Peugeot 2008 first drive

By Jason K. Ang August 12,2015
PEUGEOT 2008 crossovers take a breather along the scenic Hamilo Coast, leading to Pico de Loro resort.

Peugeot 2008 crossovers take a breather along the scenic Hamilo Coast, leading to Pico de Loro resort.

True to their exotic-sounding name, Peugeot vehicles are difficult to instantly classify. The latest model from the Lion brand, the 2008 wagon, also defies categories.

To make it easier on us, Peugeot has defined the 2008 as an urban crossover. This means that the 2008 has a compact footprint: just 4159 millimeters long x 1739 mm wide. But it has a 165 mm ground clearance, giving it more rough-road capability. A long 2538 mm wheelbase provides more interior space than the exterior would have you expect.

Several Peugeot 2008 crossovers—in various shades, from a steely gray to an elegant blue, to the ubiquitous white—assembled at the Total service station at Newport City.

Fortified with a sandwich and a bag of snacks from Total’s Bonjour shop, we rolled out into the thick-as-molasses airport road traffic. The dual-zone climate control system kept the heat at bay, even with the sunlight beating down through the panoramic sunroof.

The sunroof, stretching nearly the entire length of the cabin, allowed for a brighter cabin. The motorized cloth cover was surprisingly effective at reflecting the solar heat.

Once the convoy reached Roxas Boulevard and pointed south, empty roads beckoned. We got to stretch the 2008’s wheels on the buttery-smooth Manila-Cavite Expressway, aka Cavitex.

The folks from Cavitex demonstrated their new Easydrive RFID tags for toll collection, mounted on the headlamps of the 2008s. This allowed for fast, convenient travel with minimal queuing time.

A 7-INCH touchscreen that juts out of the center of the instrument panel integrates phone, audio and vehicle status

A 7-inch touchscreen that juts out of the center of the instrument panel integrates phone, audio and vehicle status

The 2008 is powered by a 1.6-liter gasoline engine, good for 120 horsepower and 160 Newton-meters. The engine is paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. The power is modest, but sufficient to keep up with traffic on the highway.

As we made our way to  Pico de Loro resort, the engine struggled on the twisty uphill sections. The automatic does have a manual gate to allow the driver to manually downshift and call up more power. The engine remained smooth and quiet throughout the rev range.

The 2008’s cabin is quite a pleasant place. In addition to the sunroof, the trim and equipment help to justify the car’s P1.39-million asking price.

Seats are perforated leather, with heavy side bolsters that kept us in place without being uncomfortable, even on hairpin bends.

The twisty sections are where the 2008 excels, its light steering and front-wheel-drive orientation making confident work of the various bends leading to the postcard-worthy Hamilo Coast.

The cockpit has its share of unique features, including that panoramic sunroof.

PLEASANTVILLE  The interior combines many materials and unique shapes into a user-friendly, comfortable cabin.

PLEASANTVILLE  The interior combines many materials and unique shapes into a user-friendly, comfortable cabin.

The audio and vehicle settings are accessible via a 7-inch touchscreen, prominently jutting out of the central instrument panel.

Bluetooth and USB connectivity are provided, with a six-speaker audio system. Extra charging ports are available as well.

The gauges are mounted high, above the steering wheel. This allows the driver to quickly glance at driving information without looking too far from the road—an analog heads-up display, if you will.

There’s a multitude of finishing materials in the interior: piano-black surrounding the touchscreen, metallic trim on the door pulls, chrome on the steering wheel and gearshift, and carbon-fiber-like weave spanning the dashboard.

Somehow they all look good together, lending an air of playfulness to the cabin.

 SEATS are leather-trimmed with prominent side bolsters. Leather-wrapped gearshift is aviation-inspired.

Seats are leather-trimmed with prominent side bolsters. Leather-wrapped gearshift is aviation-inspired.

Those stylistic touches are also present on the outside. There are strips of chrome under the door sills and above the rear door. These help give the car more character, even if the face is not immediately recognizable. (The front looks like a Pym-particled Subaru Outback if you squint a little.)

A crossover should also pack some utility, and the 2008 obliges. The trunk is generously sized, with 422 liters of space with all the seats up, and expands up to 1,400 liters with the rear seat folded. Ingress is convenient thanks to the seats’ high hip point.

The Peugeot 2008 is left of center: an unconventional, somewhat quirky, and well-equipped compact wagon that’s eager for city duty and more than capable of going out of town with four passengers.

A ROOM WITH A VIEW Peugeot 2008 features a cabin-long panoramic sunroof, with retractable cloth cover and built-in mood lighting.

A ROOM WITH A VIEW  Peugeot 2008 features a cabin-long panoramic sunroof, with retractable cloth cover and built-in mood lighting.

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