Is the Peugeot 2008 good for families?
The French automakers such as Renault, Citroën, and Peugeot are known for cars that are efficient, solidly built, and well-specified, especially when it comes to safety and comfort features. Peugeot's 2008 is no exception. Let's see how it fares as a family car.
What is it?
The Peugeot 208-based 2008 is a stylish, French compact SUV that's very much inclined towards the modern, compact family, but hasn't exactly enjoyed exceptional sales figures.
The posh-but-affordable 2008, re-introduced locally in 2019, probably isn't the first car that springs to mind when you're thinking of a small SUV. French cars have not enjoyed the best reputation in our country, which is what led to the exodus of Citroën out of SA a few years ago, but thanks to the SUV-mad masses, Citroën made a swift re-entrance with models like the C3 AirCross.
Related: Old vs. new Peugeot 2008, what are the top 5 differences?
Who are its natural competitors?
The Peugeot 2008 competes with some high-profile, top-selling people pleasers, such as the Ford EcoSport, Renault Captur, Hyundai Venue, VW T-Cross, Opel Crossland, Haval H2, Mahindra XUV300, Suzuki Vitara, and Mazda CX-3. Compared to these mighty adversaries, the Peugeot 2008 actually offers one of the best value-for-money packages, and looks the part too.
Related: Opel Crossland vs. VW T-Cross vs. Hyundai Kona; which has the lowest running costs?
In South Africa, the line-up currently looks like this:
Peugeot 2008 1.2T Active, R 317 900
Peugeot 2008 1.2T Allure auto, R 353 900
Peugeot 2008 1.2T GT Line auto, R368 900
Standard safety features
The Peugeot 2008 is very well-equipped and every model has six airbags, traction and stability control, hill-start assist, and even hill-descent control which is usually seen in more serious off-roaders, and not in soft-roaders such as this. Bear in mind that the front-wheel drive, difflock-less Peugeot 2008s are not built for sand-driving and rock-crawling — you will get stuck if you try bundu-bashing or straying anywhere further from a dirt or gravel road.
Fuel economy
The 1.2-litre turbo engine churns out 81kW and 205Nm; that's usually what a naturally-aspirated 1.6-litre petrol engine would offer you. According to Peugeot, average fuel consumption is 5.2 litres per 100 km, but in real life we estimate this won't be less than around 7.1 to 7.5, depending on how hard you like to put your right foot down. Yet again, Peugeot reckons you'll do about 962 km on one tank, but it's a little over-ambitious; 700 km or so is probably more realistic.
Space and practicality
The entry-level Active model has cloth seats, which can be a pain to keep clean when your offspring indulges in in-car snacks on a regular basis. Allure and GT Line models have leather seats available as an optional extra.
As for storage binnacles and bottle holders, the front door bins will hold a large and small water bottle each. There are two cupholders below the front fascia, and there's a handy cubby inside the front central armrest that can swallow another 2-litre bottle.
In the back seat there's enough space, but taller passengers will need more head- and legroom. Kids and average-sized adults won't complain at all, though. The middle seat is quite little narrow and it won't be very comfortable for that person's feet either. This is why we don't really see the 2008 as a car for families with more than two kids anyway.
The boot is about average for this segment but you can still fit in a baby stroller or two large suitcases with two smaller ones on top. You'll have to remove the parcel shelf, but that's quick and easy. The square-shaped boot has a low lip which means you won't put your back out trying to lift heavy objects into it. Fold the seats forward and you have a completely flat boot floor.
Verdict
The Peugeot 2008 is a smart and attractive car that will suit anyone who wants a comfortable, upmarket SUV; not just families. As for reliability, Peugeot is committed to giving its customers excellent aftersales service by honouring their pledge. Maybe I'd have been afraid of buying a Peugeot 10 years ago, but not anymore.
As of the 1st September 2019, “Peugeot Pride” offers the following across all new Peugeot models (as per the Peugeot SA website):
- 5 – Year / 100 000 km: Warranty & Service plan across the range;
- Peace of Mind: Courtesy Car, Peugeot Parts Basket, Complimentary Vehicle Health Check;
- Customer Experience: A personalised service you can enjoy;
- Safety: 6 airbags across the range, Microdot, dedicated Apps connected to the car, and Safety Film and Tracking solutions, (optional);
- 360º Service: Licence Renewal Reminder, Roadside Assistance, My Peugeot App.
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