PEUGEOT E-5008

The e-5008 isn’t the prettiest Peugeot there has ever been, but it does manage a decent balance of proportions, sharp lines and inoffensive modernity – and that geometric wheel design is pretty cool.

The ultra-slim LED headlights are a bit squinty for us, and the body-coloured grille has now grown to such proportions that it appears the entire front end has become a massive cheese-grater. Still, nobody is likely to buy the e-5008 because it looks great, but they’re also very unlikely to be put off by the looks.

It's all about the usefulness, really, and for that the e-5008 is rather impressive. Based very closely on the smaller Peugeot e-3008, which also sits on the Stellantis STLA Medium platform, the e-5008 is 4.79m long, 1.69m tall and 2.1m wide (including mirrors). Usefully more compact than the Kia EV9, then, and usefully bigger than the Mercedes EQB.

We will start at the back of the e-5008, because it’s the space and versatility that’s really going to sell this car.

The boot release is hidden in an inconveniently small crevice in between the bootlid and bumper, which can make your fingers very mucky when you’re opening the boot. Inside, though, it’s a happier story, as you get 748 litres of boot space in five-seat mode, including some underfloor storage that’s good for your charging cables, and that also has fixings so that you can stow the loadbay cover securely out of the way.

It really is a properly big, spacious boot that will do just fine for your paddleboards, kayaks, kids bikes, buggies and dogs (although not quite all at once). The middle row folds and slides in a 60/40 split to leave an extended flat load area that gives you more than two metres of space, so that’s all good for when you have to pick up that dismantled shed that was a total bargain on Facebook Marketplace.

Just as impressive is that passenger space. The rearmost seats are best saved for the dexterous, as access is still a bit awkward, if better than in most seven-seaters, thanks to the outer-middle seats that tilt and slide forwards in one movement to give maximum space for clambering in.

An average-height adult in the third row will be okay for short periods, and shoulder, leg and head room are pretty good, but there are no air-con vents back there, nor charging outlets (there’s a 12V socket but no USB ports), just a small cupholder each, so it’s a bit sparse. It's still pretty comfy by mid-sized seven-seat SUV standards, though, and the seats fold flat easily when you don’t want them.

The middle row is spacious too, although anyone over 6ft tall may find head room at a bit of a premium if the car has the panoramic glass roof, as ours did. Still, there’s loads of foot and leg space, and head room is pretty good even if the car is fitted with a panoramic sunroof. What's more, there are standard climate-control furnishings for this row of passengers and the sliding and reclining seats will keep kids happy.

Gone are the three middle-row Isofix fittings and three equally sized, individually sliding seats of the previous 5008. Peugeot maintains that greater comfort for the two outer passengers was more important for customers, who also want less of an MPV feel and more of an SUV feel.

Up front, the dashboard is taken straight from the e-3008, which means really smart materials and a structured look, with a ‘floating’ 21in panoramic display that houses the touchscreen infotainment system and driving information readout.

The configurable i-Toggle shortcuts lower down the dash are useful, and while the touchscreen layout may not be quite as intuitive as the system in the Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric (especially the fiddly in-screen climate controls), the tech interface and the driving position are both hugely improved over the previous 5008 and generally promise to be easy to live with.

The interior also feels solidly put together, and while you wouldn’t say this was up there with Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz for perceived quality, it will certainly make Ford, Kia and Renault pay attention.

The seats are comfortable, too, although the manual seat adjustment feels clunky and cheap, given the high-end feel that Peugeot has striven for in other aspects.

Visibility isn’t bad for this class of car. Granted, the Skoda Kodiaq has a lower shoulder line and better view out to the back, but the e-5008 has an appealing, ‘proper’ SUV driving position that sits you high up and gives an imperious view down the road.

In our experience, the 211bhp 73kWh single-motor e-5008 is… just fine. In fact, it’s judged well for everyday use. Sure, it’s not fast, as the 9.7sec 0-62mph time suggests, but the 254lb ft of torque streams into action smoothly, progressively and with building gusto.

Drivers coming to an electric car for the first time may be quite reassured by it, as it does feel rather like a petrol engine power delivery, yet it still has plenty of response when you want it.

Sure, given the lingering Tesla effect that means many people expect EVs to have mountains of performance regardless of whether it’s appropriate or not, some may want more punch. 

Of course, if you're after more grunt there's the dual-motor, which makes 321bhp and 331lb ft of torque. There's the same 211bhp electric motor in the front-axle as used in the standard car, but Peugeot has fitted a 110bhp electric motor to the rear-axle for an all-wheel drive layout. 

While the single-motor can travel from 0-62mph in 9.7sec, the twin-motor takes just 6.5sec to reach the same speed. To drive, it feels brisk and builds speed in a progressive manner, but there's a bit of a delay before the power kicks in if you're aggressive with the throttle. 

It's a bit nippier if you put it in Sport mode, which splits the power 60:40 front to rear, but expect plenty of heave when you jump on the accelerator. There's a good helping of traction if you stick it in 4WD mode, too, which differs by splitting the power equally across both axles. 

But while there's a bit more pep to the dual motor, it's also heavier, too, tipping the scales at 2331kg. That's almost 150kg more than the single-motor car. 

Regenerative braking is controlled via paddles on the wheel, which is how it should be for easy control. You can flap through three levels, from very mild to middling and then to a not-quite-one-pedal mode. You can’t turn it off altogether, which some may find a bit frustrating, but in the two lower levels, it’s smooth and intuitive. The heaviest setting feels a bit aggressive when you lift off the throttle from higher speeds, but at the about-town bumble, where it’s most likely to be used, it’s easy to get along with.

We'd have liked a bit more feel and response from the brake pedal, however, which can feel a bit vague initial travel and a bit long when you ask for more. Friction and regen braking are blended pretty well, making it easy to stop the e-5008 smoothly.

It will come as no surprise that this chunky, modestly powered family SUV isn’t the sort of thing you dream of driving through the Stelvio Pass, but d'you know what? It is exactly what people will want of a seven-seat Peugeot.

The brand's tiny steering wheel does make the steering response feel a touch more reactive than is always ideal; at higher speeds it can feel like you’re applying incremental corrections at times just to keep the e-5008 centred in a lane. But we’re nitpicking here, as generally the e-5008 steers predictably yet has something of a dartiness that many will enjoy when diving around the car's native habitat of roundabouts and car parks.

The steering is quite heavily weighted even in Normal driving mode and heavier still in Sport, and there's little by the way of feel. 

Body lean is very noticeable, especially if you're pressing on into a corner. You certainly feel the Dual Motor's extra weight through the bends, but ultimately the e-5008, even in twin-motor form, was never built to be driven at pace, and is far more pleasant when pootling along at a steady cruise. 

Higher-frequency intrusions can set the suspension thumping, and the e-5008 can feel fairly choppy on UK town roads, but generally the ride and handling are very tidy and composed. Damping is also good over speed bumps and the like. 

The e-5008 starts at around £48,000 in Allure trim, while GT trim adds another £4000 or so. Let’s face it: that’s not cheap. But it is still much more affordable than any immediate electric seven-seat rival.

What's more Peugeot offers an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty, which applies to all of its EVs and covers the car and the battery, provided you keep the car serviced every couple of years at official Peugeot dealers. Take that, Kia...

As for standard kit, even the entry-level e-5008 Allure gets 19in alloy wheels, a reversing camera, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, keyless entry and that 21in dash screen.

The GT ups the style ante with 20in alloy wheels, part-Alcantara upholstery, heated front seats and adaptive LED headlights, although you will still have to pay extra for electric seat adjustment and a panoramic glass roof.

You also get a hands-free powered bootlid that you activate with your foot – and which you will immediately realise is far harder to use than the key or bootlid button. You will then proceed to ignore it until you accidentally activate it in an inconveniently low-roofed car park or while your head is right next to it. But anyway, it’s standard on the GT, so we wish you much luck and high ceilings.

Peugeot is yet to reveal its pricing for the 325 Dual Motor, but we're told that it will command a £5000-£8000 premium over the single-motor in GT trim.

That means it could cost anywhere between £57,000 and £60,000, and while that's cheaper than a seven-seat AWD Kia EV9, the Korean SUV can travel further on a charge and is faster, too. 

The e-5008 isn’t what you would call lovable or characterful, but it is absolutely spot on for what it needs to be and what the average buyer in this class wants.

It’s smart, it feels classy inside and out, it’s not so big as to be obnoxious, yet it's big enough inside to be seat four tall adults and a couple of older kids with ease or seven people with a bit of elbow-bashing.

It’s tidy and satisfying to drive and entirely fit for purpose. The all-wheel drive twin-motor version adds a bit more punch, but much like the e-3008 dual motor, it lacks the pace and range to warrant its expected premium over the standard car. 

In single-motor form, it makes more sense, and for big electric seven-seaters, its really all that you need or want.