Peugeot 5008 - Engines, performance & drive

Family buyers will be pleased to hear the Peugeot 5008 continues to prioritise comfort and refinement over driving thrills. The suspension does a decent job absorbing the bumps and various other imperfections on UK roads, and relatively low amounts of wind and road noise make their way into the cabin at higher speeds. 

What is the Peugeot 5008 like to drive? 

In town

Despite measuring nearly 4.8 metres long and 1.9 metres wide, the 5008 is a relatively easy car to drive around town, helped by its tall driving position – which provides a clear view of your surroundings – plus a very clear rear-view camera (something not always guaranteed, even in 2024). Its incredibly light steering helps when manoeuvring around town.

We found the hybrid system falters when moving away from a standstill if you try to drive on electric power because its 21bhp electric motor lacks the grunt to propel this big Peugeot. It’s more useful as an aid to the petrol engine, providing a small boost of power at low speeds that can be helpful when merging into traffic. If you want the full electric experience, the E-5008 is even better, with smooth power delivery and greater refinement.

On A- and B-roads

It shouldn't come as a surprise to hear that the Peugeot 5008 isn’t a particularly exciting or fun car to drive on a twisty road. It feels stable through corners, however, and body lean is kept in check.

On the motorway

During our test route, we noticed the ride in the 5008 never quite settles, and is particularly fidgety on the motorway. We suspect this is because the car has been set up to cope with a cabin full of passengers and luggage rather than partially loaded with just two adults onboard as we had.

The hybrid system can allow for the engine to switch off and coast once you’re up to speed, adding to the level of refinement when cruising on the motorway. The electric E-5008, even though it isn’t the most potent EV out there, still has enough in reserve at higher speeds to keep pace with the flow of traffic or overtake.

0-62mph acceleration and top speed

The entry-level 5008 Hybrid features a turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox that has a 21bhp electric motor built-in. It’s the same set-up now being offered in numerous Stellantis group models, including the Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 208 superminis. 

In the 5008 Hybrid, the combination produces 134bhp and 230Nm of torque, which is enough for surprisingly brisk acceleration; it certainly doesn’t feel as slow as the official 11.3-second 0-62mph time might have you think, anyway. That could change when the car is fully loaded with seven people and all their luggage, however.

The engine sounds a little strained when you put your foot to the floor, and we’d prefer it if the transmission would upshift more quickly once we lift off the accelerator, but once you do, everything settles down.

The 5008 Plug-in Hybrid pairs a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and a more powerful electric motor that’s fed by a much larger 21kWh battery. The combined power output is 192bhp and there’s 350Nm of torque; enough for 0-62mph in 8.3 seconds. We’ve not tested this version yet, but we’ll update this section once we have.

We have spent time in the electric Peugeot E-5008, specifically the base ‘210’ model. Driving the front wheels is a single e-motor that produces 201bhp and 345Nm of torque. Power delivery is smoother and much more progressive than in some EVs we’ve encountered, but there’s still enough oomph available for 0-62mph in 9.7 seconds. We’re yet to try the slightly more powerful 227bhp 97kWh version, but its only marginally quicker 9.6 second acceleration time suggests it’ll feel similarly capable as its 73kWh sibling.