After a week with the new Peugeot 5008 GT Sport, I found myself curiously drawn to berets, Edith Piaf and was tempted to dip my croissant in my morning coffee… such is the French power of this compact seven-seater SUV.
The 5008 is Peugeot's largest SUV available in the local market but it isn’t a big bruiser to drive. It’s the stretched version of the 3008 but it offers flexibility with those extra two seats, it’s big boot and clever storage configurations that should suit most gear stowage.
But do you get the family features that often make bigger SUVs the more practical choice?
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Peugeot 5008 2022: GT Sport 1.6 THP 133
| Engine Type | Turbo 4, 1.6L |
|---|---|
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 5.6L/100km (combined) |
| Seating | 7 |
| Price From | $44,770 - $52,030 |
| Safety Rating |
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What does it look like?
It’s a reasonably compact seven-seater compared to some rivals. It’s chunky and a little boxy but surprisingly, the heavy use of black accents and the black roof sandwich the wide body panelling, making it look far sleeker than it really is.
It has quite a solid shape but the chequered grille, sharp LED lights and daytime running lights plus Peugeot's classic ‘claw’ brake lights give it some sexy style cred. The sequential indicator lights are also a nice touch.
The outside doesn’t get all of the looks. The dashboard is really interesting, there’s lots of lovely detailing with the mixed use of materials and at night the cabin is brought to life by stylish blue ambient lighting.
However, there are some aspects that make the finish feel a little under executed. Mainly the massive gaps that can be found in the dash and between the doors and the dash (I could almost fit my whole hand in them). It’s something that once you notice, you can’t ignore.
The smaller steering wheel took some getting used to but you’ll grow very fond of it. It definitely gives you some ‘race car’ vibes. The quilted Nappa leather seats, black headliner and panoramic sunroof add some serious plush factor. It’s an attractive car, despite its squarish outer.
How does it drive?
The GT Sport has a surprisingly small engine for such a big car but the turbo-petrol more than delivers. There’s plenty of power when you put your foot down and it’s eager to jump into it.
I really like how responsive it is, even at lower speeds in the stop/start traffic in the city. Overall, it’s fairly smooth with the supple eight-speed automatic transmission. The suspension feels on the firmer side but you won’t wince when you go over bumps.
It holds its own in corners, where there’s not heaps of body roll and you get to enjoy the decisive steering wheel in action. It’s a shame the cabin gets a fair bit of road noise, enough that you never quite forget about it.
How spacious is it?
The space is a bit mixed. The front has great legroom but there’s not heaps of headroom and you feel like you’re sitting up high because of it.
The back seat also has great legroom and the width of the three individual seats will offer flexibility with space but again, the headroom isn’t awesome. I’m 168cm (5’6’) and even I felt a bit cramped. Which is something to consider if you’re regularly transporting taller adults or teens.
It’s very small in the third row and my five-year old barely had enough room for his little legs, so consider them ‘sometimes seats’, a bit like the VW Tiguan Allspace.
The storage throughout is pretty good. The centre console is quite large and has a bottle holder in it and although the glove box is shallow, it also has a deep spot for larger items.
There are a few cubbies throughout, including a large one for your phone and a small nook next to the gearshift.
The boot is large and comfortably fits a lot of gear. And unlike pretty much all other seven-seaters, you can remove the third row should you need more space.
The thing that makes this car stand out, though, is the flexibility of the cargo areas. The front passengers seat folds flat (a rarity), the middle row folds in thirds and the third-row folds flat as well.
With all seats up, capacity is handy 237 litres, growing to 1670L (to roof height) with the second row folded, and a substantial 2042 litres of space (again, to roof height) with just two seats up. The storage options are vast, indeed.
How easy is it to use every day?
Some of the tech is a little clunky to use, but overall, it’s an easy car to potter around in. I have to position the steering wheel quite low so it doesn’t cut off the digital instrument panel.
If you’re considering any current Peugeot, you should make sure you can get a comfortable position that still allows you to see the instruments - some drivers can’t.
The front seats are a highlight. They’re very comfortable and both adjust electrically, are heated and have lumbar and knee support.
But it’s the driver who will be spoiled with the awesome and customisable massage function! This was fantastic on a longer road trip, and on short trips. Basically, once I discovered it, I had it on all the time.
The middle row has some good amenities. Retractable sun shades are always a highlight but the tall window sills meant my five-year old didn’t have as much of a view as he would have liked.
He found it easy to climb in and out of this car, which was good for me (and my back). There are practical kickplates for little feet plus map pockets and a drink holder in each door but no cupholders or armrest.
The directional air vents have climate and fan control, which is always a plus for comfort.
My son LOVED the ‘picnic trays’ and tried to make use of his whenever he was in the car. He used it for snacks and as a drawing table but there are no reading lights in this row, so it was hard for him to use at night when we travelled.
The designers missed an opportunity to incorporate some built-in cupholders and make the tray a bit larger and more… adult sized. But I like the two USB-A ports so back seat passengers can stay charged up.
I would have liked to have seen a powered tailgate in this model, as they’re always handy when you have kids in tow.
How safe is it?
The GT Sport comes with some of the safety features I’d expect for a car at this price point. Like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane keeping aids, AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, forward collision warning and also an electric child lock for the rear doors.
I was surprised it doesn’t have rear cross-traffic alert, which is always good to have in an SUV.
The 5008 comes with a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating but testing was done ages ago in 2016 (and it was based on the 3008, not this actual car!).
This model only comes with six airbags, and unfortunately, the curtain airbags don’t cover the third row.
Unusually, there are three ISOFIX mounts (they are usually reserved for the window seats only) and three top tether child seat mounts and with the right car seats, I’m confident you’ll fit three side by side.
It was easy fitting my harnessed booster and I liked how high the top tethers sit. It means you can just reach over to fit your strap instead of getting into the boot.
There is ample room for front occupants when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed too, which is great.
What’s the tech like?
The technology is great on paper but, some of it, less so in practice.
The 10.0-inch multimedia touchscreen system takes some getting used to and is a bit clunky to use.
I don't like having to access it to handle climate and fan control settings, but it does have built-in sat nav, which is always handy.
It has wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and it was super easy to connect my iPhone 8 Plus. However, I don’t love the trailing cable, it feels untidy in an otherwise sleek cockpit.
There are multiple USB-A and 12-volt ports throughout the front and middle rows but the third row is largely forgotten.
The camera system is disappointing. The 360-degree view, front and rear cameras should have been an ace, but the camera image is pretty blurry for a car at this price point.
How much does it cost to own?
The 5008 GT Sport will cost you $61,940, before on-road costs. It’s reasonable value-for-money considering it offers flexibility with its seven seats and is a highly specified model that sports some nice luxury features.
The official combined fuel cycle figure is 5.6L/100km and I achieved 7.8L/100km on a mix of city and open road driving.
Higher than I expected given my longer trips but you will compromise to get the power that this engine delivers, and it's a small engine moving a pretty big car.
The GT Sport comes with Peugeot's five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is standard for this class but it also comes with five-year roadside assistance.
You can five-years capped-price servicing and it averages out at $528 dollars annually, which is fairly competitive. Servicing intervals are every 12 months or a longer than usual 20,000km, whichever comes first, which is great.
Verdict
Peugeot 5008 GT Sport earns points with the driving performance and luxury seats (especially that driver’s seat!). The flexibility of the cargo space and width of the middle row offers great options for different types of families. However, the headroom could be better and the blurry camera system could see some improvement. It was also disappointing that this was missing the important safety feature of curtain airbags for the third row, meaning it won’t suit all families. So, it gets an 8.0/10 from me. My son loved his picnic tray, blind and the sunroof. He thought this one was ‘sooooo cool’, he gave it a 10/10.
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