This is immediately noticeable in terms of design. Finish the elevated break and place it in the SUV. 2008 again takes stylistic symbols: the large-diameter wheels and the grille are huge and vertical while the hood is horizontal. Compared to his grandfather, the new 2008 is more of a square, more legal and imposing.

Unsurprisingly, this year shares some similarities with other brands of the brand, such as daytime lights such as 208 and 508 or taillights very close to those in 3008. It also has some characteristics to picture its body lines that makeup Triangles are located on the front and rear doors but also on the rear of the car. Overall, this 2008 classic new car confirms that it is a type of 3008 reductions in a very distinctive style including a high waist.

Against discovering our test car, a first consideration is necessary. With 4.30 m between the bumpers, the 2008 “2” is 14 cm longer than its predecessor, 3 cm wide (1.77 m) and barely 1 cm high (with roof bars).

At first sight, he thus gives the impression of having changed classification, now approaching the first generation of Nissan Qashqai (2007), to which he returns only 1.5 cm. Good news: this net increase in size benefits all passengers.

Placed at the front, they enjoy a generous space, at the back, they benefit, them, of 4 cm added to the legs compared to the old 2008. On the other side of the coin, unlike a Renault Captur, the Peugeot still does not offer a sliding seat and volume.

Although extra we are now accustomed to it, it is especially behind the wheel that Sochalian productions reveal their greatest assets. In a resolutely modern cockpit, once seat and steering wheel correctly adjusted-the upper rim can indeed hide the driving information – configurable 3D instrumentation makes its small effect. Depending on the mood or the dress code of the driver, the central and instrumentation screens are tinted with green, red or blue.

While onboard a high-end Mercedes, it is also possible to choose one of the eight colors of edging running under the dashboard and on the doors. In terms of quality of construction and choice of materials, again, little criticism to speak 2008, which benefits from foamed plastics at the top of the console and assemblies without smudge. In this game, a Volkswagen T-Roc is nevertheless better and offers a GPS graphics and a restitution of the image of the rearview camera worthy of a modern car, when those of the small French SUV look terribly dated.

Little flying in hand, a habit at Peugeot, the pleasure is him, very real. The lion brand perfectly masters its subject and seems even in constant progress. In the city, the short turning radius (10.4 m) makes it possible to easily make a niche and to sneak without constraint, in spite of the jig.

At the same time precise and of incredible sweetness, the direction guides an indestructible front axle. Crossing the Massif Central, good train through the secondary network, under terrible weather (0 °, snow), on very wet roads, peppered with gravel and turns closing without « warning », we never had the feeling of driving to the limit. The Peugeot is one of the few cars with which, at first much too fast a curve, it is still possible to give a little steering wheel to follow the course of the road without decelerating. And the new 2008 is no exception, showing an impressive driving pleasure for the category. But the most remarkable remains the excellent compromise between comfort and handling. Even at a very fast pace, we have never been heckled. Bravo!

Despite its small displacement, the 1.2-liter 1.2 PureTech and its 155 hp offers more than enough performance to the little brother of 3008. It takes full advantage of the excellent automatic gearbox EAT8, which combines speed of execution and smooth operation. In sport mode, the gearshift is brighter and the downshift is quicker. A mode that also acts on the firmness of the steering and the response to the accelerator, all enhanced by an artificial sound of better quality than that of other Peugeot models, the 308 GTi, for example.

interior

In the cockpit, we find the dashboard of the last 208 with its new generation of i-cockpit always composed of the small steering wheel, a 100% digital instrumentation but now 3D, something new and a multimedia touch screen that can reach the 10 inches. The presentation is always original and offbeat. The manufacturing quality of our test version (GT) is good but less than that of a Renault Captur in initial Paris finish.