Peugeot 2008 2015 Long-term Review - 1

A uniquely French offering in a once niche, now rapidly growing segment begs all kinds of questions. Does a Chanel necklace actually transform a daytime outfit into evening attire? Likewise, does the 208-based 2008 offer anything more than a pricey costume change? And if it means more choice for consumers, who cares?

Give the Peugeot 208 a new outfit and you have Peugeot’s city-sized SUV: the 2008. Our test vehicle is the 2008 e-HDi Outdoor specification, the only diesel model in the range. It comes with a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine that produces 68kW and 230Nm and is paired exclusively to a five-speed manual gearbox. To score a four-speed auto, you'll have to switch to petrol-powered Active or Allure variants.

Armed with my most lethal weaponry – a couple of car seats, kids and their gear – the A94-series 2008 was instantly in mad-family mode – for which the 2008 appears well suited. Honourable mention goes to the simple switch to activate child locks, there was no fussing with fiddly in-door mechanisms or second-guessing whether I had actually remembered to do it. A lack of second-row air vents, however, feels like an oversight; particularly with a large panoramic roof to heat the cabin on summer days. Cue whining.

The 2008's exterior dimensions are within centimetres of the 208, but the interior presents as larger and more flexible. Boot capacity for the example on test is generous at 410-litres, growing to 1400-litres with the seats folded flat. It makes the 2008 more practical than it may first appear.

The French carve a style of their own, setting them apart from the usual Euro suspects, but not always for the better. I found the ergonomics lacking, despite much time spent adjusting my position. I’ll be keen to see how my taller counterparts fare in this department...

One thing is for certain, the 2008's interior aesthetic and design quirks will no doubt divide opinion in the motoring.com.au team. I found there to be a little too much going on to maintain a cohesive flow. And the unnatural position of the handbrake was a constant annoyance.

The generous technology offering on the other hand – including a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, satellite navigation and 7.0-inch touch screen infotainment system – worked without fault.

The second-row seating is comfortable, albeit a little tight. I did manage to cram two child seats and a third passenger in the back seat, though admittedly the third passenger wasn’t super happy.

On the go, the turbocharged diesel engine is delightfully zippy. Torque kicks in early with plenty of drive from low revs, making it very capable for urban motoring – ideal, even when you factor in fuel economy.

What’s not ideal is the manual-only gearbox for the diesel. For short-burst city driving it became a little tiring. Add to this some ergonomic challenges (I found the throw between gears a little long) and an auto-box seems the more likely choice.

I had no use for the Outdoor’s driver-selectable Grip Control technology which hints at some level of off-road capability – which we’ll no doubt test the life out of in future updates.

Notably, the 2008 claims to be super frugal, sipping an average of just 4.7L/100km for a city-based cycle (down to 4.0L/100km for highway driving), and it’s safe to say such claims are not far wrong. My week of predominantly city-based driving, with loads of short-trip stop-start driving, saw the 2008 return an average of 5.0.

My first impressions of our long-termer remain mixed. It's a little expensive, more so when you consider Peugeot’s three-year/100,000km warranty is well short of best in class these days, but in isolation proves easier to like.

Unfortunately you just can't ignore the fact the 2008 is pitched against strong rivals like the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3, which means it could be fighting a losing battle.

Let's see what my colleagues think in a few week's time.