2021 Peugeot 5008 GT review

Following in the wheel tracks of the recently refreshed 3008 comes Peugeot’s largest updated offering, the seven-seat 5008.

It’s an SUV of sorts, but one with a Euro-style to it, successfully morphing aspects of the MPV into a more marketable prospect. Like the 3008, the revised 5008 comes with a new look on the outside, a tech upgrade inside and a reshuffle of the local line-up.

Up front it wears a new mask, the bumper completely re-profiled and the grille spreading itself between the new-look LED lights. From there, the fanged DRLs sweep down into the lower valance. It gives the 5008 a rather striking look, especially when viewed next to the old model.

Inside the major change concerns the larger 10-inch screen for the infotainment system, while they’ve rearranged the way it does things, making the more frequently used functions easier to access. The configurable 12.3-inch digital dials are now more legible thanks to Peugeot engineers tinkering with the contrast and rendering.

The range starts with the entry-level Allure, up $6k now at $53,990 and still with the 121kW/240Nm 1.6 turbopetrol and six-speed auto combination. The GT variant can be had with a 133kW/250Nm version of the 1.6 turbo, mated to an eight-speed auto, which is $60,990. The GT diesel is $62,990 (up $5k since we drove it last) while the 130kW/400Nm 2.0-litre is now paired with an eight-speed auto. All 5008s are front-wheel drive.

The 1.6 turbo in the GT we drove is optimised for low-end torque, which is what you want for the majority of the time and so there’s little hesitation away from a stop. The eight-speed shifts in a refined manner, and kicks down swiftly when needed on the motorway, though it can dither with gear selection at slow speeds when you need to get going again. The powertrain is quiet for the most part, and reasonably economical too, with a long term average of 7.2L/100km for this machine over 2000km travelled.

You get used to the unique Peugeot driving position with its low slung wheel and the instruments sighted above. The seat is nice, so too the 5008’s general progress. Its rear end, with big 19s and a torsion beam set-up can pick up the odd jolt when traversing pock-marked city streets though. It’s an easy-going type of conveyance, with light steering, and a good turning circle while its overall size means it’s not a menace in the city. Both the Allure and GT models are well fitted out in terms of active safety features. The cruise device still uses PSA’s decade’s old wand that has been adapted to control the system’s active functions. It works surprisingly well, once you’ve mastered its blind operation, for it is completely obscured by the wheel. And the GT gains the all important Stop and Go functionality for rush hour tailbacks. They’ve added a centring function for the lane keeping, but you can opt out if you find its behaviour irksome.

The reversing camera has a pseudo-surround view function, but it’s not convincing, and nor is the grainy image it projects. The 5008’s interior still impresses, your attention diverted from the few harder plastic bits by the cabin bling on the dash, the woodgrain panelling adding a splash of elegance.

As mentioned, we like the 5008’s in-betweener sizing; it’s just big enough for a seven-seater, but doesn’t take up the whole driveway. The boot space with the rear row of seats stowed is mighty impressive, measuring up at 702L and it’s low load height and wide tailgate make packing it easier. There’s also a powered rear door.

The seating versatility of the 5008 is another of its charms. You’re not going to squeeze a loose forward into the third row, but kids go okay. The deployment of these seats is a mite fiddly but they can also be removed. This doesn’t really free up much more usable storage space, but it does make cleaning the rear quarters out easier; kids can make quite a mess in the back. With three individual seats in the second row and decent cabin width, you can actually fit three child restraints across without them being squeezed too tightly together. And each seat has Isofix points too.

Other things to note; only the Metallic Copper colour comes gratis; the six other hues range in price from $550 to $950. The diesel version has an 1800kg tow rating, 500kg more than for the petrol.

This GT was fitted with the $5000 Premium pack, adding the 19s (18s are standard), Nappa leather replacing the usual Alcantara and leatherette, the wood dashboard finishing, a banging 10-speaker Focal hifi system and acoustic side glass. You might consider the service plan too, which costs $1590 for three years and 45,000km.