Nissan X-TRAIL v Peugeot 5008 2018 Comparison

SUVs in the role of Mum's bus

There are a handful of SUVs available in Australia with third-row seating for a couple of kids. They're mainly derived from five-seat models, and what they mostly have in common is they're really people movers masquerading as SUVs.

You won't get all-wheel drive in these models, for instance. Nor do they offer much in the way of innovation, style or creature comforts for the littlest kids.

But the 2018 Peugeot 5008 does address at least some of these points. It brings typical French flair to this sub-sector of the medium SUV segment. Is that enough though? And does it sacrifice practicality for difference sake?

Time to face up to an archetype, in the form of the 2018 Nissan X-TRAIL, to find out.

Why are we comparing them?

The mid-spec X-TRAIL ST-L is representative of the Japanese template for seven-seat mid-sized SUVs. It's affordable and popular – and very much a known quantity in the market, having been on sale in Australia since 2014.

For this comparison, the X-TRAIL is up against a real newcomer, the Peugeot 5008. This car doesn't conform to a French template for SUVs, quite simply because there's no such thing. The 5008 does embrace a lot of Peugeot design principles – the i-Cockpit layout for one – but it's really an exception in this market. Is there demand for an SUV with the seating capacity of the others, but a little more sex appeal as well?

Who will they appeal to?

Both cars are aimed fair and square at younger families of up to five, with a need sometimes to transport grandparents and/or friends. Families of seven should opt for a dedicated people mover, such as the Kia Carnival instead.

Nissan's product is bread-and-butter motoring for a smaller family with occasional need to transport more passengers. The X-TRAIL has been a popular choice in the past for its dependability, value and low running costs. But the seven-seat variant is a relatively new option.

In its previous generation, the Peugeot 5008 was an out-and-out people mover. For this latest model, Peugeot has adopted an SUV style and packed the vehicle full of appealing gadgets. It's a vehicle that will appeal to buyers who embrace the unconventional.

How much do they cost?

At $38,700 (plus on-road costs), the X-TRAIL ST-L undercuts the 5008 by over $4000, the Peugeot priced at $42,990 (plus ORCS) in standard Allure trim.

But add in $550 for the Nissan's prestige paint option, versus $690 for the Peugeot's metallic paint and the gulf widens slightly. Add $3100 more to the Peugeot's price for electric tailgate, the panoramic sunroof and the advanced safety pack, and that gap widens again substantially: over $7500.

The advanced safety pack includes fold-in mirrors with auto-dipping function for reversing, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, driver attention alert and auto high-beam assist.

Nissan offers the X-TRAIL in this level of trim with blind-spot monitoring, around-view (360-degree) monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert. Both cars are fitted as standard with autonomous emergency braking (AEB).

While the Nissan is sold with a three-year / 100,000km warranty, the Peugeot is covered by a generous five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. Service intervals favour the 5008 too, at 12-months / 20,000km, versus the 12 months / 10,000km for the X-TRAIL.

What do they do well?

The Nissan is easy to drive, it's affordable and history tells us that it can be relied on to get you and the family to Point B. Despite frequently expressed concerns about continuously-variable transmissions (CVTs), the Nissan's is a better example, and the powertrain launches from a standing start with some vitality.

In ST-L trim, the X-TRAIL was also well equipped for safety and comfort, and impressively practical for transporting seven in one trip. Headroom is excellent for adult passengers occupying any seat, and the stadium-style seat height ensures younger passengers will be able to look out – and less likely to become car sick.

As it turned out, and contrary to the ADR Combined-cycle figures for these two cars, the X-TRAIL was the more economical vehicle to run in a 50km test loop comprising freeway, country road, suburban arterials and side streets.

The Peugeot was generally felt to be quieter and rode better than the Nissan across a range of road surfaces. Furthermore, the 5008 was more enjoyable to drive, delivering neater handling and a more secure attitude in corners. Its steering was more precise and feedback was far preferable to the X-TRAIL's.

Riding on a longer wheelbase not only helped the Peugeot's handling and ride comfort, it also aided access to both rear rows of seats. The seating could also be configured for greater flexibility and enhanced legroom that just wasn't possible in the Nissan. Triple-split folding seats in the second row were an improvement on the 60:40 seating of the X-TRAIL.

Along with comfort considerations and driveability, the 5008 looked newer, felt more solid on the road and presented well inside, with attractive trim, ambient lighting, the appealing 'piano keys' and novel 'i-Cockpit' driving position.

The Peugeot's towing capacity (1350kg) is only 150kg shy of the X-TRAIL's (1500kg). Both are acceptably good figures for vehicles such as these.

What could they do better?

The Peugeot's headroom was marginal, not helped at all by the optional sunroof. Without the sunroof the 5008 would have been more accommodating for adults in the second-row seats. The front seats were superficially comfortable, but lacked support in the side bolsters once the driver began to press on harder in corners.

The driving position won't suit all, with one reviewer observing that the reach adjustment of the steering column was inadequate, when the seat was set up for the right length to the pedals. And the other reviewer found the bulge in the squab in the small of the back was annoying. At odds with its excellent graphics for the infotainment system and instruments, the Peugeot's reversing-camera display was disappointingly grainy in its resolution.

The X-TRAIL suffers from an unsettling ride that's choppy over roller-coaster bitumen, even at suburban speeds. Cornering is not the Nissan's strong point either. It can come close to the 5008 for road-holding, but that's with much body-roll, shrieking tyres and lightly-weighted, imprecise steering.

The engine was coarse from the mid-range to higher revs, and the sharper impacts were not only felt through the suspension, they could also be heard.

Inside, the Nissan looks pedestrian after the Peugeot. It's a very conventional design, although the unconventional foot-operated parking brake didn't win any friends either. The X-TRAIL's steering wheel felt huge after the Peugeot's. With the seats configured for optimal legroom the X-TRAIL wasn't easy to enter or leave via the rear doors, the 60 per cent section of the second-row seat tips forward on the passenger (near) side, making it potentially harder for kids to climb safely in the back.

Both vehicles underperformed as far as headlights were concerned and neither car came with adjustable ventilation outlets for the third-row passsengers.

Which wins, and why?

This decision boils down to one of need against want. The Peugeot is the more expensive offering, but is also more appealing across a range of criteria. Is one of the purchasing criteria about impressing the neighbours? Because that's where the Peugeot will out-perform the Nissan.

Can you do without the optional sunroof? Not only does that add to the purchase price of the 5008, it also diminishes headroom in the second row. Steer clear of that option and the Peugeot is back in the game... particularly after factoring in refinement and style.

In terms of total cost of ownership, the X-TRAIL is likely to be cheaper to refuel in everyday motoring, but the 5008 is covered by a significantly better warranty. The X-TRAIL is a little easier to drive for the average motorist, but the 5008 delivers more enjoyment. Both cars are practical – in varying ways – and both can be slightly frustrating.

For our money, and with up to $50,000 to spend, it has to be the Peugeot.

Now, about the network of servicing dealers...

How much does the 2018 Nissan X-TRAIL ST-L cost?

Price: $39,250 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 126kW/226Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel: 8.1L/100km (ADR Combined), 7.9L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 188g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP (2017)

How much does the 2018 Peugeot 5008 Allure cost?

Price: $46,780 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 121kW/240Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.0L/100km (ADR Combined), 8.6L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 156g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: TBA