What's this?
It's the new Peugeot 2008 crossover. And this is what the
2008 Mk1 looked like, when it arrived in 2013. Hmm. By no means Peugeot's ugliest creation of the 21st century, it was hardly oozing kerb appeal, was it? Now swing your eyes back to the car at the top of this page. And try and reconcile the idea in your head that they're from the same manufacturer, wearing the same badge, just seven years apart. Also, you might wonder what on Earth Peugeot's designers are putting in their tasses de thé these days. Whatever it is, we want some of it. Badly. And Peugeot, while you're at it, ship some over to Munich and the poor, suffering souls in the Vierzylinder building, yeah?
While we haven't got a name for Peugeot's current styling ethos - like Mazda's current Kodo, the Bangle-era 'Flame-Surfaced' machines (cripes, how we
wish we could have those back right now...) and Ford's late-20th century 'New Edge' philosophy - there's little doubt the French manufacturer is smashing it out of the park as we enter the 2020s. If anything, the 2008 is perhaps the most challenging styling of the current 'new' range (we're, er, conveniently overlooking the
Rifter here), but that's like trying to convince someone that Linda Evangelista was the least good-looking of the 1990s 'Big Five' supermodels, or that Pine is somehow inferior to those other dreamy 'Hollywood Chris' hunks, Pratt, Evans and Hemsworth.
Seriously, this 2008 has to be the best-looking thing in its class. We can't think of another B-segment crossover which is so eye-catching, and while it might not have the pert perfection of the latest
208, or the graceful elegance of the
508, or even the balanced solidity of the larger
3008, it still knocks the socks off all of its frumpy and lumpen competitors. Especially when specified in a nice, bright shade like Fusion Orange metallic and finished in GT-Line spec.
This, incidentally, is the trim that Peugeot expects to sell the most of for 2008s in the UK, while the 130hp version of the PureTech 1.2-litre turbocharged triple with a six-speed manual will be the most popular drivetrain choice, apparently. This means that Peugeot buyers are clearly happy to drop more cash on their crossovers than they are their superminis, as this particular 2008 starts at £26,100 and quickly ramps up to nearly 28 grand when you add adaptive cruise control (£300), active blind-spot monitoring (£200), semi-auto Park Assist (£250) and a Cielo panoramic roof (£750). Never mind; it looks bloody superb, and then you open the door and find it has another corking Peugeot interior - all sculpted dash, fabulous material finishing, ergonomic correctness (if you can get on with the iCockpit arrangement and its necessarily tiny wheel; as six-footers, we can, by the way) and the heavily digital instrumentation, the 3D cluster being a particular highlight. There's enough chutzpah here to get buyers to sign on the dotted line in the showroom, without ever taking the 2008 out on the roads.
How does it drive?
Peugeot doesn't offer the same line-up of 75-, 100- and 130hp 1.2-litre petrol engines as it does in the
smaller 208, dropping the lowliest, normally aspirated example of these three and instead kicking off with the 100hp PureTech. At the other end of the scale, the 155hp motor that we've sampled in the closely related
DS 3 Crossback comes into play, although it is reserved solely for top-ranking GT 2008s. The only other powertrain you can get on the GT is the Electric, so Allure, Active and GT-Line customers can select from 100- or 130hp petrols, the solitary diesel (a 100hp 1.5-litre BlueHDi four-pot) and, of course, the Electric.
Not that the 2008 is some porker that needs the extra power of the 155hp motor, though. This 130hp 1.2-litre GT-Line manual only weighs in at 1,192kg, which is quite remarkable for a car as big as this. So not only do the 2008's dimensions lead to a decently roomy rear row of seats and a 434-litre boot, its relative lack of mass means that you don't pay the price for that interior practicality with rubbish driving manners. While the 2008 isn't quite as sharp as some of the best-handling machines in the class, like the
SEAT Arona and
Ford Puma, it is nevertheless very pleasant in the corners. There's a good amount of front-end grip, impressive body control and fast-responding steering, all allowing you to hustle the 2008 along at a tidy lick. It's not massively involving, admittedly, but it feels better than much of the stodgy dynamic porridge that populates this market segment.
It's also a thoroughly likeable thing to just travel around sedately in. We've recently felt that GT-Line Pugs ride a bit too firmly and have started to come down on the side of Allure-spec cars for that reason, but the 2008 GT-Line just about treads the line of a sweet balance between comfort/handling. While it will occasionally remind you that it's a B-segment vehicle rolling around on 18s, the 55-profile tyres do their best to squidge out the worst of imperfections and lumps in the road. On a motorway, the engine, tyre and wind noise are all serene enough that you could envision doing many miles in the 2008 GT-Line without too much discomfort, and the light-of-throw six-speed manual, well-judged throttle response and quick steering all make the Peugeot a talented town car, too. The final cherry on the cake is the 130hp PureTech engine - sounds great, pulls hard, never becomes harsh or introduces too many vibrations to the cabin. Yep, this 2008 is a thoroughly well-rounded crossover in all regards.
Verdict
If this Peugeot 2008 GT-Line doesn't win you over with its stunning looks and class-leading cabin finishing, then the amenable way it drives in all circumstances should seal the deal. Another cracking model from the revitalised Lion marque, the 2008 is easily among our favourite things in this class and one of the first products you should be seeking out for a test-drive if you're intent on buying a compact crossover.
Passenger Space
