Peugeot 5008 review

The dash houses two configurable screens, one for the driver's instruments and the other for nav and entertainment. Their operation is smooth and logical, and their graphics clean. Under the main info screen (which is 8-inches in the base spec Active Premium+ trim and 10-inches on all other trim levels) are a pair of air vents and a row of buttons – luckily Peugeot didn’t dispense with these completely during the facelift. 

Peugeot calls the system, which debuted on the last 3008, i-Cockpit, and, sure enough, the way the screens and surfaces are canted toward the driver make it feel more cocooning than we’re used to in cars like this. Above all else, it’s very modern and very cool. The quality of both materials and build is on-point for the class, while the front seats are supremely comfortable. 

And thankfully the design does not impinge on space. The two rearmost seats aren’t really for adults – more so small children up to early teens – but that’s OK. Erecting, stowing and accessing them is straightforward enough, but remember when they’re up and in use, the boot shrinks from massive (a full 952 litres) to tiny (just 166 litres). The middle row gets three individual seats that all slide fore/aft and recline. Slid all the way back and reclined a bit, it’s pretty comfy back there. Top spec GT trim adds two USB charging sockets for rear passengers too. 

One thing that still irks us a bit is the driving position. You have to sit differently in Peugeots than other cars, because the dials are designed to be read over the top of the (incredibly tiny) steering wheel, not through it. If you’re of a certain height, the wheel rim blocks the bottom half of the dials, and that’s annoying. Plus, in a car as large as the 5008 it can seem strange using such a small steering wheel.