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Peugeot 2008 GT Line BlueHDi 120 review

Date: 04 January 2017

Peugeot updated its top-selling 2008 in 2016 to help its compact SUV keep up to date with the competition. In a segment that is now bursting at the seams with the likes of the Renault Captur, Nissan Juke and Citroen C4 Cactus, can it still hold its own?

To call this latest model a facelift would be seriously overstating things - it's more of a mild spruce up with a tweaked bumper, new rear lights, a new skid plate, and revised wheel arch extensions among the headline (aka noticeable) updates. Underneath the skin little has changed too, although there has been small improvements to CO2 and fuel economy across the range of engines.

All Control

Under the bonnet of our test car is the firm's popular 1.6-litre diesel. We're testing the engine in 120hp guise, our preferred choice over the 100hp 1.6-litre option as it's slightly lower emitting, quicker off the line and more refined overall.

The headline combined fuel economy of 76mpg and CO2 emissions of 96g/km are particularly impressive and the 300Nm of pulling power enables the 2008 to complete the benchmark 0-62mph sprint in 9.6 seconds. The engine can be a little noisy when accelerating at times, although on the motorway the car cruises along nicely.

2008 Inside

Easy to drive and well balanced with light steering, the 2008 is at its best in the city. Mated to the engine is a six-speed manual gearbox, which feels a little misguided at times and, although bodyroll is kept in check, expect little in the way of a sporty feel on the road.

Ride quality is good overall, even on our test car's 17-inch alloys. You also now get Peugeot's Grip Control as standard. It's an electronic system that maximises grip for mud, snow and sand via a dial on the centre console - something many will find useful given the UK's temperamental weather.

Practical and roomy

Slip behind the wheel of the 2008 and you'll be greeted by a good-quality cabin. Uncluttered and simplistic in design, it's perhaps not the last word in luxury or refinement, but it's still way ahead of what the Juke and Captur offer in this department.

Practicality is another of the 2008's plus points. The large 410-litre boot proves more than enough space for a growing family and beats most of its main competitors too. Fold the rear seats down and up to 1,400 litres of space is liberated.

There's space for four adults to stretch out over long journeys and all occupants will not be short of storage options either with a selection of cubbies, cupholders and large door bins on offer.

Top of the range

Like most of its Peugeot siblings, the 2008 range is now topped by GT Line trim, replacing Feline spec in the line-up.

It adds sportier styling touches like red detailing around the seats, gearstick, steering wheel and door inserts, plus LED red lighting around the rev counter and panoramic sunroof. Outside there are some eye-catching 17-inch black alloys and black roof rails too. The end result is a pleasing one, giving the 2008 a more distinctive look inside and out on the road.

2008 Rear

Being at the top of the 2008 range, as you would expect, GT Line cars come very well equipped with parking sensors, satnav, reversing camera, seven-inch multimedia touchscreen system, a large panoramic sunroof, dual-zone aircon and automatic lights and wipers all included. Offering better value for money than most of its competitors, GT Line cars also only cost around £1,000 more than next-level-down Allure spec, and you get an impressive amount of additional kit for the cash.

The infotainment system is easy to navigate around and control (although others offer better resolution), and Apple CarPlay is thrown in too.

Against its rivals the 2008 stacks up well on the running costs front. However, it lags behind the competition when it comes to residual values - its 29.1% figure after three years and 60,000 miles is beaten by the Nissan and Renault, both of which hold more than 32% of their value. Despite being the cheapest of the three on fuel, the higher depreciation means the 2008 is the most expensive per mile, costing 49.2p, over 4p more than the Juke and Captur.