Peugeot 3008 vs Peugeot 5008: interiors
Peugeot’s SUVs have lots of great things in common, so how do you pick one? We pit the seven-seat 5008 against the smaller plug-in hybrid 3008...
Behind the wheel
Driving position, visibility, build quality
The lofty driving position that SUV buyers crave is present and correct in both the Peugeot 3008 and the Peugeot 5008 and there’s plenty of adjustment in their seats and steering wheels to cater for drivers of all shapes and sizes. Both come with adjustable lumbar support on the driver’s seat to help ward off lower back pain on longer journeys.
As with most Peugeots you’re required to view the high-set instrument panel over (rather than through) an unusually small steering wheel. This arrangement should work well enough for most drivers, but it might not suit everyone, so it’s worth checking it out before you buy.
In front of you, the 12.3in digital instrument panel can place loads of useful information (such as sat-nav directions) close to your line of sight. The recent upgrade has made the instruments clearer and easier to read than before.
The windscreen pillars in both cars are reasonably slim and visibility to the front and sides is good, although both have large door mirrors that can obstruct your view. The rear pillars are quite thick, too, although the Allure trim of our test cars features front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera to help when manoeuvring in tight spaces.
Our contenders feel pretty special inside and worthy of their price tags. Both come with an eclectic and classy mixture of materials, including soft-touch plastics, faux carbonfibre trim and chrome interior highlights, and they feel fairly robust.
Infotainment systems
Peugeot 3008
As part of the recent facelift, the Peugeot 3008 infotainment touchscreen has grown in size from 8.0in to 10.0in (on Allure trim and upwards). While this makes it easier to find and operate icons than before, the system is no less slow to respond to your commands and its menus are just as illogically structured as ever. You have to access the air-con temperature controls through the touchscreen – something that’s both annoying and distracting.
Peugeot 5008
Like the 3008, the Peugeot 3008 now benefits from a standard 10.0in touchscreen and shares the frustrations of its sibling’s system by being sluggish and difficult to navigate around. There’s some good news, though, in that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone mirroring is standard across the range, as it is in the 3008. If you’re into music, you might want to upgrade to the superior Focal 10-speaker audio system, because the sound quality of the standard six-speaker system is only average.
