Peugeot’s relentless push to match premium rivals is laudable in many respects, not least because in terms of style and finish the 5008 lands some convincing blows on the upper crust competition.
Yet it’s not just in its showroom appeal and kerbside kudos that the car is aiming high, because the brand’s product planners have been ambitious with pricing too. You’ll now need a whisker over £31,000 for the entriest of entry-level models, while pushing the bateau out on a flagship GT Premium 2.0 HDi will leave you just £25 change from £42,000. For comparison, a Skoda Kodiaq will cost you around £1,000 to £2,000 less, spec for spec.
There is an upside, however, in that the Peugeot does benefit from surprisingly rock solid residuals. Even when compared to a rival with the blue chip reputation of the Mercedes GLB, the 5008 comes out on top after three or four years, retaining more of its value. That’s quite something when you think about the French firm’s frequently flaky performance in this area in the not too distant past.
On paper, the combination of a large SUV body, relatively small turbocharged engine and automatic gearbox isn’t one that brings to mind thoughts of fuel efficiency - and so it proves. Our test return of 32.7mpg isn’t disastrous, but it falls short of the claimed figure of between 36.4 and 43.8mpg. That said, for a car that weighs 1521kg, fuel efficiency isn’t bad, although once loaded with passengers and luggage you’ll likely see unleaded consumed at a more wallet-unfriendly rate.
