Peugeot 5008 2019 Review - Long-term test #2

There are few ways to uncork the intricacies (and idiosyncrasies) of a new car than a good ol’ fashioned road trip.

From a speedometer that reads off-piste by a few kilometres at highway speed to cupholders that are not truly worthy of the gulp-sized servo slurpee, Aussie roads have a knack for exposing the pleasant or sometimes-needling features of a new vehicle.

For part two of our time with the Peugeot 5008 long-termer, a 1200km round trip in the space of 18 hours makes a case in point.

The 5008 has proven something of a dark-horse during our initial foray, stamping itself as a worthy alternative to the regular seven-seat SUV set. Initially, we were impressed with the interior design, the eye-line finishes and the efficient packaging of the cabin given the car’s relatively diminutive footprint.

The efficacy of the Peugeot’s 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine was another talking point, pushing along the Peugeot’s 1500kg heft without fuss. In daily conveyance, you couldn’t want for much more power, and when pushing up to its relaxed highway speed, the four-pot presses on in a refined and predictable manner.

Alas, the Hume Highway beckons. We’ve loaded up on caffeine, lollies and beef jerky. Let’s hit the road.

Our overnight road trip involves a quick jaunt down the Hume Highway, from Sydney to Albury. The following day, we go through the process of obtaining a CAMs licence at a sodden Winton Raceway before turning back and plotting north along the Hume.

Settling into the Peugeot’s driver’s pew upon leaving Sydney initially brings equal measures of comfort and confusion.

For those not familiar with modern Peugeot ergonomics, the 5008 employs the car-maker’s iCockpit system. This involves a small steering wheel that sits in front of a digital dashboard. Simple enough?

Problem is, as we’ve pointed out in numerous reviews, the steering wheel tends to block out key information within the driver instrument cluster, which is something of an ergonomic blunder – on face value, at least. It is also smaller than most tillers, though still manages to neatly integrate hard-wired buttons, which allow to you toggle through infotainment and driving features without distraction.

On Peugeot’s advice, we choose to sit the wheel lower than we normally would, and presto! Over the space of a 1200km road trip, the newly adopted position is now the norm. OK, so not an absolute solution, but there’d be an army of converts out there who would sing from the same song sheet.

Elsewhere, the 5008’s long-range amenity is quite admirable. Bottle-ready cupholders in the doors team with an open cubby space beneath the centre binnacle to deliver adequate storage space; the seats are low-set in the cabin and comfortable enough for long hours in the saddle; and the outward view is unobscured.

These factors, combined with nimble dynamics, the small steering wheel and fuss-free driveline, allow the 5008 to truly shrink-wrap its driver.

Moreover, road noise and wind noise is insulated in such a way that you feel fresh upon getting out of the car, even at the end of a long journey. The levels aren’t quite at prestige car refinement, but they’re a step in the right direction.

The insulation comes into its own inside Sydney’s dreaded M5 tunnel, which snarls most afternoons, and makes for slow progress as we meander our way towards the border. Alas, the Peugeot’s gearbox and throttle tip-in are such that, even in stop-start scenarios, it accelerates steadily and predictably, which is a plus.

The standstill allows time to appreciate the 5008’s other assets.

Access to its infotainment suite, and more specifically, Apple CarPlay software, is afforded by one solitary USB point, located at the front of the open cubby space. On longer journeys, the dearth of a second, third or even fourth USB point is noticed – especially if you plan to lorry around five or more people. One consolation is there are three 12-volt outlets – one in each row.

Similarly, the Peugeot’s simple screen interface can require some adjustment, as it often asks you to delve through more than one screen to adjust something like the air-con temperature or the fan speed.

But, back to the journey. Once out of Sydney, smooth progress along the Hume is eventually assured thanks to the 5008’s pillowy ride, which follows curvatures in the road but manages to take the edge out of sharper bumps in spite of its 18-inch tyres.

The 5008’s lights (which aren’t flanked by LED daytime running lights in Allure guise) cut a clear path ahead into the darkness, lending the car strong night driving credentials.
By now, the 5008’s cabin is now blanketed in the soft glow of blue ambient lighting, which primarily pokes through from intricate panelling in the doors.

Being so small, real-world fuel use is admirable, too. Open road driving elicits respectable 6.5L/100km readout, just above the manufacturer’s advertised figure. One disclaimer here, the 5008’s turbo-petrol engine requires 95 Octane premium unleaded petrol.
Backing up

Perhaps more impressive about the 5008’s internals is its second-row space. On this particular journey, a forward facing child car seat is easily accommodated, and nifty features like the flip-down arm rest, retractable window shades and airline-themed food trays (installed on the rear of the front seat backs) all help make the journey more comfortable.

We’re not using the 5008’s third row on this occasion (we do in an upcoming review), but alas, the fore-aft adjustment of the second row, and tilt adjustment of the seats allow umpteen seating configurations (would you believe a 65-inch plasma television fits in the boot area with minimal adjustment? We’ll get to that in the coming reviews). The installation of 40:20:40 split-folding seats is another plus, especially if a child seat has been installed.

In our next instalment, we take the Peugeot 5008 in for a routine health check, taking in requisite costs, and see how it fares with seven people on board.

How much does the 2018 Peugeot 5008 Allure cost?
Price: $45,490 (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)
CO2: 156g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Long-Term Tests
We aim to make your choice of vehicle easier. Our Editorial section does this via our mix of news, international and local launch reviews, as well as our seven-day tests.

From time to time we also take the opportunity to spend even longer with a vehicle. These longer-term tests can be as short as a couple of weeks, but more recently we’ve settled on a three-month period as indicative of ‘normal’ ownership.

Long-term tests give our staff writers and contributors a chance to get to know a car as an owner would. While the car is with us, we pay for fuel, the servicing, and generally use and live with the car as a new owner would.

We believe long-term tests give car buyers a deeper insight into the vehicle on test, but also the qualities behind the brand and nameplate. The extended period also allows us to touch base with the dealer networks in question.

It comes as no surprise that manufacturers tend to have a love-hate relationship with long-term tests. Three months is plenty long enough to fall out of love with the latest and greatest, and start to nit-pick — just like real owners do.