Test drive Peugeot 2008: when "less" is "more" - part 1

Have you been waiting for a review of the new Peugeot 2008 crossover? Here he is! And we tried: we prepared not only a full review, but also a comparison of all engines and different configurations of the new item. The increased attention to this model is quite justified, because the Peugeot 2008 crossover should become a hit of sales. Will it become?

 Positioning Peugeot 2008

 The Peugeot 2008 is a small crossover based on the B-class Peugeot 208, a segment that is sometimes referred to as B-SUV. The Peugeot 2008 concept car first saw the world in 2012. And already in 2013, the serial version of the car was released - the first generation Peugeot 2008 crossover. A couple of years later, in 2016, the car was updated - once this version of Peugeot 2008 was the hero of the review. The second generation of Peugeot 2008 debuted in 2019, in the spring of 2020 the car arrived in Ukraine.

 The Peugeot 2008 crossover has two generations of the model: the first-born (2013) has become quite popular in Ukraine, now it's up to the heir. Let's get acquainted with the car on the example of the blue diesel crossover Peugeot 2008 in the GT Line configuration. We will also briefly talk about the petrol versions and compare all the available configurations of the model.

 How does the Peugeot 2008 crossover drive?

 Comfort is the first impression of a ride on the new Peugeot 2008. In one way or another, softness and comfort are defining in the character of any version of the car, even the GT Line. You pass holes, ledges, patches, and in the cabin you feel only a measured sway. Sometimes there are too many of these rocking, people with a sensitive vestibular apparatus may even rock on a bumpy road. On the other hand, this level of comfort and suspension softness is rarely seen on a car of this class, size, price. At the same time, not to say that the Peugeot 2008 crossover was poorly managed. No, everything within the class - turns normally, stands normally on the arc. The small steering wheel gives a sense of sharpness in habits, the car seems mobile and sharp. But taking into account the soft suspension, during sudden changes of lanes, unwanted body vibrations are possible. In short, from Peugeot 2008 (and even in the performance of the GT Line), I expected a more "collected" behavior on the road, a finer balance between stability of the body, precision control, suspension comfort. And there was a noticeable skew towards the last point. On Peugeot 2008 it is more pleasant to "roll" than "nimble".

 Turbodiesel 130 HP and 8-speed "automatic" are set up in the same way. If you expect that 300 Nm of torque (a lot for a compact Peugeot 2008) will be pressed into the seat back at every start - then "no". At the beginning of the movement, the turbodiesel "sleeps" in the turbo lag and wakes up only from the mark of 1.5-1.7 thousand rpm. But only then - lucky so lucky! On the go, the engine pleases with excellent thrust up to 4 thousand rpm, finally showing its strength and giving the driver an impression of dynamics. A few words about the "automatic" and the brakes - they are gorgeous. The new automatic transmission of the EAT8 series changes gears, as if it smoothes natural silk: softly, imperceptibly, on time. And the brake pedal is devoid of any "French softness", providing a clear forecast of deceleration.