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Peugeot’s third-generation family hauler braves the seven-seat class with hybrid power and new interior tech

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The new Peugeot 5008 is significant for many reasons, particularly to its maker.

You can have it as a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid or an electric car, which means it's the first seven-seater from Peugeot to make use of such powertrains.

The hybrid is designed to vaguely introduce customers to the idea of owning an electric car, because ultimately Peugeot wants you to buy an e-5008.

Since the PHEV powertrain won't be available until early next year and because Peugeot expects the hybrid to be the best-seller, this review will focus on the latter. We've reviewed the electric e-5008 separately.

While far from a halo product, the 5008's intention is to steal sales from a section of the market that for years was dominated by MPVs but is now populated by SUVs. It comes nipping at the heels of the Dacia Jogger, Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe, and you could even pitch it against passenger vans like the Volkswagen Multivan.

At any rate, the 5008 wants to make a case for itself with a spacious and practical interior, sharp styling, decent driving dynamics, a generous standard equipment list, and, of course, efficient engines.

In which case, how does it stand up against a growing market? Will its unique styling and refreshed image be enough to tempt buyers away from rival seven-seaters?

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DESIGN & STYLING

Peugeot 5008 hybrid rear

Gone are the days when the 5008 was a frumpy MPV. Even compared with the Mk2, it could hardly look more different. It's a sharply styled, thoroughly modern SUV lookalike that, despite its long and boxy roofline, manages to be quite well proportioned in the flesh. 

It sits on the Stellantis STLA Medium platform, which it shares with models like the smaller Peugeot 3008 and Citroën C5 Aircross. It is 4.79m long, 1.69m tall and 2.1m wide, making it slightly longer and wider than the already large Skoda Kodiaq.

The way it looks is totally distinctive and will be a draw for many people, but it will also put some off.

Currently, the 5008 is only available as a seven-seater, but a cheaper, five-seat version could make its way to our shores in time.

INTERIOR

Peugeot 5008 hybrid interior dashboard

Here, the 5008 must deliver on all the buzzwords: spaciousness, practicality, technology and hard-wearing materials.

Generally speaking, it delivers on each of those. Let's start with the third row, where you find two generously sized seats, just enough head room for adults under 6ft tall and a decent amount of leg room if the second row isn't reclined all the way back.

The design of the dashboard with that large infotainment screen is something to behold, but it can be difficult to use on the move.

What's more, because the second row is mounted quite high, there's enough room to stretch your feet under them, making it more comfortable.

It would be better if the third row had a more extensive provision of creature comforts such as USB-C phone chargers or air conditioning vents, however.

Moving to the second row and you will find that one of the three Isofix child-seat mounting points has been removed in favour of wider seat bases in the outermost seats. Peugeot says this was done in the name of comfort, and it has largely paid off.

What you lose in practicality you gain in long-distance comfort: these are some of the most cushioning, pliant seats in the class. Leg room is more than enough for children and adults, and head room isn't an issue either, even with the optional panoramic sunroof fitted.

Notably, you sit higher in the middle than in the front, which means you get a decent forward view out, making you less likely to become carsick. 

We have a couple of gripes with the 5008's front seat accommodation, however. There isn't as much space in the pedal box as the Skoda Kodiaq and the brake pedal is mounted significantly higher than the accelerator pedal, which means your right foot can tire quite quickly.

Generally, however, the materials here are attractive and feel like they will stand up to the test of family life. The grey, carpet-like material mounted on the dashboard feels almost as nice as it looks and the 'floating' infotainment touchscreen really is something to behold.

Peugeot's trademark small steering wheel has always divided opinion, but in this tester's eyes, it helps to make the car feel more manoeuvrable and responsive.

Boot space is excellent for the class. With the third row in place, you get 348 litres of boot space, and with it folded away, you get 916 litres – in either case, more than in the Hyundai Santa Fe, Dacia Jogger or Kodiaq.

Peugeot 5008 infotainment

All 5008s get a 21in curved infotainment and instrumentation display that's generally fine to use, being clear and responsive, if initially a little cluttered with multiple menus and functions.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both fitted as standard if you don't want to use the native software interface.

There's a useful row of shortcut buttons beneath it for important functions such as the sat-nav, air-con, vehicle settings and ADAS settings. But overall, you have to take your eyes off the road for far too long as you're getting used to its functionality.

Elsewhere you get tri-zone climate control, ambient lighting, a reversing camera and interior pre-conditioning, making the 5008 better equipped than many of its rivals.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

Peugeot 5008 hybrid front driving

The 5008's hybrid powertrain combines a 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine with a 0.9kWh battery mounted under the front passenger seat.

The battery drives an electric motor mounted within the six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and activates at slower speeds to allow for all-electric manoeuvring.

The three-cylinder engine actually sounds quite pleasant under load. It has a satisfying growl but is quiet when you want it to be.

Peugeot is keen to point out that the motor and battery – which gives only a 0.6-mile electric-only range – are there to aid efficiency, rather than performance.

The 134bhp system is good for a fairly reasonable 0-62mph time of 11.3sec and a top speed of 123mph. It also produces 170lb ft of torque helpfully low down in the rev range.

Generally speaking, the powertrain is up to the job of hauling the car's 1705kg kerb weight without much protest. It accelerates briskly enough that you don't worry about getting up to motorway speed on a slip road or taking advantage of a desirable gap in a roundabout. 

That being said, we can't help but think the powertrain will begin to act its size when there's a full load on board. A system that's good enough for the 208 and 308 hatchbacks may become slovenly when a car of this size and heft is loaded up with an extra 300kg of people and their inventory.

If that's a deal-breaker, we would recommend the forthcoming PHEV version, which will offer 192bhp plus a 48-mile electric-only range when it arrives early next year.

We can't fault the engine's refinement, however. Peugeot has been using three-pots for many years now, and this one feels like the culmination of all of its efforts and experience. It's quiet, refined and simply blends into the background whether you're on the motorway or in town.

Obviously you can hear it when you're accelerating hard, but it remains composed and somewhat unruffled. What's more, the six-speed dual-clutch 'box changes ratios imperceptibly.

RIDE & HANDLING

Peugeot 5008 hybrid rear

You might not think that a large, square and tall seven-seater like the 5008 remains as dignified on a winding road as it does outside the school gates, but it's actually quite impressive.

Of course, we're speaking in relative terms here. There's no getting away from the inevitable body lean and additional interior ambient noise that comes with a vehicle of such proportions, but what impresses us is how well the 5008 manages it all.

When it comes to a winding road, the 5008 really does handle itself better than it ought to. In some ways, this makes it the spiritual successor to the Ford S-Max.

The steering is helpfully light at slower speeds, making it feel smaller than it actually is. Once you're up to speed, it adds just enough weight to inspire some confidence, and most notably it's direct and accurate, helping you to place it more easily on the road.

Its cornering dynamics are only compromised if you take it too far out of its comfort zone. For example, if you enter a roundabout carrying a little more speed than you should be, it will begin to understeer and lean quite heavily. In all other situations, it feels well controlled.

You can configure the way it drives via three modes: Eco, Comfort and Sport. Eco slackens off the throttle response and energy-wasting systems like the air conditioning. Sport adds some more weight to the steering and sharpens up the dampers to reduce the aforementioned body lean. Comfort is a good balance between the two and will likely be the mode that most people use.

Therein the ride feels supple enough, but even on smooth road surfaces it can be quite fidgety and struggles to really settle. The slower you go, the more supple it becomes, basically, despite big 19in wheels being fitted as standard.

Around town, its chunky 55-section tyres help to to deal with potholes quite well, although the noise of the tyre entering said pothole can ricochet around the airy cabin and make it sound more impactful than it actually is.

Its boxy proportions mean that once you're up to speed, there's more wind and tyre noise than you really want, which is a pity but hard to avoid in a car of such proportions.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

Peugeot 5008 hybrid front three quarter lead

The hybrid 5008 promises official fuel economy figures of 52.5mpg on the combined cycle. However, in our time with it, we saw just 44.0mpg. Having said that, this is still close to the Dacia Jogger Hybrid’s real-world figure of 45.4mpg.

CO2 output is rated at 122g/km, good for the 29% company car tax bracket and beating the Kia Sorento Hybrid (158g/km) and Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid (159g/km).

Peugeot's eight-year/100,000-mile warranty is a bit of a trump card, if not quite industry-leading.

What's more, it's usefully cheaper than many of its rivals, both in terms of starting price and when you compare equipment levels like for like.

Peugeot also tends to run very competitive monthly PCP finance deals, so you will likely see monthly payments starting at around £400 per month.

The 5008 also comes with the brand's extremely competitive eight-year/100,000-mile warranty, which applies provided you keep your car serviced every couple of years at official Peugeot dealers.

VERDICT

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Peugeot 5008 hybrid front three quarter static

The 5008 is precisely the sort of car that does exactly what it needs to do for those who will ultimately consider it. It's by no means characterful or particularly exciting, but for the most part it provides cost-effective, spacious and easy-to-drive transport for large families with an assured and refined powertrain.

It's also very spacious inside, with enough practical touches, a large boot and decent head and leg room for its passengers, and on the road it conducts itself better than many of its rivals. 

It's a pity that its powertrain doesn't offer a bit more performance and its third row lacks some creature comforts, but it's still a strong performer by the standard of the seven-seater class.

Jonathan Bryce

Jonathan Bryce
Title: Editorial Assistant

Jonathan is an editorial assistant working with Autocar. He has held this position since March 2024, having previously studied at the University of Glasgow before moving to London to become an editorial apprentice and pursue a career in motoring journalism. 

His role at work involves running Autocar's sister title Move Electric, which is most notably concerned with electric cars. His other roles include writing new and updating existing new car reviews, and appearing on Autocar's social media channels including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.