Peugeot E-5008 | Review

The E-5008 could be the sweet spot in Peugeot's line-up. It's good to drive, practical and reasonably priced. Efficiency isn't the best and the interior layout is a bit non-conventional, however.

Overview

Peugeot is ahead of its Stellantis rivals in launching new models based on the Stellantis STLA Medium platform. It started with the 3008, which was the first car to use the new underpinnings, and that was followed by the seven-seat 5008.

The two cars are closely related with familiar styling, interiors and powertrains.

Headline stats are impressive. The E-5008 promises up to 414 miles of driving range and starts at less than £50,000. It’s among the cheapest electric seven-seaters on sale.

There are three versions of the E-5008 available, alongside hybrid and plug-in hybrid models.

The E-3008 line-up starts with the Standard Range version, priced at £48,600. The Long Range is £51,360 and there’s also a Dual Motor model, with more power and all-wheel-drive. Pricing for the latter is yet to be confirmed.

Peugeot offers the E-5008 in two trim grades: Allure and GT. The entry-level car comes with a reasonable spec that includes LED headlights, keyless entry, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors, electric folding door mirrors and three-zone climate control.

The GT version starts at £52,040 (Standard Range) and adds adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an electric tailgate, front parking sensors and adaptive headlights.

A number of features are only available as options, including 360-degree cameras, blind spot monitoring and electrically adjustable seats. A heat pump is also on the options list, costing £700.

The car’s closest rivals include the Mercedes EQB, which is both more expensive and more cramped, and the Kia EV9. While the latter is larger and more spacious, it does cost £15,000 more.

It leaves the E-5008, for now, in a very strong position for those that want an electric car with seven-seat practicality at an affordable price.

Comfort and practicality

Life on board is very pleasant. The E-5008 is a spacious SUV and offers high levels of comfort. It really can carry seven adults. While the rearmost row is a little tight, it's more capacious than a lot of cars in the segment and access to those back seats is pretty easy.

The middle seats are arranged in a 40:20:40 configuration and can slide forwards and backwards to suit the legroom requirements for each row.

Those up front are separated by a large centre console, which has been raised up to serve as a central armrest. The dashboard and door panels create a wraparound effect, while all the controls are angled towards the driver.

Ergonomically, the E-5008 isn’t the most user-friendly SUV. It uses Peugeot’s i-cockpit architecture, which incorporates a small oval steering wheel that is positioned beneath the instrument cluster. As a result, you always feel like you’re sitting too high in the car, with the steering wheel sitting in your lap.

There’s a decent boot space. With all rows in use there’s 348-litres of space and that grows to 916 litres when the back seats are folded, flat, into the floor. A removable panel opens up additional storage behind the seats.

Safety and technology

The E-5008’s infotainment system is combined with the instruments in a large panoramic display. These provide crisp, high-resolution graphics and can be customised to suit individual preferences.

Certain functions, like heated seats, are not particularly easy to find, as there are only a few physical switches on the dash for key functions like the hazard lights and window defroster.

To simplify operation, there’s a separate screen which has shortcut keys to the functions you use the most. Even with all of these set up, the system is still a little bit frustrating at times.

Other controls are scattered randomly around the interior. The gear selector, for example, is mounted below the infotainment screen to the left of the steering wheel, while the audio system volume control is mounted on a raised section of the centre console, along with the drive mode and hazard light switches.

There’s the usual suite of driver aids, which can be customised and controlled using a dedicated icon on the touchscreen. If you want adaptive cruise control, then you’ll need to opt for the GT trim.

Driveability and range

While the E-5008’s credentials look very appealing on paper, there are a few factors to consider.

Firstly, the 410-mile range figure applies to Long Range models, fitted with a 98kWh battery. The ‘regular’ E-5008 uses a 73kWh battery and has a WLTP range of 311 miles.

Big batteries add weight, and weight affects efficiency. During our testing, in cold weather, the E-5008 was only managing 2.5mi/kWh, which is barely enough to scrape 200 miles from the smaller battery and only around 250 miles from the larger unit. EV Database suggests 230 miles and 300 miles, respectively.

Another issue with the car’s weight is performance. Now we’re not suggesting that a seven-seat family SUV needs to be particularly quick, but there’s a lethargic feel to the car. The single motor provides 210PS to the front wheels, or 230PS if you have the larger battery. In both 0-62mph takes a shade under 10 seconds, but in the real world it feels slower.

Opt for the Dual Motor and the E-5008 feels much more capable. It’s punchy enough to not feel scary when overtaking of joining busy motorways. With 325PS it can hit 62mph rest in 6.5 seconds. The only downside is you can only have the smaller battery and those two motors sap power at a more significant rate.

DC fast charging is supported at up to 160kW, enabling a 10% - 80% charge in 36 minutes. The E-5008 also features an 11kW AC charger and will take around 12 hours to fully charge using a home wallbox.

We were impressed by the E-5008’s refinement and general driveability during our testing. It’s a very quiet car, even at motorway speeds and, despite being relatively hefty, there’s a nimble feel to the chassis. It takes corners confidently while also providing a supple ride.

Company car tax and running costs

Running costs are particularly attractive for company car users. Most seven-seat SUVs that compete with the E-5008 are powered by engines rather than electric motors. With a 3% benefit-in-kind (BiK) rate, drivers could pay as little as £25 per month for an E-5008.

Running costs are fair, too. The Standard Range Allure costs less than 45p per mile, according to Cap data from the Fleet News Running Costs Tool, and the Long range GT is less than 50p per mile over a four-year (80,000 miles) cycle.

Drivers who need an electric seven-seater could also consider the VW ID Buzz, which is the closest option in this price bracket. Other models, such as the Kia EV9 and Volvo EX90 are more expensive.