We review the Peugeot 5008 from price to economy and all its features
THE people carrier has come a long way since Renault's greenhouse-onwheels Espace in 1984.
Especially in the past few years the Ford S-Max and Citroen C4 Picasso have actually made the MPV a desirable car to own rather than just a practical requirement.
Dynamic … sleek and chiselled Peugeot 5008
Now Peugeot have got in on the act with their new 5008. The people carrier is clearly not an embarrassment any more.
With most cars still covered in snow and looking like pieces of leftover Christmas cake, the 5008 cut an impressive figure on the roads.
It now gets a sharper face and a more chiselled and shapely rear. They give it a sleeker, more dynamic shape.
Top drawer … refined and economical engines
Inside, it certainly doesn't look like a mundane people carrier — it has a sporty dashboard and centre console that wraps around the driver and passenger like a coupé.
But behind the front seats, the 5008 is every inch a functional, family-friendly people carrier, with the versatility buyers are looking for.
Five adults will have ample room if they are sitting in the front two rows.
And the three seats in the second row slide back and forth individually, while each seat is broad enough to take a child seat. To get to the third row, you simply pull a handle on either side of the outer middle row of seats and the base flips up like a cinema seat to the back row.
Even with seven on board, the boot is big enough for a few bags of shopping.
If you fold all the rear seats flat, the 5008 becomes a very handy load-lugger, capable of swallowing up to 1,754 litres.
more motors
I was really impressed by the quality of the interior — it is getting fairly close to prestige German levels of materials used.
I'm also a big fan of head-up display (a mini screen in your eye-line that displays your speed) — although that only comes with the top-spec model.
The refinement levels, whether you drive the petrol or diesel engines, are top-drawer — so good that the biggest thing you notice is a bit of exterior wind noise at high speeds.
Both the 1.6-litre and the 1.6 turbo petrols are useful performers that return just under 40mpg. But I would go for the 1.6 turbo diesel which is quick and excellent on fuel economy, ranging from 53mpg for the smaller engine, but even the 2-litre is good for 41.5mpg.
Practicality … individually sliding seats
Perhaps the most enjoyable and impressive attribute is how well it drives.
There's loads of grip and none of the usual body lean you experience in bulky people carriers. I also found the gearbox very slick and satisfying to use.
The turbo versions of both the petrol and diesel also get Peugeot's dynamic roll control system that boosts its cornering capabilities even more.
The 5008 starts at £16,895 for the 1.6-litre petrol, up to the 2-litre diesel from £20,595.
The 1.6 diesel I drove costs £18,448. It's on sale now.