Driving around the city can be quite a daunting task, especially when it comes to manoeuvring through very narrow roads, moving around tight spaces and parking the vehicle. However, all these challenges will be no longer with the Peugeot 2008 Urban SUV. We got the chance to experience the vehicle in all of its glory during a short roadtrip to Ipoh town over the weekend, so find out what we thought of it below!
Exterior
On the outside, the Peugeot 2008 looks pretty luxurious. It’s modern and very stylish, which makes it very fitting for the urban, young working adults of today. The chrome trim details along the doors and the roof rails add a touch of sportiness to the SUV, which we loved. At first, it looks a little intimidating to drive because of its wide body and elevated height, especially for someone who’s never driven anything else other than a regular sedan. It can also look a little chunky, but it isn’t quite as bulky as compared to a Nissan Murano.
Interior and comfort
Peugeot is known for its meticulous interior detailing, and the Peugeot 2008 Urban SUV is no exception. It looks like a lot of thought has been put into the overall design and placement of the different controls as well as the displays. First of all, the instrument cluster looks very fancy and neat, with a blue lighting surrounding the meters on both sides. There is also an LCD colour display in the middle with a speedometer and distance recorder.
The steering wheel is slightly smaller in diameter compared to a lot of other cars we’ve driven, but it doesn’t really affect its manoeuvrability. You can control the audio, select your preferred entertainment channel, select a contact when your smartphone is connected via Bluetooth, and call a contact from your steering wheel itself, which can be pretty handy.
The Peugeot 2008 SUV also features a colour touchscreen panel with Bluetooth and USB connectivity for your convenience and entertainment needs. Besides the radio system, there is also a trip calculator, whereby the distance travelled is calculated automatically, with extra details such as fuel consumption per kilometre travelled. We found this very useful as we were able to track our distance for the journeys to and fro from the destination. We were disappointed as we had expected a navigation system considering the other smart features installed, but unfortunately there wasn’t one.
The air-conditioning for the Peugeot 2008 is super powerful and we found ourselves turning up the temperature many times because it was simply too cold. There is also an automatic feature for the air-conditioning, whereby the car detects the external temperature and adjusts the internal air-conditioning accordingly.
We loved the retro design of the gear and thought it added some flair to the overall look of its interior, but the design of the hand brake and its placement was just unnecessary. With its wide shape, it was hard to grip with one hand and the lever just wasn’t smooth. It took a lot of strength for us to pull it up and lifting it slightly to push it down was even more of a challenge. If and when there are emergencies and the hand brake needs to be pulled up instantly, this wouldn’t be very ideal. Also, the universal door lock button, which is usually placed at the side on the driver’s door, was awkwardly placed together with the controls for the air-conditioning.
The semi bucket Oxford leather and fabric seats are comfortable and the heights of the driver as well as passenger seats are adjustable. The rear seats can also be folded completely flat, in case you need extra boot space to transport large items. However, they are positioned pretty upright, so this can be uncomfortable for some.
For a mid-sized SUV, the 360 litres boot space is really impressive and this makes the car perfect for travelling across the country as well. A small family of four can travel comfortably and have all their belongings stored in the boot of the car without worrying about space. As mentioned above, the rear seats can be folded flat if more storage space is needed.
Aside from that, there is also a panoramic roof at the top of the car, which comes with an electric sunblind to block out the sun. There is a light that surrounds the panoramic roof which makes it look very pretty at night time.
What we love most about the Peugeot 2008 is its front and rear sensors that work wonderfully, especially for those who aren’t very confident when parking. There are four sensors altogether and the visual as well as audio assistance will guide you efficiently. We found this to be very helpful and it made parking effortless for us. Having said that, the sensors are very, very sensitive, and it can be quite annoying when the car keeps beeping every time you get somewhat close to an inanimate object.
Finally, the elevated driving position makes it easier for the driver to handle the vehicle. It gives the driver a better view and a sense of safety as it increases the visibility of the open road. We got used to driving this car very quickly, and we reckon that new drivers would not find it a problem, albeit its size.
Engine and performance
Under the hood, the Peugeot 2008 Urban SUV comes equipped with a 1.6 litre VTi engine that produces 122 hp and 160 Nm of torque. The engine is matched to an auto adaptive gearbox with Tiptronic and Sport mode functionality. It can accelerate from 0-100 kph in 11.2 seconds and has a top speed of 190 km/h.
Of course, the Peugeot 2008 also comes with a comprehensive list of safety features such as the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) which combines anti-skid regulation (ASR), dynamic stability control (DSC) and anti-lock braking system (ABS), among others.
This vehicle is unique in the sense that it is an automatic, but it also comes with manual shift capability. We tried out both the automatic and manual transmissions on the way to and from Ipoh, and we have to say, the car runs pretty well in manual mode. It provides a smooth drive and it makes the vehicle easy to control, even when there was a slight bumper to bumper traffic situation.
As for the automatic transmission, the car pick up wasn’t very smooth and the gear changes weren’t flawless. Every time we stepped on the accelerator with force, there was a lag during initial acceleration and we could almost feel the car switching its gears before transitioning into a smooth drive. Having said that, the Peugeot 2008 ran very stable and it was under control, even at a speed of 160 km/h on the North-South Expressway. We’d say that the SUV is pretty fuel-efficient as we began our journey to Ipoh with half the petrol tank full and we still managed to drive around before having to pump in more fuel for our trip back to Kuala Lumpur.
Verdict
The Peugeot 2008 is perfect for driving in the city. The mid-sized SUV easy and convenient to manoeuvre around tight spaces, and with its front and rear sensors, parking becomes effortless. It’s definitely a fun drive and it’s very user-friendly, even with its smart features. If you’re looking for a well-rounded vehicle that’s bigger than a sedan and comes with an impressive boot space, the Peugeot 2008 is the way to go.
The Peugeot 2008 Urban SUV costs RM119,888 (on-the-road price, together with insurance). It is available in four colours – Digital White, Virtual Blue, Dakota Brown and Artense Grey. For more information, kindly visit this website or visit any Naza showrooms near you.
