Peugeot 2008 interior, tech and practicality

It’s clear that Peugeot’s designers spent a lot of time thinking about the 2008’s interior. The small steering wheel and raised dials – a system Peugeot calls i-Cockpit – is unconventional but works well, and the vast majority of drivers should be able to see the dials over the wheel. A height-adjustable driver’s seat is standard; the passenger seat is too from Allure trim upwards.

All cars get a large surround for the touchscreen – although the size of screen varies depending on the trim level – which is angled towards the driver to make it easier to reach. A small ledge lets you steady your hand to hit the right area of the screen while you’re driving. Beneath the screen is a wraparound carbon-effect dashboard that may be an acquired taste, plus a set of touch-sensitive panels and piano key buttons that act as shortcuts to different menus on the infotainment screen.

With lots of glossy black trim and solid-feeling materials, the 2008 has a higher-quality interior than the Vauxhall Crossland, SEAT Arona and Fiat 500X. It feels quite premium and high-tech for a car in this class.

The small steering wheel does obscure the cruise control stalk, and the wheel’s low position means you might have to slide over the seat bolster to get in and out. The driving position isn’t perfect – there’s not much room for your left foot next to the clutch pedal, and you might find your leg brushing against the centre console. Base-spec cars miss out on cupholders and an armrest here.

If you can live without the central cupholders, a Peugeot 2008 in Active specification offers plenty of equipment. The wipers and the bright LED headlights activate automatically, there’s cruise control and rear parking sensors to make driving easier, and there are other features like push-button start, automatic air conditioning and 16-inch alloy wheels.

Mid-range Allure Premium ups the size of the wheels by an inch and also brings a black-and-silver finish. A reversing camera is also included on pre-2023 models, along with an electric handbrake and an upgraded autonomous emergency braking system.

GT (previously called GT-Line) gets exclusive badging, a black roof and a distinctive claw-like design for the headlights, which also come with automatic high beams on this trim. Inside, the seats are finished with lime green stitching and there are eight ambient lighting colours to choose from. Tech-wise, the GT gains a wireless phone charging pad in the lidded storage compartment ahead of the gear lever, plus connected satellite navigation and blind-spot monitoring.

Reach the lofty heights of GT Premium and you’ll also get adaptive cruise control with lane positioning assist, keyless entry, some Alcantara suede seat trim and 18-inch alloys.

All Peugeot 2008s get a touchscreen infotainment system with DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The size of the screen is seven inches corner-to-corner on Active and Allure editions, and 10 inches on GT-badged cars. True, the 10-inch screen fills the bezel much better and it has sat nav but, if you have a smartphone, you can use your phone’s apps on the smaller screen without missing out. Active cars get one front USB port, while all other versions also get a second front USB port and two USBs in the rear.

The touchscreen is generally very responsive, and the shortcut buttons help you swap between key functions. There are a lot of menus, however, and some have confusing layouts – including settings menus that are devilishly difficult to find. There are also some interesting quirks to the system, such as the climate controls on the screen bringing up a limited menu of functions. You have to click the climate shortcut button to get the whole lot.

One of the most noticeable changes introduced on the facelift was an overhauled infotainment system. We’re pleased to report that this is much easier to use than before, with redesigned menus and an ‘app drawer’, which is a list of all your apps. It works in mostly the same way that a phone does, so it should become second nature almost immediately.

Besides Active, all cars get a snazzy 3D digital instrument cluster that really boosts the premium feel. You might notice the sat nav arrow ‘floating’ above the map. The screen is pleasingly configurable – much more so than the digital dials in the Ford Puma – and the graphics are pin-sharp. One minor niggle is the inaccurate range estimate, which drops in sometimes alarmingly large increments and can’t be hidden.

One of the bigger small SUVs, the Peugeot 2008 offers plenty of rear seat space. Legroom is generous, as is headroom, meaning two six-foot-tall adults can comfortably sit behind each other. Rear-facing child seats fit in easily, too – helped by the wide-opening doors and accessible Isofix points. Seating three adults across the back row will be a little bit of a squeeze, but it’s better than in rivals like the Kia Stonic and Fiat 500X.

The 2008’s 434-litre boot is a little more than many of its rivals, such as the Skoda Kamiq and Hyundai Kona, and even matches slightly bigger SUVs like the Range Rover Evoque and Cupra Formentor. While you miss out on a sliding rear bench that lets you trade boot space for legroom, certain models have a false boot floor – creating a long, flat space with the rear seats folded. There are a couple of hooks and a deep pocket on each side.

If you’re happy to load to the roof, you can flip the seats down to free up 1,467 litres of space.