Peugeot 5008 review

Hella smart just about covers it. It’s quite unlike anything else out there but extremely attractive all the same; a collection of unusual shapes, soft touch materials (special mention to the cloth dashboard) and abundance of screens.

As is the Peugeot way, the steering wheel is small and you view the instrument screen over the top. It feels slightly strange to be driving a car this size with such compact controls, but in practice the setup works much better in Peugeot's SUVs than it does in its saloons.

Is the tech any good?

The dial display is attached to the central touchscreen, to form a 21in panoramic curved double screen. It’s a real showstopper, sure to wow your many passengers, and just as impressive as any of the iPad-aping touchscreens that rivals offer.

It all works as you expect it to, with the instrument cluster offering multiple different displays to suit your taste, including back-to-basics, navigation and energy flow views. We generally stuck to the simple display, but the navigation display works well and allows you to keep focused on the road.

The central screen meanwhile has a tiled user interface, which lets you swipe between satnav, radio, and climate controls. Which you’ll do once and then plug your phone in (smartphone mirroring is standard), never to venture there again. Maybe.

In the centre of the dashboard you’ll find Peugeot’s i-Toggles digital control panel. This can be customised to 10 pre-set shortcuts to things you use a lot, such as climate controls, favourite radio stations, or frequently called contacts. It takes some setting up but it’s a smart solution to the demise of physical switchgear in the car world.

Is it as spacious as Peugeot claims?

We found little to complain about, with huge amounts of head and legroom for first and second row passengers. But that’s not what you’re really asking, is it…

No, further back you’ll find the two extra seats which make this a seven-seater. Getting in and out is relatively straightforward, with the middle row sliding to allow better access. Providing your passengers are under six foot, they’ll be comfortable enough. There’s even a couple of cupholders back there too, though it’s a shame there’s no aircon or USBs like you get in the Kia Sorento.

The boot itself offers 348 litres of space with the rearmost seats up, 916 litres with them folded down, and 2,232 when you additionally sacrifice the second row, trumping the Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe and Skoda Kodiaq. Monstrous. There's no penalty for opting for the plug-in either, with the battery not impacting boot space.