2021 Peugeot 5008 long term test: report 3
The stylish Peugeot 5008 seven-seat SUV has just been updated so we're finding out what it's like to live with...
The car Peugeot 5008 Allure 1.2 PureTech 130 EAT8 S&S Run by Kiall Garrett, senior videographer
Why it’s here Will a large SUV cover all bases for a videographer who drives lots of miles and requires plenty of space?
Needs to be practical, comfortable on long journeys and not too expensive to keep running
Mileage 4810 List price £33,035 Target price £30,943 Price as tested £33,610 Official economy 46.0mpg Test economy 44.0mpg
7 November 2021 – Even bigger on the inside?
We’re unlikely to do a What Car? head-to-head test of the Peugeot 5008 against Doctor Who's Tardis. If we did, though, I reckon the practicality showdown would be closer than you might think.
You see, when you're not using the rearmost seats in the 5008, you can stow them away, creating a 952-litre boot. That’s enormous, even by large SUV standards.
Perhaps the biggest compliment a load-lugging videographer like me can pay to the 5008’s storage space is that I haven't had to fold down any of the 40/20/40-split middle row seats at all.
Even tripods, stands and sliders that are more than a metre long fit comfortably in the Peugeot 5008 boot, alongside my large suitcases and other bulky items. This is a big help when I need to stick my head out the rear window and shoot some footage (safely and on our private test track, of course). I can do it without having to unload the boot.
If there's one downside, it’s that when you fold down the third-row seats, there's an annoying gap between the edge of the boot and the middle-row seats, even if you slide them as far back as they'll go. It's annoying because small bags and loose equipment end up falling into the gap, which has occasionally forced me to unload the whole boot to retrieve them.
I could prevent this by removing the third-row seats entirely, which involves folding the seats down and pulling a metal bar indicated with a red strap to slide the seats out. The trouble is, that leaves a large loading lip, which is even more inconvenient when I'm trying to chuck in heavy equipment.
The boot is very wide and square, with no wheelarch bulges, and it’s easy to reach equipment at the sides of the boot without needing to shuffle things around in the middle. The tailgate is big and heavy, though, making it quite awkward to close when you’ve got your hands full.
An electric tailgate is standard on range-topping GT Premium and a £400 optional extra on other trims, and it's definitely something I'd add if I had my time with the car again. But otherwise you can keep the Tardis – I'm happy with my Peugeot 5008.
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