After more than 900 miles behind the wheel of one of the top-ranking Peugeot 2008s I was almost convinced that I wanted to keep it, even though this is not the kind of car I need in my life. This 208 supermini-based compact SUV was tested in 114bhp 1.6-litre diesel form, which was a good start because I'd already identified this during the UK media launch as a splendid engine for the car, preferable in my mind to the admittedly cheaper 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol unit.It's not the quietest diesel you'll ever encounter, but the noise is never intrusive. And I stand by my previous assertion that 114bhp is exactly the right power output for this car. With less it might feel sluggish. With more I suspect the engine might start to dominate the handling, which is just fine as it is.Likewise the ride quality. I won't go so far as to say that the centre of gravity - inevitably higher than it is in the 208 - doesn't have an effect, but it's only a slight one. As far as the driving experience goes, the only thing I'd ask for would be a smoother gearchange.According to the official EU test, this 2008 has combined fuel economy of 70.5mpg and a CO2 rating of 105g/km, which means you have to pay the Chancellor only twenty quid a year in VED payments. You probably don't believe that 70.5mpg is a realistic figure in the real world, and from my experience you're right, though I thought the indicated high-50s economy wasn't bad at all.Whether it's accurate is another matter. I calculated 52.9mpg from a tankful, and while this kind of discrepancy would normally make me suspicious of my own arithmetic I've had similar experiences with other PSA Peugeot/Citroen products recently and can't help being suspicious of the trip computer's accuracy. Still, if my figure turns out to be correct it's still not bad for a car whose shape makes high wind resistance unavoidable.The 2008 is the second Peugeot (after the car it's based on and before the 308) with the rather controversial layout of a small, low-set steering wheel and an instrument panel mounted high on the dash. A friend asked me about this just a few hours ago and I said it suited me very well because it means I can see all the dials and whatnot, but I appreciate that smaller drivers may find the opposite.You'd have to be very small indeed to fit in the rear, where there isn't enough legroom for a six-footer. Luggage space with the rear seats up isn't too bad at 360 litres, though that's 25 short of what you get in sister company Citroen's C3 Picasso.The worst things about the 2008 - stop me if you've heard this before - are the pillars at the back, which are thoroughly obstructive and make manoeuvring in car parks very difficult and attempting to check for cars approaching from the left rear (as you have to do at one junction near where I live, and possibly several near where you live) quite perilous.The ones at the front are also unhelpfully wide, but the rears simply won't do. Like so many other manufacturers, Peugeot really has to sit down and have a good old think about this.A quick word about the name. Feline is the highest trim level, which includes as standard, as none of the others do, 17" wheels, satellite navigation, a panoramic sunroof, an alarm and two - yes, two! - USB slots.Calima Ambience refers to the brown, part-leather upholstery. Quite nice, I thought. Felines also come in a variety called Mistral Ambience; those ones cost £300 more and have Midnight Black leather seats.The test car was also one of the ones in the range fitted with Mud & Snow tyres (which, despite their name, are intended for all weather conditions) and Grip Control, which attempts to get round the fact that there is no such thing, at the moment, as a four-wheel drive 2008 by giving various ESP settings for different surfaces.Like other journalists who went to the press launch, I can confirm that selection of the correct Grip Control mode makes the difference between being able to drive right to the top of an indoor artifical ski slope in Tamworth (and I dare say other ones elsewhere) and slithering back to your starting point after climbing barely twenty feet. Four-wheel drive would probably be more effective still, but this is a cheap and effective alternative. Engine 1560cc, 4 cylinders Power 114bhp Transmission 6-speed manual Fuel/CO2 70.6mpg / 105g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 10.4 Top speed 117mph Price £19,445 Details correct at publication date
Our Rating
