In the third row it’s a little tighter than in either the Peugeot or Skoda, while it has the shortest wheelbase of the trio and the rear wheelarches hamper space and access more than in its rivals. Storage space is good, though, with plenty of cubbies around the cabin. However, the Peugeot and Skoda combine a similar level of practicality with more interesting and modern interiors.
OWNERSHIP
NISSAN finished 20th out of 27 manufacturers in our Driver Power 2017 satisfaction survey, while its dealers ranked in a poor 25th place out of 26, some way behind Skoda’s strong showing, as well as Peugeot’s.
When it comes to safety the Nissan fares better, with many clever safety systems included, such as the Smart Vision Pack, which adds lane-departure warning, autonomous braking with pedestrian detection and all-round parking sensors on top of the standard six airbags. The Nissan is a five-star Euro NCAP car as a result.
RUNNING COSTS
ALTHOUGH the Nissan emits less CO2 than the Skoda (145g/km vs 156g/km), the more expensive X-trail will be the costlier choice for company users; higher-rate tax payers will have to contribute £3,259 per year compared with £3,202 for those running the Skoda.
The Peugeot is the best choice for business buyers though, thanks to its 117g/km engine. You’ll pay £2,462 per year in tax to run it as a company car.