Used Peugeot 2008 2013-2019 review

This first-generation Peugeot 2008 was one of the first to have a go at the lucrative small SUV market. It took the popular 208 hatchback, added an additional ‘0’ in the middle of the name, jacked up the ride height, fitted chunky roof bars, raised the roof and, hey presto, the Peugeot 2008 was born. It lasted until 2019, when it was replaced by an all-new second-generation 2008 based on the all-new 208.

Engine-wise, the 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol was available in 81, 108 and 129bhp guises, plus a thirsty 118bhp 1.6-litre. The diesel range kicked off with an underpowered 69bhp 1.4-litre (replaced with a 74bhp 1.6-litre in 2015), but it's the 1.6-litre diesels with 91 or 113bhp that are much more suitable in everyday driving (the facelift in 2016 introduced more powerful 99 and 118bhp versions of the same engine).

Most models came equipped with a five-speed manual gearbox, with six-speed units reserved for the more powerful engines. An unpopular five-speed automated manual gearbox served as the only automatic option until a six-speed auto came along with the facelift, but even this is a little on the jerky side.

Entry-level Access models come with air-conditioning, electric front windows, driver's seat height adjustment and cruise control. Active models add 16in alloy wheels, a 7.0in colour touchscreen, Bluetooth and a DAB radio. Allure adds 17in alloy wheels, rear-parking sensors, dual-zone climate control, passenger seat height adjustment and rear electric windows, while Feline comes with sat nav, a panoramic glass roof and leather seats.

After the 2016 facelift, any model equipped with a touchscreen gained Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone capabilities, while Feline was replaced with GT Line, and gained a colour reversing camera.

Peugeot didn’t offer a four-wheel-drive version of the Peugeot 2008, but it did offer something called Grip Control. Thus equipped, a 2008 will have a rotary dial by its gearlever with five pre-set driving modes: standard, mud, snow, sand and ESP (electronic stability program) off. There's an electronic differential, too, and in conjunction with the existing electronic safety aids in the car, the driver’s inputs are monitored and the engine's power is distributed between the front wheels according to the terrain and which driving mode has been selected. On the outside, Grip Control-equipped 2008s will be fitted with mud and snow rated tyres, which help maintain traction in slippery situations. Don’t imagine the system is a proper substitute for four-wheel drive, though: it isn’t.

On Tarmac, the Peugeot 2008 wasn't the most composed of cars – its ride was crashy and transmitted most of the initial shock of potholes through the interior, instead of the suspension absorbing it. Handling-wise, the steering was overly light, which might be good in town but gives you very little idea what is going on with the front wheels when on faster roads. Combined with the fact that the steering wheel is smaller than in many cars, this means you might apply too much lock to begin with, which can exacerbate body roll.

The 2008 is a little bit bigger than the 208 on which it is based. The boot, for example, is 360 litres in capacity, which makes it 75 litres bigger than that of its smaller sibling. What’s more, rear seat space is better for two adults. There are also pockets in both rear doors and map storage in the backs of the front seats. However, rivals such as the Renault Captur offer greater flexibility with sliding rear seats that either improve knee space or boot space, plus, the Captur’s load capacity is greater than the 2008’s before you slide the seats forward.

The 2008’s front-seat occupants have less room to play with, and storage space isn't the best; the glovebox is very small and is only really large enough for the car’s instruction manual. Shoulder room isn’t great up front either and there’s no armrest. Instead, you get a cubbyhole with a roller cover. This is a good place to keep keys, chargers and other detritus, though.

If you're interested in buying a used Peugeot 2008, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used classifieds site here.

An early car can set you back as little as £4000, but this amount is likely to buy you an example with either a large mileage or an underpowered engine. We’d suggest that you spend between £5000-£6000 for a 1.2 petrol or 1.6 diesel with a lower mileage from 2015 or 2016. If you want a more capable version with Grip Control, reckon on spending at least £6500 because the system was only available on more powerful, higher-spec models. Spend between £6000 and £8000 on a good 2016 model, or between £8000 and £10,000 on a 2017 or maybe early 2018 version. The last versions of this generation from 2019 should set you back between £9000 and £12,000.

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MPG

Most of the range is quite cheap to run; the least economical is the 118bhp 1.6 petrol, at 47.9mpg (43.5mpg for the auto), according to the NEDC fuel tests that were prevalent at the time. The most economical 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol is the one equipped with the five-speed automated manual with 64.2mpg, but the manual 108bhp version isn't far off this at 60.1mpg. Both the automatic and 128bhp 1.2-litre petrols achieve 58.9mpg, while the 81bhp petrol has figure of 57.6mpg.

Diesels are even cheaper to run, with the post-facelift 74, 99 and 118bhp 1.6-litre engines each achieving a combined average of 76.3mpg. Pre-facelift 68bhp 1.4 and 91bhp and 113bhp 1.6-litre diesels have a combined figure of 70.6mpg.

CO2 emissions

Go for either the 74bhp, 99bhp or 118bhp 1.6-litre diesel if you want the lowest road tax since they all emit 97g/km of CO2. The five-speed automated manual version of the 81bhp 1.2-litre petrol puts out 102g/km, while the 108bhp 1.2 emits 103g/km. Next up is the 1.4-litre diesel that manages 104g/km; followed by the 91bhp 1.6-litre diesel that produces 104g/km and the 113bhp that emits 106g/km. Both the automatic equipped 1.2-litre and 128bhp 1.2-litre petrols puff out 110g/km. The 81bhp 1.2-litre petrol manual is rated at 114g/km. The the manual and automatic 1.6-litre petrols are the worst for greenhouse gasses at 135 and 150g/km, respectively.

Road tax

Road tax for all models registered before 1 April 2017 will vary depending upon the emissions the engine produces (see paragraph above for more information) while examples registered after this date will have the same flat rate fee for cars that cost less than £40,000 when new. The current rate is £155 a year. To find out more about the current road tax costs, click here.

Servicing

Routine maintenance for one and two year old examples is pretty reasonable at a main dealer, costing £199 and £249, respectively. Once your example is over three years old, it'll qualify for Peugeot's fixed price servicing. A minor visit costs £179, while a major inspection is £299. This is broadly similar to what you'd pay for equivalent work at a Seat, Skoda or Volkswagen dealer.

Insurance groups

The 82bhp 1.2-litre petrol and 69bhp 1.4-litre diesel will be the cheapest to insure because of their group 10 and 11 ratings. Both the 91 and 99bhp versions of the 1.6-litre diesel range from groups 17 to 19, depending upon which trim you go for, while the more powerful 113bhp and 118bhp 1.6 diesels are in 20 to 24. The 118bhp 1.6-litre petrol is in either groups 19 and 20, the 108bhp 1.2-litre petrol is in 20 and 21, while the 128bhp 1.2-litre petrol is the most expensive to insure, being classified in groups 23 and 24.

Engine

If you need a diesel, then go for higher-output versions because they come with six-speed gearboxes. The diesel engine can be noisy at higher revs and the extra ratio in the gearbox helps quieten things down. Since these higher-output versions have similar fuel economy to the lesser model, you should have similar running costs.

We prefer the small 1.2-litre petrol for the 2008, though, because it is more refined than the diesel and is quite economical too. If you spend most of your time in town, you’ll find lots of examples of the 108bhp version on the used market.

Specification

Entry-level Access models are fine, but we prefer the mid-range Active that gets a touchscreen infotainment system. Better yet, go for a facelifted model because that adds better smartphone integration. Allure is good if you do a lot of parallel parking because it has rear parking sensors, but Feline and GT Line should be avoided because its panoramic glass roof cuts into your head room.

Our favourite Peugeot 2008: 1.2 110 Active

The small SUV market has really taken off recently and the Peugeot 2008 has some very stiff competition now on the used market.

The Kia Soul isn’t the most exciting or soulful (groan) car, but it has plenty of equipment, a strong reliability record and value on its side. Find one in a funky colour and it’ll stand out from the crowd, too. A newer, all-electric version was introduced in 2019.

The Nissan Juke seems to be the default choice of those shopping in this market. It was at the forefront of the small SUV assault, after all, and is keenly priced. But space inside is tight, the drive is hardly engaging and it took them until 2014 to fit a more fuel-efficient 1.2-litre petrol engine. Prices remain high for this one due to its popularity, warranted or not. Check out the post-2019 second-gen version too.

You would be much better off looking at the Renault Captur since it is much more practical, is impressively refined for this type of car and is supplied with plenty of equipment.

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If you're interested in buying a used Peugeot 2008, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used classifieds site here.