@expressmotoring Line up for an electric battle

THIS would have been impossible to predict even five years ago.The Peugeot 2008 SUV we’re testing this week, is available with petrol and diesel engines and also a pure electric drivetrain. That a car launched in 2020 might have an electric motor was on the cards five years ago but what no one could have imagined is that its maker would be predicting that more customers would be buying the EV version than the diesel.

That’s exactly what has come to pass as Peugeot reckons that only five per cent of customers will buy the diesel opposed to 10 per cent who will opt for the electric version.We shall have to see if the company is right.

The petrol engines available in the 2008 are all 1.2-litre threecylinder units available with 99bhp, 129bhp and 153bhp outputs. Going against the trend we’re testing the car with the 1.5-litre 101bhp diesel engine.

We’ll test the electric 2008 in the near future.

Like nearly every car that Peugeot has launched in the last few years the 2008 is very good looking. Not as sexy as the 508 saloon or estate, and not quite as fetching as the 208 hatchback on which the 2008 is based, but still a very swish design.

So many cars in the compact SUV are utterly bland so the bar isn’t set that high.

Our test car is in GT Line specification which means that it costs £26,500 before any goodies are added.TheActive trim is the cheapest at £21,750 and nudged in between is the Allure at £23,950.

The GT Line looks the best as it has its own detailing on the outside and also benefits from a bit of extra glitz on the inside. If you’re leasing the car then the few extra quid a month for this trim level is worth it.

The new 2008 is a substantial 150mm longer than the old one and as a consequence is more spacious inside with more front and rear legroom and 434 litres of