Background
Consumer power has prompted major manufacturers to make sure they have appropriate vehicles to cover all the market sectors lately and no consumers shout louder than families. Peugeot's 5008 fits very neatly into the natural gap between family estates and large people carriers, rivalling Renault's Grand Scenic or Citroen's C4 Picasso for practical family motoring, despite arriving somewhat late to the party.
With domestic and international rivals having already filled their spaces in this particular market sector, Peugeot were able to build upon PSA partner Citroen's extensive MPV experience to rather impressive result, the 5008 winning various awards and healthy media acclaim in its first year. However it seems largely to have bypassed public recognition, becoming something of a footnote in compact MPV history when by merit it should probably be up there with the leaders.
Upon launch in early 2010 the 5008 was offered with a choice of two petrol and six diesel powerplants: a 120bhp 1.6 litre VTi with a five-speed manual gearbox and a 156bhp 1.6 litre THP with a six-speed manual box, then two 110bhp 1.6 litre HDis in six-speed manual or semi-automatic versions, a 150bhp 2.0 litre HDi six-speed manual and lastly a 163bhp 2.0 litre HDi six-speed automatic.
Bang for your buck
Aesthetically the used Peugeot 5008 for sale managed to be both modern and relatively elegant, while simultaneously ticking all the boxes for practicality. Available in both five and seven-seater options, the generous luggage area benefits from a wide aperture with a fairly flat lip to the loading bay for easy access for bulky items. Even carrying five adults, the 5008 gives you a handy 758 litres of luggage space. All the passenger seats have an easy fold flat mechanism and access to the third row is neatly achieved by a switch to move the centre row outside seats forward. The cabin has a good-quality feel, if not quite up to luxury standards and there is an interesting array of optional extras.
Three trim levels of Active, Sport and Exclusive were soon renamed Access, SR, Active and Allure in a marketing exercise designed to offer better value for money. ESP (Electronic Stability Programme), an automatic electric parking brake with Hillstart Assist function, Energy Saver tyres and air conditioning are all standard kit. Splash out on a plusher Sport if you want 17" alloys, the Aluminium trim pack (chromed accessories including the front grille and front fog lights), cruise control with speed limiter, lighting pack with removable torch, extra storage pack (to the underseat and footwell areas), colour coded body elements and front fog lamps. The range-topping Exclusive offers a full-length panoramic glass sunroof, the Visibility pack (automatic sensor headlights and wipers), Rear Vision pack (electric folding wing mirrors, electrochrome rear view mirror), Head Up LCD instrument display, Distance Alert, rear parking assist, USB and Bluetooth hands free facilities and climate control air conditioning.
Safety features haven't been neglected, the 5008 winning five Euro NCAP stars for standard equipment including six airbags, seatbelt warning lights for all seven seats and tyre pressure monitors.
What you'll pay
The Peugeot 5008 hasn't been around long so bargains are thin on the ground unless you can find a higher mileage model. You won't get anything decent for less than £9,500.
What to check
The only things you'll really need to check for are the usual MPV flashpoints – child abuse and parking scrapes. No known faults are apparent and the engines are a well-tried and tested bunch.
Parts
Budget about £275 for a clutch assembly kit, £410 for an exhaust system, around £160 for an alternator and around £180 for a new radiator. A pair of front brake pads will cost you £55 and rears about £40.
How it drives
The approved used Peugeot 5008 is not quite the 'driver's car' the advertising guff promises, but it's not bad. The ride is designed for comfort rather than fun and for a large car it's pretty economical, particularly in manual diesel versions – all of which makes it very practical for the families for which it is designed.
You'll notice some under steer on corners, which is not a problem, more a useful indicator of the 5008's limits. Speed figures are satisfactory but not sporty and the more popular diesels have a pleasing torque spread. It's a quiet and competent drive on country roads or motorways but a bit large for narrow city streets or stingy multi-storey parking lots.
However, in a well-populated market sector, the Peugeot 5008 acquits itself admirably against the competition.
