2019 Peugeot 2008 revealed – based on new 208 with lots of tech, electric e-2008 variant with 310 km range

Remember the Peugeot 2008? It was one of the first of the current crop of B-segment SUVs, introduced back in 2013. Six years is a lifetime in the automotive world, so Peugeot has wheeled out a new generation of the rugged urban runabout, based on the latest 208 hatch and set to go on sale at the end of the year.

Riding on the PSA Group’s Common Modular Platform (CMP), the new 2008 has shades of the handsome 3008 in its look, as well as the edgy design language introduced on the new 208 and 508. The high-mounted headlights feature Peugeot’s signature “triple-claw” LED daytime running lights (on high-end variants) that continue into the bumper, while an upright six-point grille sits under a front-mounted “2008” badge.

In profile, the windscreen has been pushed back to allow for a longer, flatter bonnet, giving the car a more traditional SUV look, the company claims. Incisive fender lines and an upswept window line emphasise the muscular flanks and the strong stance that comes with wheels measuring up to 18 inches in diameter. The largest rollers add four kilograms in total, which Peugeot says is somehow a good thing.

The “triple claw” graphic is repeated in the LED tail lights that are joined together by a black strip, and the more powerful models also get twin tailpipes. Specify the GT or GT Line and you’ll also get a contrasting black roof, linear graphics on the C-pillar and black headlining on the inside.

Speaking of inside, the dashboard continues to be lifted wholesale from the 208, and this latest version is very sci-fi. Peugeot’s i-Cockpit concept, which places the instrument cluster above the small steering wheel, continues to be found here, but there’s now a cool holographic instrument display offered as an option.

The freestanding infotainment touchscreen also now measures up to 10 inches across, with features that include a new voice control system, TomTom navigation with real-time traffic information and an optional 10-speaker, 515-watt Focal sound system. Phones can be plugged into the twin USB ports at the front and rear (including one USB-C), and there’s also MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Elsewhere, the dashboard makes greater use of soft-touch plastics, and high-end upholstery options such as Alcantara and Nappa leather are also available. You’ll also find plenty of fake carbon fibre on the dash and door cards, an electronic gearlever for automatic models and a nifty lid for the wireless smartphone charging pad, which you can use to prop your phone upright.

Peugeot claims the 2008 offers the most rear legroom of any car built on the CMP platform, thanks to a length that has grown to 4.3 metres and a wheelbase of 2.6 metres. The increased length has also freed up 74 litres of boot space for a total of 434 litres; a two-position boot floor is also fitted to selected models.

Under the bonnet, you’ll find either a 1.2 litre PureTech turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine or a 1.6 litre BlueHDi four-pot turbodiesel, both of which are Euro 6d-compliant (Euro 6d-TEMP for diesel) and come in various outputs with automatic engine start/stop.

The petrol mill is offered in 101 hp/205 Nm and 129 hp/230 Nm versions paired to either a six-speed manual transmission or, in the case of the 129 hp variant, an optional eight-speed auto. The warm GT model gets 155 hp and 240 Nm and is paired exclusively to the automatic gearbox. On the oil-burning side, manual 99 hp/250 Nm and automatic 130 hp variants are available.

The new 2008 also gets a pure electric variant for the first time, the e-2008. This one is powered by an electric motor that pushes out 100 kW (134 hp) and 260 Nm of torque, juiced by a 50 kWh battery that provides a range of up to 310 km on the more stringent WLTP cycle. The drivetrain also comes with a Brake mode that increases kinetic energy recovery, slowing the car down as soon as you lift off the throttle.

Peugeot quotes a charge time of 16 hours on a domestic 230-volt socket, or eight hours through a 7.4 kW single-phase wallbox (five hours and 15 minutes for a 11 kW three-phase version). A 110 kW fast charging station will allow you to recover 80% of charge in just 30 minutes. Setting the e-2008 apart from other models is a body-coloured grille with a dichroic lion badge, specific “e” badging and Greval Grey Alcantara trim.

To increase efficiency, all 2008 models come with active grille shutters, aero-optimised wheels and a streamlined underbody. Grip Control, which works with hill descent control to maximise grip on slippery slopes, continues to be available as an optional extra.

Safety-wise, Peugeot has added an arsenal of driver assistance systems, including Drive Assist plus semi-autonomous driving that incorporates lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control with stop and go. Also available are autonomous emergency braking with day and night pedestrian and cyclist detection (active at speeds of up to 140 km/h), lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, Park Assist and a driver warning alert that reminds drivers to take a break if necessary.

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