| First Drive | Annecy, France | Peugeot 5008 |

The Peugeot 5008 offers seven seats and almost limitless variations on the compact MPV theme. We find out if the numbers stack up.

In the Metal

Peugeot has worked hard to disguise the 5008's very direct relationship to the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso. Largely, it's a successful attempt as you would not initially link the two: the Peugeot has its own distinct headlights and front grille, unique rear lights and plenty of smaller details that separate it from the Picasso. It's the same story inside, where the largest change from the C4 is an all-new dashboard for the 5008. It does away with the Citroen's digital instruments with a high-set central display. Instead, the Peugeot uses a much more tradition instrument binnacle that places the speedo and rev counter directly in front of the driver in cowled dials. The rest of the controls, including the gear lever that's mounted high and close to the driver, are clustered in a centre console that wraps around the driver, which Peugeot says is styled along the lines of an airplane's cockpit.

What you get for your Money

British buyers will only be offered the 5008 in seven-seat form, which means a third row of two seats that fold flat into the boot floor when not needed. These seats are simple to fold and reinstate for use, though access for grown-up children and adults is tight through the rear side doors, even with the outer two seats of the middle row tilted and moved as far forward as they are able. Space in the third row is restricted for adult knees, so this pair of seats is best reserved for children or very short trips. The middle row offers far more generous accommodation and all three of the individual chairs can slide fore and aft or be tipped forward to create a variety of luggage carrying options. The front passenger seat can also be folded forward to allow for longer items, though this is an optional extra.

There are three trim levels to pick from, covering Active, Sport and Exclusive, and prices start at £16,895 and rise to £23,695. Active models come with air conditioning, ESP traction control and an automatic parking brake as standard. The Sport has the same sized alloys but upgrades with cruise control, front fog lights and the family storage pack that provides additional cubbies under the front seats and in the footwells. Go for the Exclusive and you get 17-inch alloys, climate control, a Panoramic sunroof, automatic headlights and wipers, rear parking sensors and Peugeot's head-up display that shows speed and other vital information on a pop-up display in the driver's line of sight.

Driving it

Peugeot is notable for being one of the few car companies that makes its own shock absorbers. It shows in the way the 5008 handles dips, bumps and corners compared to its Citroen C4 Picasso cousin. Where the Citroen can lean a little too far for some tastes in corners, the Peugeot has a tighter rein on the suspension to feel more agile. It deals with lumpy road surfaces just as efficiently as the Citroen but also turns into bends with more precision and feel through the steering.

Noise is well suppressed in the 5008 at all speeds and the petrol and diesel engines we tried all kept themselves to themselves at every speed. The 110bhp 1.6-litre turbodiesel is set to be the best seller and it works well in the 5008. Zero to 62mph in 12.9 seconds for the six-speed manual version - or 12.6 seconds in the EGC-equipped model that uses a twin-clutch manual - is reasonable, but more impressive is the easy cruising nature of this engine. There's also a 2.0-litre turbodiesel on offer in 150- and 163bhp forms, with the less powerful version as a manual and the more potent unit coupled to a six-speed auto 'box. Petrol engines are taken care of by a 120bhp 1.6-litre unit with five-speed manual gearbox or a turbocharged 1.6 with 156bhp.

Worth Noting

The 5008 may be a seven-seat MPV and a very handy family car, but Peugeot has managed to bless it with excellent carbon dioxide emissions. The 110bhp 1.6 turbodiesel produces 140g/km with the manual gearbox and just 135g/km with the new EGC 'box. The larger diesel engine turns in 151g/km as a manual and a less impressive 178g/km as an automatic. The petrol units are reasonable at 169g/km for the 120bhp 1.6, while the more potent turbocharged 1.6 emits fractionally less CO₂ at 167g/km. These figures should bode well for the 5008 as an affordable family car and for company drivers who need the practicality of seven seats.

Summary

There was a danger that the Peugeot 5008 would end up as merely a badge engineered version of the Citroen C4 Picasso, but nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, there are similarities in the cabin's versatility and functionality, but Peugeot has made its mark on the MPV in the way it rides and handles. It may be a people carrier, but this is how we remember Peugeots covering ground in a finely controlled manner with handling that inspires the driver. With keen pricing and decent equipment levels, the 5008 might be a latecomer to the sector but it's still a welcome one.