The new Peugeot 5008 is the new 3008, and then some. But the equation isn’t that simple. Well, it is true that the styling that made the 3008 so captivating and the features that made its dynamics so contemporary are all there in the 5008. But as Peugeot’s 7-seater van that is now termed a part of its new SUV range, how does the 5008 play its multidimensional role?

THE SPECS: 1.6L turbo engine with 6-speed automatic gearbox, 165 hp @ 6000 rpm / 240 Nm torque @1400 rpm onwards, Front Wheel Drive, Test fuel economy: >10 km/l

THE DIMENSIONS: L X W X H: 4641 X 1844 X 1651, Cargo space: 166 L as a 7-seater, 952 L as a 5-seater and 2042 L with second and third row down, 17” and 18” alloy wheels

THE HIGHLIGHTS: Power lift gate with hands-free sensors / Wireless Phone Charger / Off-road driving modes

STANDARD FEATURES: Front and Rear Fog lamps, LED Daytime Running Lights, iCockpit 12.3” virtual driver display, Paddle shifts, 8” infotainment touchscreen, ABS and Electronic stability, Tyre Pressure Monitoring, Parking sensors

DRIVER ASSISTANCE: Blind Spot Monitor and Lane Departure Warning with Assisted Steering, Driver Attention Alert, Multi-view camera, Active Emergency Braking Assist, Passive entry and Push Start

THE PRICE: 3 trim levels – AED 99,900, AED114,900, AED 134,900

UPSIDE: Impressive styling, comfortable, Quality build and value, Spacious 5-seat mode, excellent driver assistance

FLIPSIDE: Van like rear design, Tame drive, Blower can be loud

The Design

The fact that the 3008 qualifies as a compact crossover, while the stretched design of 5008 makes it more of an MPV – though a cooler MPV – is in itself a statement of how different they are. The 5008 GT Line I was driving shared the new face of the French lion, the thick chrome-plated lower character line and other design cues with the new 3008 GT Line, including the spokes on the 18” alloy wheels – they looked like the Peugeot lion’s limbs forming ‘a circle of solidarity’!

The flat chopped off rear is more utilitarian while the front is designed to impress. The front LED lamps look like they are stitched on to the headlamps. Design, and a clever use of synthetic material and fabric, is what this generation of Peugeot will be mostly remembered for. Therefore, the appealing exteriors and interiors of the 5008 and the 3008 display much more synergy than they did five years ago. The pyramidal screen, the rocker switches, the elegant narrow AC vents and even the innovative gearshift lever that is more like the stylish handle of a fashionable electric appliance.

You haven’t seen anything like this gear lever before 3008 and it is still fresh.

One of the most striking design elements is the steering itself – looks rather small especially in this large van – almost like a plaything – but interesting to wield. Flattened at the top and bottom, and cut for a low position, the steering adds to the visibility – another thing this cabin is going to be known for! The cleverly designed virtual instrument panels are distinctive in burnished gold and copper. With elements from horology and aeronautics, their patterns have the simple appeal of Vernier calipers.

The Drive

The 5008 has a drivetrain marked for its restrain and refinement, not to mention fuel-efficiency. While there is no dearth of power, the new Peugeot 5008 is never in a rush to get the speedo climbing. There is a sport button that adds its two-pennies worth to the power and the sound output. The demand for power was not reciprocated by a clamorous uptake of the throttle – so it was a quiet drive for most part. The only exception was the road noise that crept in on rough roads and the blower that was kept high on a hot day. My test drive returned well over 10 km per litre on a mixed drive.

Peugeot has ‘corrected’ an anomaly in the 3008 and 5008 when I last drove it. To my surprise then, the 5008 was a better driving car. This time the compact crossover is clearly the better ride, while the 5008 has all the right to smile with its 7-seat body. On the straight road, while changing lanes or surging ahead, the 5008 is fine by itself; and while it can adhere to a curve steadily enough, the family van is mindful of its speed at sharp bends!

Peugeot 5008 is trying to be the car that ticks all the boxes by providing an off road dial that lets you choose from snow mode, mud ruts, sand and gravel. Well, that thing doesn’t add or takeaway much from the actual appeal of 5008 – which isn’t family adventures in North Yungas, Bolivia. But it’s always good to know that your car is mindful of managing traction! Now, for those who wonder why doesn’t Peugeot have an all-wheel drive in any of its vehicles, even its Dakkar winning 3008 all-terrain monster is a front wheel drive!

Cabin and Controls

The driver assistance features including the rear view camera make for a rather unique package that adds up to the best value in its category. There is help with changing lane, automatic headlamp dipping and visual parking assistance. The Peugeot 3008 comes with adaptive cruise control, blind spot sensors, tyre pressure sensors and parking sensors. The rear view camera has a top view, front view and guidelines as well. It even shifts intelligently to help you go back and forth. The only thing it leaves you wishing for is a little more clarity. The active safety braking and driver’s attention warning are two other useful features that ease driving pressure in a 5008 cabin. The blind spot monitor and the lane departure assist that brings you back to your lane when you drift away, does so without leaving you ‘jolted’ and ‘benumbed’, unlike some such systems!

As in the new Peugeot 3008, the dial-cluster in the cockpit can be configured to be minimalistic, cool or sporty. The way the virtual dials turn around in each transformation is a quick entertainment show! The navigation graphics is far from boring and keeps you engaged all along. There are useful niches on and around the console and some charging points.

Family Drive

The 5008 GT-line I was driving even came with massage front seats in Nappa leather – rather fancy! With the low noise and harshness of the cabin, they made long drives very comfortable though the ride was somewhat firm. I even liked the idling sound, which mildly resembled a diesel engine!

My junior was complaining that the seats were set so far behind that he had to stretch out to his mother in front – that is a huge compliment on space to a 7-seater, even with the third row down. Seat No. 6 and No. 7 are for children but, with a flat-bench second row, the 5008 can actually accommodate five in comfort and plenty in the cargo hold – like a small bicycle or half a dozen bags! It isn’t hard to understand why people shopping for a large, spacious 5-seater have picked this 7-seater!

In a car that boasts of a large glasshouse with a panoramic roof on top, the counterpart of visibility is thermal efficiency. You need to set the temperature lower and the blower higher than usual, and then you’re fine.

The essential Peugeot 5008

With its new range of SUVs – or multi utility vehicles – Peugeot has impressed with the choice of materials, quality of finish and the comprehensive package of premium driver assistance features. People who don’t like the van-like styling might want to overlook the extended rear and go for the 3008 instead. Those who like overpowered trucks and living in ice buckets might find the 5008 not their kind but it’s pretty easy to get glued to the utilitarian value and the large dose of French styling of the 5008. At the moment, there are few like it in the motoring market maze.