Despite having stellar success in the European market – the Peugeot 5008 has enjoyed little fanfare since its launch here in 2018. Perhaps, through no fault of its own, given the Peugeot brand’s turbulent times under its previous owners (Naza).

Under the new stewardship of Berjaya Auto Alliance (BAASB), the Peugeot brand is on the verge of a much-needed revival, but that will weigh heavily on its two SUV models currently on sale, the 3008, and the 5008 THP Plus Allure seen here.

So, is the 5008 a well-rounded package worthy of consideration? Especially in a field of formidable rivals such as the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, Mazda CX-8, and Nissan X-Trail, all of which, are 7-seater SUVs capable of accommodating larger families. 

The following table is a shortlist of the Peugeot 5008's immediate rivals.

Now, that we're up to speed, let's weigh the pros and cons.

Pros

• Stylish and versatile cabin
• Supple and composed ride
• Strong low- and mid-range torque
• Refined and quiet

Cons

• Clunky 6-speed automatic in stop-go traffic
• Fuel consumption on the high side
• No AEB
• Quirky ergonomics

Pros – Stylish and versatile cabin

In terms of design and execution, the 5008 is superb - the overall layout, build quality, and combination of materials that include soft-touch plastics, leather, and fabric give it an instantly appreciable feel of quality and style.

The addition of a full-length panoramic roof with a sunroof further lifts the cabin’s x-factor rating.

The 12.3-inch i-Cockpit Amplify instrument cluster offers crisp and clear readouts, likewise, the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment is easily legible and accesible to the driver.

Seating in the 5008 is superb, the seats themselves (in the first two rows) are nicely padded without being too firm. 

The third-row, though smaller in size, offers decent back and leg support and can fit an 180 cm tall person if required.

The first two rows offer ample adjustment, fore and aft, to accommodate passenger legroom in the third row. The second row also folds forward for easier third-row entry and egress.

Pros – Supple and composed ride

One of the highlights of the 5008 is its ride quality. Featuring torsion beam rear suspension; you can be forgiven for thinking it has been fitted with a multi-link suspension given its comfort levels.

The 5008 is largely very composed and supple on bumpy roads – the suspension is quick to filter out the smaller bumps and undulations, and unfazed by larger imperfections such as manhole covers and potholes. 

It handles well too, during our road test, we found the 5008 to perform rather well when chucked into a bend. The steering response is quick and offers nice modulation in the longer corners while great body rigidity promotes nice control during direction changes and tighter corners. 

Pros – Strong low- and mid-range torque

The 5008 is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that outputs 167 PS and 240 Nm. Although the CX-8 beats it on power with 194 PS and 258 Nm, the 5008 offers more power than the 150 PS / 250 Nm Tiguan Allspace 1.4 TSI.

From right about 1,500 rpm, torque delivery is smooth and tractable giving the 5008 decent acceleration from a standstill or up a hill. The 5008 also gets up to highway speeds easily and has plenty in reserve for overtaking.

Pros - Refined and quiet

During our road test, the 5008 scored well in terms of overall quietness levels – decibel readings range from 46 dB at idle, to approximately 66 dB at 110 km/h on the highway. 

The Mazda CX-8 returned 50 dB and 67 dB respectively for the same test.

The engine itself is also quiet and free of noticeable vibration, further contributing to the 5008’s overall refinement levels.

Cons - Clunky 6-speed automatic in stop-go traffic

Among the most noticeable drawbacks of the 5008 is a rather clunky transmission at lower speeds.

To qualify, the Aisin EAT-6 upshifts and downshifts smoothly enough at speeds above 40 km/h, but crucially, whilst at lower speeds, there is a noticeable thump sometimes when the transmission downshifts from second to first gear, or whilst in first, and coming to a stop.

This typically happens when creeping in traffic or slowing down for a junction. The problem is perhaps made more apparent because of the 5008’s otherwise serene driving experience.

Cons - Fuel consumption on the high side

During our road test, we covered around 98 km of mixed driving conditions – 60 percent city and 40 percent highway – the 5008 averaged 10.2l/100km.

As a caveat, the 5008 unit we tested is pretty much brand new. 

With roughly 100+ km on the odometer, the engine hasn’t fully been ‘run-in’, meaning those numbers should ideally improve. As it stands, the 5008 does fall on the thirsty side of recent economy tests.

The figures however are marginally better than the Tiguan Allspace which returned 10.34l/100km during our test.

Cons – No AEB

The Peugeot 5008 is offered with lane-keeping assist and steering correction, blind spot information system but curiously but no AEB.

As it is considered natural progression to be offered AEB before more advanced systems such as lane keep assist with steering correction, it can be considered a significant omission.

Do note, however, the CX-8 2.5G Mid and Tiguan Allspace Highline, both of which are priced on par with the 5008, do not offer ADAS features either.

Cons – Quirky ergonomics

Despite its well-designed cabin space, the 5008 does have some quirky ergonomics that can be challenging for some drivers.

Most of which is centred around the steering wheel – besides the fact that it's smaller than most other cars, it's also positioned lower in relation to the top of the dashboard.

Peugeot will tell you that they want you to sit up higher, but it might feel unnatural having a steering wheel pointed at your tummy instead of your upper torso area. The steering wheel also hides the cruise control stalk. 

Instead of buttons on the wheel itself, it is a Peugeot trademark to feature a cruise control stalk, located just under the indicator stalk. Given its position, the stalk is hard to locate and even harder to operate while on the move.

Also, the only way to activate the climate control is to navigate through a sub-menu on the infotainment headunit.

Though we have no issue with this setup, we noted a slightly delay in startup sometimes, therefore, if you get in the car on a hot day needing to turn up the A/C immediately, it may prove somewhat frustrating. 

Conclusion

The 5008 does offer a nicely specified and well-packaged SUV and given its impressive comfort and refinement levels – makes it a great family mover.

It also does well to offer a good driving experience, if you are the type that enjoys a spirited drive every once in a while.

Nevertheless, it isn’t without its intricacies, if compared to the CX-8 or Tiguan Allspace, which simply wrap around you with their brilliant ergonomics, the 5008 may require some getting used to.

The addition of AEB as part of the 5008’s standard safety kit would go a long way in making it a superb value proposition for buyers. The issues can perhaps be addressed with the facelift 5008, which is due to be introduced before the end of the year.   

Also read: 2021 Peugeot 5008 facelift launched – Extended 3008 gets updated i-Cockpit