Peugeot unveils appealing crossover

The new 2008 based on the same platform as its cheeky 208 hatchback.

Peugeot has never shied away from trend-setting designs and its latest creation is an attractive little number that will appeal to a fairly wide audience, from young, single trendies and small families to last time new car buyers with an eye for style.

But you need more than just head-turning good looks to compete against some of the very popular brands which have been around for long enough to establish a good reputation and a strong following, including the very likeable and newly updated Suzuki SX4 which was launched here in the same week Peugeot unwrapped its new 2008.

'Allo' 'Allo' I 'ave 'Allure', oui... 'Allure'

Does the 2008 have what it takes? Yes, to large extent. It is good looking, spacious inside and has a comprehensive list of onboard kit, lots of safety and passenger protection, plenty of cargo space and its ride quality is top notch. What's more, it's also priced quite competitively and the cherry on top is that it is brand new and therefore you won't see many of them on the road.

I drove the one-model 2008 Allure during the media introduction in the Eastern Cape and was impressed by its combination of quality, comfort, practicality and handling.

The 2008 is good looking, spacious inside and has a comprehensive list of onboard kit.

It is difficult to give stand-out appeal to what is basically a boxed shaped vehicle but the croissant-chewing white coats at Peugeot's R&D Department have created quite a pretty little car with neat lines, interesting body angles, lots of glass and pretty finishing trim including handsome alloy wheels.

Blocked!

The living quarters are well furnished in a combination of leather and cloth, the instruments are logically placed and clear, the cabin is surprisingly spacious, the seats are comfortable and the rear passengers have ample head and legroom.

There's even room for your 'baak'.

The one small irritation is the steering wheel positioning which blocks out a portion of the instrument panel. Both my driving partner and I found it impossible to find a driving position to overcome this fully.

The 2008 comes standard with a full-colour touchscreen, satellite navigation, Blue-tooth telephony and audio streaming, USB and aux audio inputs, a trip computer and multi-speaker radio in a cluster setting that is attractive, neat and practical.

There's even room for your 'baak', as we say in SA

The boot is spacious enough to accommodate boys' toys, golf bags, plus all the stuff families with young children have to cart around. The wide-opening tailgate provides easy access and to extend the boot space the rear seat can be folded flat to create even more space for larger objects.

The 2008 also does well in terms of passenger safety with almost as many airbags as you would find in Parliament, electronic stability control, ABS brakes with emergency brake assist and brake force distribution.

The living quarters are well furnished, but that darned steering wheel...

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Out on the road the 2008 clings to the tar with a confidently solid grip, even when pushed through the twisties -not that this comes as much of a surprise seeing that the new 2008 rides on the same underpinnings as the cheeky little 208 hatchback which has a good reputation for roadholding thanks to its torsional rigidity, independent front suspension and torsion beam axle.

Slick 'n quick

The steering is quite sharp via a sportingly small steering wheel, the brakes are good and the five-speed manual transmission is slick and quick. Like a few other crossovers, including the new Suzuki SX4, the 2008 is also equipped with a Grip Control System, which, Peugeot says, optimises traction control settings for different road conditions, including snow. This is clearly designed for chilly Europe more than for African conditions and we did not get to play with this feature on gravel or sandy roads during the media drive.

The 2008's firepower comes in the shape of an 88kW/160Nm fuel-injected 16-valve 1.6 litre engine. Peugeot describes it as "zippy" but we found the engine a little on the sleepy side, particularly along undulating stretches in the rural regions of the Eastern Cape. The engine is also quite rev-hungry, with maximum power only coming in at 6000rpm and torque only delivering a real bite at 4250rpm. The car cruises along quite happily at maximum legal highway speed and the kind of buyers who will be using the 2008 on a daily basis will probably find the engine delivery quite adequate.

Peugeot describes the engine as “zippy” but the motoring journalists feel it's a little on the sleepy side.

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Peugeot says the 2008 will sprint from zero to100km/h in 9,5 seconds and sip only 5,9-litres/100km in the combined cycle while keeping emissions down to 135g/km.(Bear in mind that this fuel consumption, like the same on all other car manufacturers, is measured under ideal, laboratory-like conditions, often far removed from real road conditions and without consideration of many factors including road and weather conditions and different driving styles. It should therefore be regarded as nothing more than a vague indication, not a true reflection of what you could in reality expect on a day-to-day commuter run, particularly in heavy traffic).

With a price tag of R269,900 (which includes a three-year/100,000km warranty and a five-year/60,000km maintenance plan) this attractive, practical and pleasant to drive French newcomer rates a good 7 out of 10 and should not be overlooked when it appears on local dealer showroom floors in May.

Specifications

Brochure

Peugeot 2008 2014 review - Australia - ChasingCars.com.au

Peugeot 2008 2014 In depth review Interior Exterior

Peugeot 2008 Allure 1.6 e-HDi - Test Drive and Review