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2021 Peugeot 2008 GT Sport review

The range-topping 2008 costs $9000 more than the entry-level Allure spec, so is it worth the extra cash?

Peugeot 2009 GT sPORT
Gallery13
7.5/10Score
Score breakdown
7.0
Safety, value and features
8.0
Comfort and space
8.0
Engine and gearbox
8.0
Ride and handling
7.0
Technology

Things we like

  • Appealing design
  • Punchy powertrain
  • Driving dynamics
  • Boot space

Not so much

  • Pricey
  • Lacks tech found in cheaper rivals
  • Steering wheel ergonomics

This is the second-generation Peugeot 2008 crossover that, like its predecessor, brings some French flair to the sub-compact crossover segment – but with considerably more panache this time around.

It’s available in two spec levels in Australia; the Allure, which retails for $34,990 before on-roads and this GT Sport priced at $43,990 – our test car came with an optional panoramic sunroof ($1990) and Onyx Black metallic paint, taking the retail price to $46,670, or around $51,500 driveway in Melbourne according to Peugeot's online configurator.

Peugeot 2008 GT Sport
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Both are powered by a 1.2-litre three-cylinder ‘Puretech’ turbocharged petrol engine driving the front wheels, with the Allure dishing out 96kW and 230Nm through a six-speed automatic gearbox, and the GT Sport upping performance to 114kW/240Nm with an eight-speed automatic.

Despite its compact looks, the 2008 is classed as a small SUV (rather than light), which puts the GT Sport in direct competition with other top-spec turbocharged crossovers such as the Kia Seltos GT-Line, Hyundai Kona N-Line Premium, Mazda CX-30 G25 Astina and Volkswagen T-Roc 140TSI Sport that all have low-$40K price tags.

It’s a great looking car that’s generally good fun to drive but as we’ll see below there are a few foibles that at best will take some getting used to.

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"The Peugeot 2008 looks great and stands out from the rapidly building crossover crowd."

What is the Peugeot 2008 GT Sport like to live with?

Each Peugeot 2008 variant comes standard with Peugeot's nifty 3D i-Cockpit that uses a clear LCD screen to project figures forward hologram-like in front of the main display.

As well as looking pretty cool, it displays six different configurable functions close to the driver’s eye-line to help keep your eyes on the road.

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Stand-out features exclusive to the GT Sport include:

  • A 10-inch infotainment screen – compared to the Allure’s 7.0-inch screen – both variants have digital radio and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
  • Satellite navigation
  • LED ‘3-Claw design’ headlights
  • Fang-shaped LED daytime running lights
  • Auto high-beam headlights
  • Proximity keyless entry
  • Wireless phone charging
  • Quilted Nappa leather seats
  • Heated front seats
  • Driver’s seat massage
  • Eight-colour ambient lighting
  • 18-inch Onyx Black alloy wheels
  • Black Diamond roof
  • Autonomous emergency braking with low light function
  • Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability
  • Blind-spot monitoring
  • Lane-keeping assist
  • Semi-automatic parking assistance
  • Front and rear parking sensors.
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The quilted leather seats are comfortable and have good side bolstering, but after a long drive, I was wishing they had a lumbar adjustment.

The centre console is nicely laid out and features a deceptively voluminous storage bin that burrows under the cup holders and a large enclosed space to place mobile devices complete with a wireless charging pad.

It’s clutter-free too, thanks to the electronic parking brake and the slick joystick-like gear selector.

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Most of the centre console surface is glossy piano black, which looks good but you’d want to leave a microfibre cloth in the glovebox as it really does show up dust.

The rest of the surfaces look and feel good and, apart from the lower front door cards, everything is soft to touch. The GT Sport has a black headliner but there are enough bright points around the cockpit and attractive green stitching along the dashboard fascia, steering wheel and door armrests, to provide visual interest.

The Peugeot 2008 has a 2605mm wheelbase, which is 5mm bigger than the Kona’s and 25mm smaller than the relatively spacious Kia Seltos. Like the Kona, the Pug's rear legroom is a little tight and the back of the front seat is made from hard plastic (as are the rear-door cards) that can further hinder comfort for gangly passengers.

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Peugeot 2008 Allure shown

The optional panoramic sunroof makes headroom a little tight too.

The narrow cushion doesn’t offer much by way of under-thigh support but the backrests are pretty comfortable and the seats are raised to provide good front and side vision. As with many small SUVs, you’ll be able to fit two adults comfortably or three children, who are catered to storage wise with small door bins and map pockets behind the front seats. There are also two USB sockets, which are great for preventing arguments on long trips.

The rear bench splits 60:40 to open up to the above-average-sized 434-litre boot space that can be expanded to 545 litres thanks to the adjustable floor, which can also be used to hide things. Folding the rear seats allows you to carry up to 1467 litres of stuff.

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I took the 2008 for a long weekend away and we managed to fit quite a bit in, including a large suitcase, carry-on suitcase, car fridge and a couple of green shopping bags containing supplies.

While it’s one of the pricier models in the lower-priced small SUV segment, the Peugeot 2008 GT Sport is a relatively affordable vehicle to run as the 1.2-litre turbo’s official combined fuel consumption comes in at 6.1L/100km.

Servicing is required every 15,000km or 12 months, whichever comes first, and Peugeot offers fixed-priced servicing with the first five years costing $426, $581, $426, $594 and $439 respectively.

The Peugeot 2008 is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, with complimentary roadside assist included for the duration.

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What is the Peugeot 2008 GT Sport like to drive?

The GT Sport’s punchy 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine develops 114kW and 240Nm.

As well as being more powerful than many of its three-pot crossover rivals it comes with an eight-speed torque converter automatic instead of the now-common dual-clutch auto, meaning you don’t get that lag at lower speeds. The shifts are smooth and it rarely has trouble finding the right gear.

Paddle shifters allow for some manual input, though you'd want to remember you're in manual mode as unlike many other vehicles this won't step in to shift up if you suddenly forget you've chosen to do it yourself.

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On the plus side, the taut springs and thin rubber bring tight handling that makes this feel more like a warm hatchback than a crossover.

The steering feels light but direct and the small, low-mounted tiller allows you to turn sharply without your arms getting all crossed up, which is handy when exploiting its tight 10.4-metre turning circle.

This makes for nimble handling around town but when negotiating winding roads, I often felt like I wasn’t pointing the front wheels far enough into the bend. As a result, I’d overcompensate at first and then grip hard on the steering wheel thinking it was necessary to hold the line.

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I slowly adapted to the set-up but not before feeling a little RSI in my wrists due to my arms not being in their usual driving position.

The low steering wheel also obscures some functions such as the lane-keeping assist and driver’s seat-heater buttons, which are difficult to operate by feel alone.

Despite all that, I still reckon it looks kinda cool.

What is the Peugeot 2008 GT Sport like for safety?

The 2008 GT Sport’s builds on the entry-level Allure’s relatively basic list of advanced driver assistance features that includes lane positioning assist, speed sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control with speed sign adaptation and driver attention alert.

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It has a more advanced autonomous emergency braking system that can detect pedestrians and cyclists at night, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and auto high-beam.

It also has semi-autonomous parking, which was rather confusing and not worth the effort for such a small car.

The Peugeot 2008 has six airbags: driver and front passenger front and side, and curtains. Other passive safety features include tyre pressure sensors, ISOFIX child seat fittings for the outboard rear seats and seatbelt alerts.

The verdict

The Peugeot 2008 looks great and stands out from the rapidly building crossover crowd.

The GT Sport offers enough extras and sharper dynamics to justify the $9000 price hike over the Allure, though at $46,790 it lacks some kit found top-spec small SUVs priced closer to $40k such as rear-cross traffic alert and AEB that helps prevent collisions at junctions.

Still, it’s a relatively affordable way to afford an attractive, fun-driving European crossover with premium trappings, though I can’t help thinking how the – admittedly smaller – Ford Puma ST-Line V light hatch offers all that with more than $10,000 in change.

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Peugeot 2008 GT Sport specifications

  • Body: 5-door, 5-seat SUV
  • Drive: FWD
  • Engine: 1200cc 3-cyl, 12v turbo-petrol
  • Transmission: 8-speed auto
  • Power: 114kW @ 5500rpm
  • Torque: 240Nm @ 1750rpm
  • 0-100km/h: 8.7sec (claimed)
  • Fuel consumption: 6.1L/100km (combined)
  • Weight: 1287kg
  • Suspension: Independent front / torsion beam rear
  • L/W/H: 4300/1770/1550mm
  • Wheelbase: 2605mm
  • Tracks: 1550mm/1550mm
  • Brakes: Front and rear ventilated discs
  • Tyres: 215/55 R18 Michelin Primacy 3
  • Wheels: Alloy 18x7.0
  • Price: $46,670
7.5/10Score
Score breakdown
7.0
Safety, value and features
8.0
Comfort and space
8.0
Engine and gearbox
8.0
Ride and handling
7.0
Technology

Things we like

  • Appealing design
  • Punchy powertrain
  • Driving dynamics
  • Boot space

Not so much

  • Pricey
  • Lacks tech found in cheaper rivals
  • Steering wheel ergonomics
David Bonnici
Contributor

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