Road test review: Peugeot e-2008

Tuesday, 8 February 2022

Peugeot's all-new 2008 has grown up and sprouted a whole lot of new tech - including all-electric power.

PEUGEOT e-2008
Base price: $71,990
Powertrain and economy: Synchronous permanent magnet motor and 50kWh lithium-ion battery with 100kW/260Nm, FWD, combined economy 17.6kWh/100km, range 332km (source: Peugeot/RightCar).

There are minimal differences between the petrol and electric versions of the 2008 SUV, with the biggest being the body coloured highlights in the EV’s grille.

Vital statistics: 4300mm long, 1770mm wide, 1530mm high, 2605mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 434 litres, 18-inch alloy wheels.
Safety: 5 stars (Source: ANCAP)
We like: Looks good, fantastic interior, good ride quality, more rear legroom and better brakes than the e-208.

Likewise, the EV’s interior is identical as well. A good thing, because it is brilliant.

We don't like: Brakes do still lack feel though, quite a price jump over an e-208.

Peugeot's brilliant little e-208 is one of our favourite EVs (and small hatches in general), but everyone wants an SUV these days, so how does the 208’s stretched SUV version measure up?

OUTSIDE

While the 2008’s platform was designed primarily for EVs, the fact that it also has to serve under ICE models means there’s no frunk under the bonnet.

As with the 208, there is little in the way of visual differences between the EV and ICE 2008 models, with the biggest giveaway being the body coloured grille highlights that the EVs get and a few discrete badges.

**READ MORE:

The e-2008 is every bit as handsome and distinctive as the rest of the Peugeot range.

* Peugeot to go all-electric in Europe from 2030

* Five things: the best Clean Car Discount deals

* Road test review: Peugeot 208 GT

* First drive review: Peugeot 2008

That means the e-2008 remains a handsome small SUV, with distinctive Peugeot styling cues and a stylish Euro look to things, although our test car looked particularly smart in its bold blue colour and striking black alloy wheels.

INSIDE

There are even fewer visual differences between the ICE and EV versions of the 2008 on the inside, but again that’s fine, because it means the e-2008 gets the same slick and adventurously modern interior as its petrol and small hatch counterparts.

This means the same quality materials, quirky but effective dash layout and cool 3D display, but also the same slightly unsettling (at first) driving position as a result of the steering wheel being set low and the dash display high. It feels super-weird at first, but you do quickly get used to it, and I even rather like it.

Of course, the biggest differences between the e-208 and e-2008 are found in the back, with the additional legroom and boot space the SUV provides over the hatch. Which isn’t all that hard, because the little 208 hardly has any to begin with. At least the 2008 does offer usable and comfortable rear legroom, despite not having a high bar to clear to beat the 208, as well as an extra 123 litres of boot space (the e-208 has 311 litres).

UNDER THE BONNET

The e-2008 gets the same all-electric powertrain as the e-208, so that means a 100kW/260Nm electric motor driving the front wheels, hooked up to a 50kWh battery good for a claimed 332km range, which is pretty easy to see even in normal daily driving.

Like the 208, the 2008 is very much like an ICE car to drive in terms of its power delivery, and while the 2008 inevitably has to haul around a bit extra weight over the smaller 208, you would be hard pushed to notice much difference in performance, with the e-2008 displaying the same laser-like accuracy with its range predictions as the 208 did.

ON THE ROAD

While the e-2008 also feels unsurprisingly similar to the e-208 on the road, the one surprise it did throw up was the fact that its regenerative braking system had a nicer feel to it that the e-208. The biggest criticism we had of the e-208 was the distant, lifeless feel the brakes had and, while the brakes on the e-2008 still has no real feel, they don’t feel quite so disconnected from the car.

VERDICT

Like the e-208, the e-2008 is a thoroughly lovely little EV that does pretty much everything right and has a decent range to match.

The one reservation we would have with it however, is $10k price jump between the $61,990 e-208 and the $71,990 e-2008 seems like quite a bit.

This means that with the arrival of the compelling Polestar 2 at a similar price point ($69,990 for the entry model), the e-2008 suddenly seems a little less convincing. And while the Polestar 2 isn’t an SUV, it offers SUV-style seating and ride height, with similar legroom in the rear and 405 litres of boot space.

While the Polestar is hard to go past, I can see why some might prefer the 2008 and its ‘just like an ICE 2008, but without ICE’ approach.