Used Peugeot 2008 (Mk1, 2013-2019) - How practical is it?

By supermini-based SUV standards, the Peugeot 2008 Mk1 is decently roomy. There’s a good amount of head and legroom all round in the Peugeot (although it’ll be a tight fit getting three adults into the rear row of seats), and the boot is also handily large for a car of this size. Equipment levels are good across the board, too, apart from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility  – you’ll need to go for a post-facelift model if this is a must-have feature.

Dimensions and cabin design

The Peugeot 2008 Mk1 is a compact crossover that takes up a little bit more space on the road than some of its rivals. At 4,159mm long and 1,829mm wide, the Peugeot is marginally larger than the Nissan Juke (4,135mm/1,765mm) and Renault Captur (4,122mm/1,778mm). The 2008 Mk1 is also quite a bit bigger than its close relation, the Peugeot 208 Mk1 supermini, which is 3,973mm long and 1,739mm wide.

Those bigger dimensions also make the Peugeot 2008 Mk1 a bit more practical than the 208 Mk1 hatchback. Thanks to factors including its taller body, the increased length and the flatter roofline, the 2008 offers a decent amount of head and legroom for a car of this size, as long as you avoid examples with the panoramic sunroof, which cuts into headroom. It may also be a squeeze to fit three adults in the rear row of seats, but there should be enough shoulder room on offer for children.

In contrast, cabin storage isn’t one of the Peugeot 2008 Mk1’s strongest areas. A prime reason for this is the rather small glovebox, which has its space restricted by the placement of the fusebox. Likewise, the cubby underneath the front centre armrest is on the small side, too; still, the door bins are at least a respectable size.

Boot space

In comparison with the so-so cabin storage, the Peugeot 2008 Mk1 is more impressive when it comes to boot capacity. While the 410 litre boot isn’t the biggest in this class (the Honda HR-V has 448 litres at its disposal, for instance), it’s still pretty good for a car of this size.

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Aiding practicality further are the square tailgate opening and the fact the boot floor is flush with the load lip, which helps when you’re sliding items in and out of the back. If you need more load space, the luggage area can be increased to 1,400 litres by folding the 60:40 split-folding rear seats flat.

Equipment and technology

Over the course of the Peugeot 2008 Mk1’s production run, equipment levels remained very consistent. In its pre- and post-facelift guises, 2008 Mk1s in entry-level Access spec came as standard with air-conditioning, electric front windows, heated wing mirrors and LED daytime running lights.

If your budget stretches far enough, it may be worth instead considering a 2008 Mk1 in the next-rung-up-the-ladder Active trim level, because this comes with all the previously mentioned kit in addition to a few extra features. On pre-facelift cars, this includes a seven-inch touchscreen and a DAB digital radio, and this kit list was expanded on post-facelift models with additions such as front foglights and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity for the touchscreen.

Buyers after a bit more equipment than that be better off looking at the higher-spec trim levels. The Allure grade added to the mix rear parking sensors, the Grip Control traction management system and automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, whereas the pre-facelift range-topping Feline trim included as standard a panoramic sunroof and built-in sat nav. As part of the mid-life facelift, Feline was renamed the GT Line trim, and came out of the box with sporty exterior and interior trim pieces and a reversing camera. 

Safety

The Euro NCAP safety body awarded the Peugeot 2008 Mk1 the full five-star rating when it assessed the car’s safety credentials back in 2013. Category-wise, the Peugeot performed the best in the adult passenger protection portion of the test, where it scored 88 per cent. For child passenger protection, pedestrian protection and safety technology, the 2008 Mk1 was awarded 77 per cent, 72 per cent and 70 per cent respectively.

As standard, all Peugeot 2008 Mk1’s came out of the box with a complement of six airbags, stability control and a pair of Isofix child seat mounting points on the two outer rear seats. Depending on the engine under the bonnet, some higher-spec models also came with a feature that Peugeot called Grip Control, which is a switchable traction control system that can help prevent the car’s wheels slipping on low grip surfaces such as mud and snow.