We took the facelifted Peugeot 5008 over the weekend and got down to the business of driving it. Here’s our take on the vehicle.
The Peugeot 5008 seven-seater MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) has a lot of smart design elements and premium features that we love.
However, we are always more taken by its sporty handling qualities.
It is only too easy to forget this is a family car or people carrier that is about the size of a C-segment sedan, but taller and wider.
We were told that Peugeot engineers had worked hard to provide the 5008 with dynamic road holding, at no cost to comfort.
After driving it for a few days over some of worst road surfaces in Klang and the Old Klang Road area, we had no doubts that the Peugeot engineers had succeeded.
Running on Michelin Primacy HP 215/50 R17 performance tyres, the locally assembled 5008 certainly charmed us with its blend of sharp driving dynamics and refined passenger comfort.
Its front suspension is a pseudo MacPherson arrangement with a drop link anti-roll bar, while the rear has a rear torsion beam.
It should be noted that this is a mid-life facelifted 5008, with some external and cabin updates for the multiple award-winning MPV.
These updates include the latest Peugeot family face with the striking “floating” front grille, flanked by redesigned bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights.
On each side of the lower air intake, chromed trim emphasises the fog lamps with its C-shape design.
Meanwhile, the MPV’s 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbocharged engine also outputs a tad more power with 163hp or 165ps now, compared with 156hp previously.
Besides its marvellous handling and ride comfort, the 5008 offers a refined and relatively quiet ambience in the cabin.
When we drove at 80kph on smooth highways, the tachometer needle was at 1,750rpm.
At 110kph, the tachometer needle hovered around 2,400rpm.
Even when we floored the accelerator pedal and went past the 6,000rpm redline, interior noise levels were quite muffled.
The electro-hydraulic power steering is well-weighted and precise, while the six-speed automatic transmission provided smooth gear shifts.
The kit level here is impressively high - the entertainment set-up includes a multimedia system with dual seven-inch LCD screens built in the front seat headrests, two Bluetooth headphones and two separate video RCA connectors.
There is also a World In Peugeot Sound six-speaker system as well as MP3 playback, and USB and Bluetooth connectivity.
A high-resolution seven-inch retractable colour screen is located on the top centre of the dashboard, and this is the display for the navigation function and reverse camera.
To make parking easier, the 5008 also has Park Assist with front and rear sensors, and ASM (available space measurement).
Another highlight here is the extensive panoramic glass roof, with an electrically-operated retractable blind, that allows more natural light into the cabin.
A friend seated in the second row remarked, “I feel so exposed! This is almost like open-air driving.”
It also has a colour HUD (head-up display) for the driver, which shows key information such as vehicle speed and cruise control or speed limiter data.
All four front windows have a one-touch automatic powered up/down function.
The cabin has a classy feel, with its leather upholstery and conveniences including trays on the front seat backs, a space-saving electric parking brake and an eight-way powered driver’s seat.
We found generous leg, elbow and head room for 1.7-metre adults in all three seat rows.
Saying the cabin is spacious and smartly designed is certainly no understatement here, as all three seats in the second row are identical and can be reclined and moved forwards and backwards.
They can also be folded individually into the passenger compartment floor to form a flat surface.
In the third row, the two full size seats also fold individually into the rear floor.
The multiple storage options here include large and deep front door pockets, which can fit a 1.5-litre water bottle each.
The centre storage box (between the front seats), is so cavernous that it can fit six 600ml water bottles, with extra room to spare for a SmartTag.
When it comes to safety, the 5008 has a top five-star rating in the Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) and offers lots of class-leading features - one just needs to check out the brochure to be suitably impressed.
To sweeten the deal for buyers, Nasim Sdn Bhd offers a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage and 24-hour Peugeot Assistance service for all Peugeot models.
Peugeot owners also get complimentary access to the Peugeot Lounge at Subang Airport and Peugeot Privilege membership.
To sum it up, in our opinion, the facelifted 5008 is another great feature-packed deal from Peugeot and continues to impress with its high levels of refinement, comfort equipment, safety, power and performance.
