Peugeot 2008 2015 Long-term Review - 3

The Peugeot 2008 Outdoor 1.6 e-HDi is a neat little unit. The quasi-compact SUV is perfectly sized, is frugal, and looks fabulous. But that's where the praise ends.

It drew me in with its neat proportions, its stylish French physique. When I hopped inside, the 2008 had me flummoxed.  "How can I not like this car, it's got one of the sexiest interiors in its class!"

The mundane interior design favoured by some Asian brands is nowhere to be seen, this European instead making use of dynamic design flourishes,
clever use of LED lighting and tastefully integrated controls and infotainment screens.

The dashboard flows like a river around the unorthodox placement of the instrument dials, which are outlined by blue LED lights, adding a sophisticated look that always brought a smile to my face.

Even the steering wheel looks amazing. The wheel is tiny too, which I love because it makes turning the car much easier.

Even the handbrake looks sophisticated, with a unique design that elevates the car from transport to functional art.

Nadine noted in her review of this car that she struggled to find a good seating position and found the aesthetics lacked cohesion. For mine, the seats were comfortable, form-fitting and I had no trouble finding a comfortable driving position. Which is odd, because we're usually in accord when it comes to European cars.

I found there was a good deal of room front and rear and the panoramic glass roof was a hit with my daughter, whose top-tether child seat went in easily enough.

There's plenty of room in the generous 410-litre boot for shopping, kid’s toys, bags of potting mix and even my body board gear. Folding the seats down opens up 1400 litres though fitting a surf board requires the front passenger to cop a fin in the temple.

Messing with the car's systems, notably the HVAC controls, was intuitive and satisfying thanks to the use of high quality materials, with every button push and dial turned a pleasant tactile experience.

The steering wheel controls are great and the pared-back infotainment system works well once you get used to the menu system. Pairing my iPhone was easy, as was making calls. That said, the Bluetooth microphone embedded in the roof lining is not the best – phone call recipients often found it hard to hear me.

That could have been due to the fact the engine is about as subtle as a large belch in a crowded elevator.

Clattering loudly at all but cruising speeds, the engine is one of the car's weakest elements. The fact that it's only available with woolly five-speed manual means nine out of 10 buyers won't even take a look at this variant.

It's a shame because much of the car is very good. The amount of care that's gone into ergonomics and design is laudable – there really are few other cars in the segment that can match it. It's just not always pleasant to drive.

To its credit, the engine has a strong mid-range hit with 230Nm of torque but it's lack of power, just 68kW, means you'll be rowing through the five-speed manual like a champion sculls athlete, especially in traffic.

The engine has redeeming qualities such as a willingness to rev and impressively low fuel consumption, but the significant noise and the five-speed gearbox work against it. On a handful of occasions I struggled find the right gear for the job at hand. Uphill, I was either lugging the engine or thrashing it senseless… And at other times it would pop out of reverse after being fully engaged.

Indeed, the five-speeder is not only one gear shy of what's required today, but this one is also a bit iffy. Despite being front-drive, it has a drive mode selector for different conditions, although I'm yet to take it on a gravel road to see if these make any difference to traction levels.

Ride quality straddles a fine line between comfort and dynamism. For the most part it soaks up bumps and lumps easily enough but every now and then bashes over bigger ruts uncomfortably. It does handle rather nicely though. As the old Peugeot saying goes, why go round a corner when you can take a 'lion' through it?

Around town, it's a good operator; its small size making it easy to drive and park, especially with reversing sensors and a camera. And after a few weeks of driving this car I can say I'm smitten with the design, but crestfallen with almost everything else.

The engine is intrusive, the manual gearbox is a dog, and although passengers will feel far more special in this than the Mazda CX-3 and Honda HR-V, it's just too expensive.

If it was petrol-powered, and an automatic, things might be different. But even then the most affordable 2008 automatic is an archaic four-speed unit that costs $27K before on-road costs.

When it launched two years ago the little French wagon was an intriguing compact AWD, but today it's a different ball game and ultimately is difficult recommend when there's so many winners coming out of Japan.

Related reading:
Peugeot 2008 Long-Term Test (Intro)