2018 (18) Peugeot 5008 1.5 BlueHDi Active 5dr

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

In second generation form, Peugeot's 5008 switched from being an MPV to being a crossover SUV. So this was a very different kind of Peugeot 5008, but one we think style-conscious family buyers may rather like. There's space for seven and room to express yourself in a Gallic package that's distinctively different.

History

Why would you buy a seven-seat MPV when you could have a seven-seat SUV? That's the question that back in 2017 Peugeot wanted to ask you with this car, their second generation 5008. It's a question the brand sat down and asked itself before creating this car. The first generation 5008, launched back in 2010, was a mid-sized MPV with three seating rows - and a moderately successful one for the French maker. When the time came for its replacement, we expected a sleeker version of the same People Carrying formula. Instead, what we got at this MK2 model 5008's launch in 2017 was this. MPV had become SUV. Peugeot had got in tune with the times. And family buyers had gained a more avant garde option in the growing market for larger mid-sized Crossovers with three rows of seats. According to the brand, this second generation 5008 could be just as versatile as its People Carrying predecessor - it was certainly significantly longer and taller than that old car. It's worth pointing out that this change of approach wasn't all driven by a desire to suit changing customer preferences. Creating this 5008 as a completely new MPV from scratch would have been a lot more expensive for Peugeot than what they actually ended up doing here; namely, developing a slightly longer, slightly larger version of their existing MK2 3008 five seat mid-sized SUV. The two cars share virtually all the same engineering, including a stiff, sophisticated EMP2 chassis, though that platform was extended in this case by 19cms to provide for a lengthy 2.84-metre wheelbase that the Gallic maker reckoned would make this the most versatile of all the seven-seat SUVs in this sector. Back in 2017, Peugeot had been in this segment before - with the 4007 SUV that it sold between 2007 and 2012. That Mitsubishi-Outlander-based model's low-rent cabin and cramped rearmost quarters let it down though, issues that were thoroughly addressed in this MK2 5008 with a beautifully finished interior and a class-leadingly large boot, the size of which was aided by the fact that - unlike most of its rivals - Peugeot saw no reason to provide conventional versions of this car with 4WD. Other product attributes included a sporty-feeling 'i-Cockpit' driving position and a range of impressively frugal engines. Peugeot initially offered its old 1.6-litre BlueHDi diesel unit, but that was quickly replaced by a more modern 1.5-litre BlueHDi diesel. The MK2 5008 was lightly facelifted in 2020, by which time the EAT6 auto gearbox had been replaced by an EAT8 8-speed auto. And in this form, the car sold until mid-2024, when it was replaced by a third generation model.

What You Get

So what differentiates an SUV like this second generation 5008 model from the MPV it was in MK1 form? In essence, the answer lies in the fact that all the hallmarks of the SUV genre were added, primarily the long horizontal bonnet, the vertical front face and the raised body line. Back in 2017, Peugeot was pushing its products up-market - and here, that really showed. Inside at the wheel, the dash is the same as that of the second generation 3008 model, which means it's smart and of high quality, with a major cabin talking point being what Peugeot called its 'i-Cockpit' layout. As in the brand's smaller models, this sees you looking at the instrument gauges over the top of the steering wheel rather than through it, but compared to previous versions of this set-up, a key difference with this 5008 lay in its standard provision of a fully configurable and customisable 12.3-inch colour screen in place of the usual dials. Just about everything else you'll need to know can be found on what looks like a tablet PC attached to the fascia, a multifunction 8-inch colour touchscreen that deals with the stereo, 'phone and navigational functions, plus the ventilation. It could also display your chosen settings for the 'i-Cockpit Amplify' system that was standard on plusher models. What that, via two settings, 'Relax' and 'Boost', this set-up offered a 'one-touch' change to the things you see, sense, smell and feel in your travelling environment. In the second row, you'll also appreciate the 165mm that was added to the wheelbase of the 3008-derived EMP2 platform, something that freed up very decent cabin length for knees and legs in this part of the car, even before you start using the backwards and forwards sliding mechanism incorporated into the three individual chairs provided. They recline too, as taller folk might need them to if they happen to be in a plusher variant fitted with Peugeot's panoramic glass roof, which eats into headroom. So, what's it like in the third row? It's here that the 5008 benefited from Peugeot's decision not to engineer the EMP2 platform to accept 4WD. That's not the case with most Crossover rivals in this segment and as a result, cars like rival Skoda Kodiaq and Nissan X-Trail models sit third row occupants much higher and less comfortably. Six foot folk who'd be really cramped in those two competitors would be reasonably comfortable here, provided the journey wasn't too long and the middle row occupants didn't have their seats slid too far back. Finally, let's consider the boot. The hatch is easy to lift up, so you don't really need the optional electric tailgate, this being one of those you can raise with a wave of your foot beneath the bumper if you approach the car key-in-pocket and laden down with bags. Once the hatch is raised, a huge aperture is revealed, complete with a usefully low loading sill. Even when all three seating rows are upright, there's still space behind the rearmost seatbacks for more than a couple of plastic shopping bags; 166-litres to be exact. Most of the time of course, 5008 owners are probably going to be using their cars with these rearmost seats folded into the floor, an action easy and simple to complete. In which case there's 952-litres of space on offer - or up to 1,060-litres if you take out the third row seats and store them in your garage. If you need additional room and want to push down the second row seatbacks, you'll release a vast 2,042-litre capacity - or 2,150-litres if you've removed those third row seats.

What to Look For

The problems here are mainly those that relate to this model's sister design, the P84-series MK2 Peugeot 3008. Generally, most owners of MK2 model 5008s we came across were pretty happy but inevitably, there were a few issues we came across. With one owner, the oil light came on for no reason and the brake pads wore out very easily. Another owner found that the electric switches on the front doors retracted into the trim. Another customer found that the door handles wouldn't work in sub-zero temperatures. In another case, there were multiple electrical problems - for the windows, the central locking and in one instance for the entire dash. Otherwise, it's just the usual things; check the interior for child scrapes - and the wheels and rear bumpers for parking scratches. And insist on a fully stamped-up service history.

Replacement Parts

(approx based on a 2018 5008 1.5 BlueHDi excl. VAT - autodoc) Expect to pay around £5-£21 bracket for an oil filter, in the £7-£32 bracket for an air filter and around £11-£19 for a fuel filter. Front brake pads vary in price from £20-£69; rear brake pads vary in price between £19-£41 for a set. For front brake discs, think around £39-£62; for rears, think £23-£41. A timing belt and water pump kit costs in the £80-£150 bracket. A wiper blade costs in the £6-£10 bracket.

On the Road

A family-sized seven-seat SUV isn't meant to be thrown about. But it should be capable of safe, high speed handling, should circumstances demand that. If you want us to get right to it, that's what was delivered here. Don't expect to particularly enjoy the back doubles on your way home from the school run. But if necessary, the 5008 will get you through them surprisingly quickly if your kids have made you late for your first appointment of the day. At the wheel, the unusual driving position of the 'i-Cockpit' design takes some getting used to, but does encourage wrist-flick direction changes aided by this Peugeot's relatively light weight by class standards. The light, stiff EMP2 platform that provides for this has also allowed the engineers to give this car a supple ride that's only upset by the sharpest urban potholes. At highway speeds, it's very composed indeed and this, along with impressive refinement, makes the 5008 an exemplary long distance tourer. As expected, this car shares all its powerplants with the shorter but otherwise very similar 3008 SUV it's based upon - so there's a range of BlueHDi diesels and a zesty1.2-litre three cylinder PureTech petrol unit; the company's EAT6 6-speed auto gearbox was widely available as an option on most models. On the subject of auto transmission, you have to have it if you're to choose the older 1.6-litre THP 165bhp turbo petrol engine that for a short time after launch the brand rather unnecessarily included in the line-up further up the range. We were impressed by the base 1.2-litre PureTech unit's balance of power and efficiency - it claimed to be capable of up to 55.4mpg on the combined cycle and 117g/km of CO2. Probably the line-up's best all-round choice though, is the 1.5-litre 130bhp BlueHDi diesel powerplant. This was the more modern of the three diesel units offered from launch, the others being the entry-level 100bhp 1.6-litre BlueHDi unit and the top 2.0-litre BlueHDi engine, this flagship unit available with either 150 or 180bhp. Unlike its rivals, Peugeot didn't think the provision of any kind of 4WD system was necessary with mainstream versions of this car, but as an option, it did offer an 'Advanced Grip Control' system that helps you regain traction in slippery conditions.

Overall

Back in 2017, Peugeot needed to be represented in the family SUV segment with a contender to slot in above their more compact 2008 and 3008 models. This MK2 5008 provided exactly that, a logical step up for buyers needing more space and one that also offered sophisticated, luxurious packaging that on the used market we think many potential buyers will like. The cabin feels a class above anything else you can buy in this segment for the same kind of money. It's that good. So, how to sum up? Well this was, like its 3008 stablemate, a very sophisticated kind of mid-sized SUV. It feels special in a way that no other car in this segment from this period does. In a way that's uniquely Peugeot.