NEED to move up to seven people in comfort and style? Where here is the car for you as we got our hands on the very latest Peugeot 5008 Hybrid in entry level Allure trim.
I have to say that this is a big vehicle but over a busy week of town and country driving it returned a surprising 48mpg plus from its diminutive yet powerful 1.2 three cylinder turbo petrol engine.
The engine is boosted by an electric motor with a further 22 horse power meaning 0 to 62 in a respectable 11.3 seconds and a top speed of 123mph. That gives very relaxed cruising at the legal motorway limit and plenty of power for day-to-day driving.
Now in its third generation the latest 5008 is more striking but it’s not just on the surface that things have changed. The previous conventional petrol and diesel engines have been replaced by two hybrid options and an electric version
Our mild hybrid’s turbocharged petrol engine and electric motor gives a total of 136bhp while a PHEV version has a larger petrol engine (1.6 litres), a higher total output (192bhp) and can travel up to 48 miles on electric power only.
Our test mild hybrid version uses the electric motor more to assist when extra power is needed rather than being able to travel on electric only giving those excellent mpg figures.
Like all modern Peugeot models the 5008 has a high-set digital driver’s display where you look over the steering wheel which works quite well with the high driving position which also means a good view forwards and excellent rear visibility because of the tall rear windows and large cut-outs in the rear pillars.
All versions also come with rear parking sensors and a reversing camera to help with manoeuvring while a 360-degree bird’s eye view camera is available on range-topping GT trim.
The digital driver’s display merges into a central infotainment touch screen which can be operated without taking your eyes far from the road thanks to its position at the top of the dashboard. It’s easy to reach from the driver’s seat and the graphics are nice and clear
Quality throughout the interior is a match for rivals with soft-touch plastics and the dashboard and doors are trimmed in attractive grey fabric. Top-spec GT models get ambient interior lighting to further add to the upmarket feel.
There’s plenty of space in the front along with some sizeable storage cubbies while in the second row the three seats are no longer all the same size, the outer two are bigger making life more comfortable for two rear passengers.
On to the 5008’s USP, that third row of seats (all versions are full seven seaters) accessed by simply pulling levers on top of the second-row seats causing them to tilt and slide forwards leaving a good-sized gap to climb through.
Although there’s not a lot of leg room in the third row when those in the second row slide forward a bit it’s possible to sit three adults behind one another.
Folding the rearmost seats down is easily done from the boot via levers on the seatbacks. In five-seat mode there is a huge 916 litres of storage on offer while the second-row seats can also be folded almost flat effectively turning the car into a small van.
Our entry-level Allure trim comes with 19in alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, cruise control, built-in sat-nav, a wireless phone-charger and tri-zone climate control for £37,735.
The GT version is £46,830 and brings larger 20in wheels, Alcantara upholstery, a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, adaptive cruise control and headlights plus a powered tailgate. And if electric only is your thing then that version costs £49,800.
For more information see www.peugeot.co.uk
By Motoring Editor Steve Howarth