I LOVE the Peugeot 2008! It's a small SUV that for our family of four was practical, fun and a fantastic drive! The one tested here is the mid-spec GT version.
When you think family car everyone automatically thinks big seven-seat SUV. The Peugeot 2008 is here to prove this is definitely not the case, so much so that I want one for my family car! We all LOVED it! Think fun, free and nippy, not frumpy Mum car. You don't drive the 2008, you wear it, like one of those outfits that make you feel a million dollars and that anything is possible!
It started with the front lights that flash when the car unlocks and you can turn them on and off on the key fob too, fun and practical for going to and from the car at night.
So much consideration has gone into the design of both the exterior and interior of the Peugeot 2008, it is a pleasure to be in.
The size and shape of the steering wheel is something I really like about the Peugeot 2008. Being smaller than you would find in most brands of car as well as thinner so it feels like it fits more comfortably in your hands. It also sits lower so your arms are in a more relaxed driving position.
Also, the seats have beautifully contrasted fabric, trims and stitching.
The two sets of ISOFix in the two outer rear seats are behind the most delicately concealed zips I have ever seen in a car interior and remind me more of something from my past life as a clothing designer!
When it comes to installing child seats, there are top tether anchorages in little slits on the back of all three seatbacks. They are behind the seat back fabric and easily accessible through the boot.
We were able to fit two child seats nicely in the back of the Peugeot 2008. There was no room to squeeze a third child seat in the central seat and I could not fit between them in the central seat either.
When it comes to legroom we found the Peugeot 2008 surprisingly practical for our family. My tall 188cm-tall hubby could fit in the passenger seat in front of the rear-facing child seat and I could sit in front of the forward-facing child seat to drive and I'm 162cm. Hubby did drive a few times but it really didn't give our poor forward-facing five-year-old daughter any legroom so I would recommend up to about a 175cm driver for everyone to be comfortable.
The storage is quite minimal and compact throughout the Peugeot 2008. There is a wireless phone charging tray in the front…
… two cup holders…
… and a small central console box. Both the front and back door bins are large enough to store a large refillable water bottle. You can read more details about the storage in the expandable section at the end of this review summary.
The boot floor of the 2021 Peugeot 2008 drops down about 10cm, which makes a really big difference when fitting prams into the boot space.
It just gives that added depth so you do not have to remove the parcel shelf as you do in so many other small SUVs.
When the boot of the Peugeot 2008 is empty it will hold ten shopping bags. That is the same as the Mazda CX-30 and VW T-Roc and one less than the Kia Seltos.
The boot floor is nice and flat so it is perfect for an emergency nappy change or for carrying your family dog.
The media system in the Peugeot 2008 is nice and modern to use, it has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
And you control the air conditioning through the media screen too.
However, there are no air vents in the back of the Peugeot 2008 which our kids did find a little too stuffy.
The inbuilt sat-nav can be displayed in the driver's display screen too which makes it much easier to follow whilst driving.
You can clearly see your fuel range on the driver's display too.
The reversing camera in the Peugeot 2008 is quite small and pixellated but the overhead image really helps with parking and manoeuvring too.
The Peugeot 2008 has a good seatbelt removal visual in the ceiling, so you know who has removed theirs.
The Peugeot 2008 scored a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2019 and has six airbags as standard including dual frontal, side chest and side head. It also has seatbelt reminders for all three rows of seats.
BabyDrive Indepth
BabyDrive Indepth - Storage
How big is the boot of the 2021 Peugeot 2008?
The boot floor of the Peugeot 2008 is lovely and flat.
It drops down around 10cm giving a great increase in depth, especially when fitting prams in the boot.
Ten shopping bags fit in the boot of the Peugeot 2008 when it is empty. That is the same as the Mazda CX-30 and VW T-Roc and one less than the Kia Seltos.
The boot space and its functionality are really important. I like to have a big boot space and little side wells or areas I can divide things into. So something I don’t want to move around while I’m driving such as the kids lunch bag or her wet swimming gear can be sectioned off in a little well where it’s not going to spill or get squashed by the rest of the things in the boot.
Hooks for securing shopping bags to are also favourites of mine, I like being able to secure the bag containing more fragile things like eggs so they don’t move around on the journey.
I measure the boot space in freezer shopping bags, prams and dogs. Not because I think all there is to a mum’s life is food shopping, prams and dogs. (Although it can feel like it sometimes!!) But because these are visually mesurable items we can all associate with. For me, the car company boot measurement of litres is not an amount I can easily visualise and 400L in one car may differ in usability to that in another due to the configuration or shape of the space.
A twin stroller fits in the boot but fills the whole floor space so anything else will need to be put on top of the stroller.
A tandem stroller will also fit in the boot of the Peugeot 2008 and fills the space entirely. When the boot floor is in the lower position you do not have to remove the parcel shelf. When it is in the higher position you do need to remove it.
A single pram fits with two shopping bags beside it.
The compact stroller fits laying down in the boot with six shopping bags beside it.
Or you could fit a medium-sized dog in the boot of the Peugeot 2008.
How good is the storage throughout the 2021 Peugeot 2008 for families?
Storage in the cabin of the 2008 is minimal. There are two cup holders in the central console, that will hold a reusable coffee cup or a large refillable water bottle.
In front of the gear lever is a concealed phone charging tray with USB sockets on either side too.
Underneath this is another shelf I found useful for my sunglasses as there is no case in the ceiling.
The central console box in the Peugeot 2008 is very small.
The glove box is quite small and has this dividing wall which means you can not fit much in there at all. In fact, the manual was in the front passenger door bin. My wallet would fit in the glove box but not the iPad.
Both front visors have lit vanity mirrors.
The front door bins will hold a large refillable water bottle and wallet behind it.
Door bins in the back are smaller but they will also hold a reusable water bottle.
There are net map pockets on the back of both the Peugeot 2008's front seats, they will hold an iPad but not conceal it and there are also two USB ports, which is great for kids plugging in their devices.
BabyDrive Indepth - Noise
How noisy is the 2021 Peugeot 2008?
The Peugeot 2008 isn't an especially noisy car at all. The media screen is large and clear.
You navigate between the screens using the buttons above the paddles in the central console/dash. It does take a little getting used to but once you are used to the system it becomes second nature.
The Peugeot 2008 has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which is great for connecting your phone easily and I found the Bluetooth good too.
The air conditioning is controlled through the media screen easily…
…as well as the navigation. There is also a button on the left on the steering wheel for voice commands, so you can ask it to navigate to an address.
You can also change the settings to bring the navigation map up on the driver's display screen.
I find this really easy to follow when driving, so you don't have to look away from the road.
The reversing camera image in the Peugeot 2008 is a little pixellated and a small image on such a large screen but you do get the overhead image too, which is helpful.
The cruise control stalk is closely tucked behind the steering wheel, so you have to alter it without being able to see what you are doing, which is fine once you are familiar with using it and I like it but when it's a new car you can't see to alter it very easily while driving.
Becoming a parent I soon realised there are some noises and sounds I feel are unnecessary and I could happily live without if it meant my baby stayed asleep!!
That often the distraction of my screaming, distressed baby is more dangerous when driving than not having a lane departure warning for example.
If it is the lane departure warning beeping that creates distress with my baby then which is safest?
It’s where I think we need to be able to strike a balance and choose when we can mute the warnings or swap them to a vibration in the steering wheel or flashing light perhaps?
A lot of these noises come with the increase in technology and especially linked to safety features and alerts. For me these all have their place.
Another thing I have realised is I spend my time in a lot more places where small children roam, parks, beaches, play gyms, swimming lessons, daycare centre etc. I have become more aware that when I’m reversing or manouvering in the car parks I have to tripple check for small children running around behind me or being in my blind spot when reversing. For this I LOVE reversing cameras, I just don’t like their beeping sounds!!
I have become so much more aware of safety and potential accidents or hazards since having a child and so I love the peace of mind that I get from the cameras and sensors combined with my own vision from windows and mirrors as I don’t trust cameras alone.
The doors and windows of the Peugeot 2008 were not loud to open and close and did not disturb my sleeping baby.
Since becoming a mum I spend A LOT of time parked up somewhere with a nice view while my daughter is asleep in the back! If it's hot I need to leave the engine running and the aircon on but I do like to get out and drink my cuppa tea in the fresh air while enjoying the fact my limbs are free from said dangling child!! SO this is a very important test as I have found that sometimes I have been held hostage by a cars BEEEEPING alarms when I have taken off my seatbelt or opened the door while the engine is still running!! (I only stand outside the car, I am not a bad mother!!)
There is a seatbelt removal alarm and a clear, lit visual in a panel in the ceiling too, alerting you to exactly which rear passenger has removed their seatbelt.
Road and engine noise are really nice and quiet in the Peugeot 2008.
BabyDrive Indepth - Car Seats
How many child seats fit in the Peugeot 2008?
The Peugeot 2008 is a five-seater small SUV, has three top tether anchorages hidden behind slits in the back of the second-row seat backrests, which are easily accessible through the boot.
There are ISOFix anchorages in the two outer rear seats and they are behind the most gorgeous concealed zips but clearly labelled and easy to connect to.
I was able to fit two child seats into the second row of the Peugeot 2008, really comfortably.
The Peugeot 2008 is a family of four car. There simply isn't room for a third child seat in the centre and I could not squeeze in between the two child seats either but you don't really expect it of a small SUV either.
We found that legroom was good enough in the Peugeot 2008 for our family of four. My 188cm husband could sit in the passenger seat in front of the rear-facing child seat and I could sit in the driver's seat (I'm 162cm) in front of the forward-facing child seat. If we switched in the front seat then hubby could only just sit in the driver's seat as our daughter had no legroom at all.
Posting Bub into their child seat from inside and outside the car is good in the Peugeot 2008. Being a small SUV the space is more compact than in a large seven seat SUV but it is enough and it is comfortable. The ceiling height makes it easy from inside and the doorways give you enough room for posting Bub in from outside too.
Australia being a country of weather extremes; blazing sun and torrential rain, mean you may find it easier to put Bub into their seat from inside the car sometimes. If it’s hot you can get the air-con going, cool the car down and not stand out in the sun while you fasten them in or shelter from the rain and not get soaked yourself whilst you’re doing it. So it is important to test whether Bub can be easily installed from either direction!
There is room to feed Bub in the second row if you only have one child seat installed. The seats are beautifully upholstered with woven fabric, panelling and contrast stitching that would be a responsibility to keep clean and tidy but you would SO want to because it looks great!
BabyDrive Indepth - Drive & Comfort
How comfortable is the Peugeot 2008? And how good is the Peugeot 2008 to drive?
The Peugeot 2008 has a fantastic interior, it's considerately designed and has lots of little touches that make it a pleasure to drive in. I loved the fact it was ample for what I need for my family of four and felt fun, fast and stylish with not so much as a sprinkle of ‘frumpy Mum car'.
The front seats are a great shape, beautifully designed and comfortable. The Peugeot 2008 has an interior you would not let your kids eat in! You want to keep it as nice and clean as when you first saw it, whereas a lot of SUVs designed for family use have interiors that feel as if they are designed to be durable rather than enjoyed.
The seat base is a good length (I'm 162cm) and doesn't press into the back of my legs but also supports the thighs of my tall husband.
I found can have a ponytail in the front seat which is fantastic!
I had spent hours styling my hair this morning to get this ponytail just right too… said no new mum ever!!!
For a mum travelling in the back with Bub, all the seats are very comfortable and there is ample room to comfortably sit and feed Bub in the back with only one child seat installed.
For the first year of our Bub's life when we would go out as a family, if I wasn’t driving, I would travel in the back with Bub so it’s important to check the back seat comfort as you may be spending a lot of time in them! They were never something I gave any thought to before but I definitely notice a good or bad back seat now!
The steering wheel in the Peugeot 2008 is a slightly different shape and slimmer and smaller than usual steering wheels and feels lovely to hold in your hands. It is fully adjustable in/out and up/down and it actually sits lower than in most other cars which I found much more relaxing for my arms while driving.
There are four air-conditioning vents across the front dashboard; two central ones below the media screen and one at either end.
They are controlled easily through the media screen. There are no air-con vents in the back of the Peugeot 2008, which did make it a bit stuffy back there for rear passengers and we had to angle our front vents so they would reach the back.
There are two USB ports in the back for rear passenger connectivity.
There are lit vanity mirrors in both front visors and there is no glasses case in the ceiling.
The grab handles are above both rear doors which are well-positioned to hold a baby toy for rear-facing passengers. The interior lights in the back are just behind the grab handles, they are convenient to use when strapping Bub into their seat but unfortunately too far back for me to reach from the driver's seat while driving!
I have found Bub does not like travelling in the dark in the car so if it gets dark whilst travelling then I reach back and turn the interior light on for her. So it’s really important for me that I can reach the rear ceiling light.
Also if I am traveling home and it is getting near to bed time and I DEFINITELY DON’T want her to fall asleep in the car as even a five-minute nap in the car means bed time is all over!!!! I lean back and pop the light on so it’s not dark and try to keep her awake!! Along with screaming/singing at the top of my voice!!!
It is also useful when there are lights situated above the doors where the handles are usually positioned. These are good for when putting baby into their child seats when visibility is poor, so you do not have to reach across them to a light situated in the ceiling centrally etc.
Visibility out of the 2008 is good down the sides and being a small SUV it is easy to park and manoeuvre. When you have two child seats in the back rear visibility is compromised.
One thing I have noticed since being a mum is I hate it when I reach a destination or get home from being out and Bub has either done really well in the car or she is screaming her head off and I have done really well to keep it together for the entire journey (usually the latter!!) and it takes 10 minutes to park the car! It can be really stressful. Usually I dread parking new cars as they take longer in our tight apartment block carpark, but the 2008 was simple to park being a small, agile SUV.
The Peugeot 2008 GT I tested has keyless entry and a powered tailgate which make going to and from the car with your children so much easier when you are carrying a baby or their things.
I found the Peugeot 2008 a fantastic car to drive. It is so nippy, agile and fun and it doesn't feel like you are carrying your kids around!!
BabyDrive Indepth - Safety
How safe is the new Peugeot 2008?
Six airbags come as standard; there are dual frontal airbags and front side airbags and curtain head airbags for both rows of passengers on models sold in Australia.
The Peugeot 2008 scored a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2019. Scoring 93% for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupant protection, 73% for pedestrian protection and 72% for safety assist.
ANCAP's crash testing reported-
In the frontal offset test, protection of the neck of both the 10 year and 6 year dummies was ADEQUATE, while the protection offered to all other critical body regions was GOOD.
In the side impact test, protection of the chest of the 10 year dummy was POOR while that of other body areas of both the 6 year and 10 year dummies was GOOD.
The Peugeot 2008 is fitted with lower ISOFix anchorages on the rear outboard seats and top tether anchorages for all rear seating positions. Installation of typical child restraints available in Australia and New Zealand showed that all of the selected child restraints could be accommodated in each of the rear seating positions and full points were scored for this assessment.
The child occupant protection scored an overall 42.89 out of 49 during ANCAP testing, broken down into 15.89/16 for the dynamic front test, 7/8 for the dynamic side test, 12/12 for restraint installation and 8/13 for onboard safety features.
As standard, all models of the Peugeot 2008 come with anti-lock braking system (ABS), autonomous emergency braking (AEB) for city, interurban and VRU, automatic headlights, daytime running lights, electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), emergency brake assist (EBA),  electronic stability control (ESC), emergency stop signal (ESS), fatigue reminder, fatigue detection (Australia only), forward collision warning (FCW), hill launch assist, lane departure warning (LDW), active lane keeping assistance (LKA), speed sign recognition and warning, manual speed limiter, trailer stability control and tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS).
Some of these safety features are also features that drive me crazy as a mum! Like the lane departure and forward collision alert or the parking sensor beeping sound. I want all the safety technology AND to be able to mute the sound when Bub’s asleep!
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About Tace Clifford
Tace Clifford founded BabyDrive in 2017 after discovering a huge information gap in mainstream car reviews that left new parents and expanding families in the dark when it came to one of the biggest purchasing decisions of their lives.
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