Peugeot 2008 2023 review: GT

The front of the Peugeot 2008 is intense but the design works really well, from the curves between the top and bottom grilles to the placement of the logo.

The ‘claw’ lights look good and the fog lights actually work as a design feature which makes the front of the car look quite speccy.

The review car was finished in 'Fusion Orange', the only paint option that doesn't add on an extra cost.

The front of the Peugeot 2008 is intense but the design works really well. (Image: Dean McCartney)

The side angle is often where design can let a good car down, but the same level of thought and detail has gone into the 2008's side profile, from gloss black door mirrors to diamond-shaped accents and 17-inch alloy wheels, which give the car its own character (but I prefer the 18-inch black alloy wheels that come with the GT Sport).

At the back, the car has the Peugeot claw lights again which look great up close, and the overall look ties together well with the premium black gloss roof lining and the curve of the boot.

Everything feels very modern and polished, and a lot of thought has gone into the positioning of the car’s features.

At the back, the overall look ties together well with the premium black gloss roof lining and the curve of the boot. (Image: Dean McCartney)

Inside, the car is going for a performance bent but there's one major flag that you'll either love or hate.

When you get in, it kind of feels like the steering wheel is sitting in your lap. Even after adjusting the seat and steering wheel position I have to sit with my leg off to the side.

I got used to it after a few days, and it's a different but fun way to drive, but it feels like it could do with a design tweak.

The driver's seat feels a bit cramped because of the position of the steering wheel, but there's a decent amount of headroom and more than enough space for the front passenger.

The optional electric controls for the driver’s seat are easy to use, but you can really tell the difference when you switch to the front passenger seat which has manual controls that aren't as effective.

For the extra money you also get the massage function for the driver's seat and it's much smoother than the jolty experience I've had in other small SUVs.

The heated seats are designed to heat most of your back rather than just the base of the seat, which is nice.

In the back there is more than enough room for two adults. My dad, who is 191cm (6'3") tall, had enough room to be comfortable for a fairly long drive.

My nieces also thought it was comfy. If you have a rear-facing child seat, there’s a decent amount of space for the front passenger, which is rare for this class, but I think you’d struggle to get three car seats across the rear.

The boot space is well thought out. It’s larger than average compared to some of its rivals, and it has a parcel shelf so you can adjust the space.

I drove from Sydney down the NSW South Coast to visit family, with a suitcase and a few other bags, and everything fit well. But when I just had my sister’s pram in the boot, there wasn’t a lot of space left over.

The functionality of the interior space is impressive, and the addition of the optional (big) glass sunroof makes the car feel bigger and seem more luxurious, particularly on a long drive.

The 'i-Cockpit 3D' instrument cluster is great visually, and I like the different display options, but some of the driving information is initially hard to find.

There is a panel of buttons sticking out from underneath the main display, and they're easy to access while you're driving.

It’s basically a button menu with navigation, audio options, climate control air conditioning and a few other things. 

The functionality of the interior space is impressive. (Image: Dean McCartney)

There’s also lighting accents along the dash plus a decent-sized glove box and console.

The 2008 comes with bottle holders in all four doors, plus two cupholders and two different storage areas up front.

The black gloss panel reveals the charging pad and keeps your phone out of the way while you're driving. Overall, the space feels really well-utilised.

In the back, there are lights above the doors and pocket holders in the back of both seats but there's no directional air vents for summer.

The space feels really well-utilised. (Image: Dean McCartney)

The Peugeot 2008 received the maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2019. The GT has some safety features you don't get with the base model, like AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind spot monitoring and front and rear parking sensors. It's something to consider if you're comparing cars within the range.

One thing to note is that the GT is missing rear AEB, rear cross-traffic alert and active lane keeping assist, which seems weird for this price range.

When you move up to the GT Sport you get the semi-automatic parking assist, adaptive cruise control and semi-autonomous lane-keeping assist.

The Peugeot 2008 received the maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2019. (Image: Dean McCartney)

There are three ISOFIX points in the back which are very easy to use if you have a small family, you just pull down a zipper to access the points which makes installing a car seat much easier than in some rivals.

Plus, there are two top tether anchorage points in the cargo space. 

The 2008 comes with six airbags, including driver and front passenger and full-length side curtains curtains.

Ownership is a decent area for the Peugeot, because of it’s covered by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and you get roadside assist for the same period of time.

To further sweeten the deal, there’s a capped price servicing plan for up to nine years if you have it serviced with Peugeot, which works out at roughly $450 annually for the first five years.

The 2008 needs a check-up every 12 months or 15,000 kilometres, which isn’t a heavy lift.

The Peugeot 2008 is covered by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. (Image: Dean McCartney)

My petrol usage was good during my highway trip down the coast and fine around the suburbs across the week, plus I did a bit of crawling through city traffic.

That said, overall, it ended up being quite a bit thirstier than the official 6.5 litres per 100 kilometres figure (on the combined cycle). My average for the week was 11L/100 km.

The official combined fuel cycle figure is 6.5L/100km. (Image: Dean McCartney)

The big question for the Peugeot is does the value-for-money equation stack up given the car sits at the higher end of the small SUV category?

Once you add in the nine-year servicing plan it becomes more of a contender, and the car provides a great family drive, so I think it comes down to what you value.

I think the Peugeot 2008 GT Sport provides good value, but you'd have to keep it for a while to make sure you get the benefits of the ownership program.