2024 Peugeot 2008 review | CarExpert

The current Peugeot 2008 still looks fresh five years after its global debut, and that’s not just down to striking French styling – rather, the entry-level Pug has received an update for 2024 with changes aplenty.

On the outside you now get “three-claw” LED daytime running lights, and “3D-effect” tail lights, as well as the brand’s new shield-style grille.

The interior has been treated to a freshen up, too – say hello to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity for the standard 10-inch touchscreen, which runs an upgraded infotainment system.

Under the skin, the six-speed automatic transmission has been ditched for a more efficient eight-speed across the range.

The revisions sound comprehensive but there’s a price premium attached, which begs the question – can the 2008 finally be considered a value small SUV?

Or, are buyers still paying for style over substance?

How does the Peugeot 2008 compare?

View a detailed breakdown of the Peugeot 2008 against similarly sized vehicles.

Peugeot

2008

How much does the Peugeot 2008 cost?

The updated Peugeot 2008 starts at $39,990 before on-road costs – up $1045 on last year’s model.

To see how the Peugeot 2008 shapes up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

What is the Peugeot 2008 like on the inside?

If you’re yet to win the lottery and want to feel like Bruce Wayne, this is the car for you.

Sliding into the Peugeot 2008 is like getting behind the wheel of the Batmobile, and you can’t say that about many cars south of $100,000. In fact, most of the other cars to offer a similar experience also come out of the Peugeot stable.

The interior is a futuristic ensemble of sharp edges, bright lighting, and mixed textures, with a layout Peugeot calls the i-Cockpit.

It’s easy to get comfortable in the suede and leather trimmed seats, which are firm under the bum and well bolstered.

Both front pews get three stage heating, although the passenger misses out on electric adjustment. Green and blue contrast stitching adds just the right amount of French flair, and it’s a colour scheme that’s applied consistently throughout the cabin.

While the seats themselves are accomodating for most drivers, the same can’t be said for the steering wheel and instrument display.

In keeping with the slightly offbeat presentation, the perforated leather steering wheel is uniquely small and square in shape with a pair of horizontal spokes. It’s a lovely thing to hold, and I felt completely in control of the car when using it.

But – and it’s a big but – the problematic ergonomic interplay between the steering wheel and digital display can’t be ignored.

By default the wheel sits quite low, low enough to knock against the knees of taller drivers (six-two plus) with extra leg. The answer? Tilt the wheel up.

However, that fix births a problem of equal proportions. Now, the top of the wheel blocks half the digital display, which is a dealbreaker especially considering there’s no head-up display.

It’s a massive price to pay for some extra cool factor that’s just as easily gained by having the obstructed screen on full display.

The 10-inch digital instrument cluster displays readouts in 3D – I told you it was cool. With that said, it doesn’t provide masses of data, mostly just the essentials.

Moving across to the 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system brings another mixed bag. The screen looks great with a sleek design and clean graphics, but it’s challenging to get your head around.

Functions are split across toggles, haptic buttons, steering wheel controls, and the screen, which isn’t necessarily a problem – but the spread isn’t intuitive. Key climate controls are hidden within the infotainment menus, and the home screen isn’t as simple as it should be.

Wireless smartphone mirroring has been added as part of the 2024 update, but I wish I kept my cable handy. Apple CarPlay was prone to connection failures and dropouts, as well as the occasional loss of audio.

In my experience, a further update is needed. Two USB-C outlets are available at the base of the centre stack if you want to save yourself a potential headache, while there’s also a wireless charger located close by.

Ignoring the mirroring issues, the centre screen offers an array of customisation to align the system to your tastes, from configurable menu layouts to a range of colour schemes.

The personalisation extends to colour choices for the ambient lighting strips that wrap around the dash. If you ask me, green or blue best match the rest of the interior while complementing the Batmobile vibe.

I can’t complain about the native navigation system either, which is user-friendly and comes with detailed maps.

The real high point of this interior is the mix of materials used throughout. Suede and leather is joined by faux carbon fibre weave and soft touch plastics, with a healthy dose of gloss black and a sprinkling of aluminium.

That might sound like a busy mess, but it makes for a cohesive space in the 2008 GT. Cohesive, but practical? It depends.

By small SUV standards the Peugeot holds its own with two phone-sized storage trays, dual cupholders, a deep centre console, capacious yet awkward door bins, and a small glovebox up front.

At the same time, you can purchase a variety of more spacious vehicles at this price point including a few seven-seaters.

Space in the back is also at a premium. The rear seats are harder than the already firm front chairs, and adults over six-two may find the available leg- and headroom restrictive. Narrow windows makes the second row feel a bit claustrophobic.

Young families will fit just fine, which is the standard for cars in this segment.

Storage is limited to a pair of shallow map pockets and undersized door bins. That’s right, no cupholders to be seen here. At least connectivity is covered by two power outlets, one USB-A and one USB-C.

Most personal items are better off stored in the boot, which has a capacity of 434L. It’s one of the more spacious boots in the segment, and 1467L of cargo room is available with the rear seats folded down.

There’s a big lip from the boot floor up to the seat backs though, so you can’t slide bulky items in with ease.

The tailgate opens manually, revealing a large aperture that’s perfect for most use cases. A space saver spare wheel resides under the boot floor.

To see how the Peugeot 2008 shapes up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

What’s under the bonnet?

The 2024 Peugeot 2008 is powered by a turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine producing 96kW of power at 5500rpm and 230Nm of torque at 1750rpm.

To see how the Peugeot 2008 shapes up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

How does the Peugeot 2008 drive?

The Peugeot 2008 GT is a fun yet flawed little SUV to steer around town.

For every positive impression there’s a drawback, suggesting there’s plenty of potential to further improve this package.

Ergonomic issues reduce the mass-market appeal of the 2008 immediately – for taller drivers to get comfortable the steering wheel has to be tilted up, blocking the narrow instrument display behind it. The alternative is bashing the wheel with your knees, which is neither safe nor comfortable.

Setting off isn’t always a pleasant process, either. Our tester was prone to awkward getaways from a standstill if you accelerate hard, which undermined my confidence in a smooth takeoff from traffic lights.

Torque builds fast thanks to the sharp throttle, the auto-hold is a bit grabby, which means it can feel clumsy off the line.

Before you go calling me an overzealous maniac, I haven’t faced this issue with other new front-wheel drive cars.

Once you get going, there’s actually quite a bit to like about this imperfect Pug. The 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine punches above its weight, defying the modest outputs printed on the spec sheet.

Peugeot claims 96kW of power and 230Nm of torque, but the 2008 feels relatively unstressed while accelerating at speeds under 100km/h, whether it’s zipping down suburban streets or merging onto the freeway.

A characterful, muscular tone is emitted by the three-pot, so you feel like you’re driving a sporty car.

Direct, well-weighted steering accentuates the athletic vibe, as does a 1247kg kerb weight. The 2008 is nimble on the road, so you can merge, turn and manoeuvre with confidence even though visibility is compromised by the slim panes of glass that wrap around the car.

Other safety features thrown in with the GT include a surround-view camera and lane centring. Paired with front- and rear parking sensors, the high-resolution 360-degree camera makes parking an easy task, and it’s not like the 2008 is a big car.

That makes it all the more frustrating that the new eight-speed automatic gearbox detracts from the rest of the dynamics.

The Peugeot 2008 is lazy to shift, keeping the revs too high for too long. As a result you get more noise and worse fuel efficiency, neither of which are desirable in a small SUV.

You really have to be gentle with the car for it to drive in a smooth and consistent manner. I’d argue that it’s too sensitive.

Those gripes subside once you hit the highway.

At speed the 2008 GT is comfortable and refined, with a neutral suspension tune that irons out potholes and bumps in the road.

The GT comes with adaptive cruise control, which is a tick. But newcomers to French cars will need to wrap their heads around how it operates at first.

It’s controlled by a stubby stalk located under the indicator, and the process of increasing, decreasing and confirming the speed setting isn’t intuitive for the uninitiated. It quickly becomes natural with practice.

Once the speed is set, the 2008 is a capable cruiser that rides well while keeping wind and tyre noise to acceptable levels.

What do you get?

There are just two trim levels in the 2008 range.

2008 GT adds:

• Adaptive LED headlights
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with green stitching
• Alcantara and leather-effect upholstery with green stitching
• Heated front seats
• Massaging driver’s seat
• Satellite navigation
• 3D digital instrument cluster
• Eight-colour ambient lighting
• Wireless phone charger
• Frameless auto-dimming rear-view mirror

The 2008 range also comes standard with a three-year Connected Services subscription which brings:

• Carpark locations and space availability
• Petrol station locations and pricing
• Speed camera alerts
• Live traffic updates
• Over-the-air map updates

Is the Peugeot 2008 safe?

The Peugeot 2008 has a five-star safety rating from ANCAP, based on testing conducted in 2019.

Standard safety equipment across the range includes:

• Autonomous emergency braking
• Driver attention monitoring
• Lane-keep assist
• Multi-collision brake
• Reversing camera
• Front (NEW) and rear parking sensors

2008 GT also receives:

• Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
• Surround-view camera
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Active Lane Following Assist (lane centring)

How much does the Peugeot 2008 cost to run?

The Peugeot 2008 is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

To see how the Peugeot 2008 shapes up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

CarExpert’s Take on the Peugeot 2008

The Peugeot 2008 GT is a frustrating car, because it could easily be so much better.

Fun driving dynamics and a premium interior give this French firecracker a leg up on the competition, but a combination of ergonomic and tech flaws brings it back to the pack.

That’s especially true considering that you’ll pay $45k to put a top-spec 2008 GT on your driveway. For that money you can cut the compromises with a Hyundai Kona Premium or Mazda CX-30. After something European? The Skoda Kamiq and Renault Arkana are worth a look.

If your mind is made up and it’s down to cross-shopping the GT with the base model, my money is going towards the flagship. You buy this car for a luxurious and unique small SUV experience, and the extras included with the GT are central to that.

Click the images for the full gallery

MORE: Buy a Peugeot 2008
MORE: Everything Peugeot 2008