BMW X4 vs Peugeot 2008

What's the difference?

Look, personally I found it amusingly weird when German car companies started sloping the roofs on sedans and calling them “coupes”, despite the fact that they had four doors. Their ability to imagine segments, and find buyers in them, that have no reason to exist is almost something to admire.

But turning SUVs, like the already very capable X3, into coupes? Frankly, it’s like turning an ass into an elbow. Lower the roof to reduce headroom and shrink the boot? Why? Because it will look so sexy people won’t be able to resist it. That’s BMW’s approach with the X4 and, somehow, it seems to work.

And, to be fair, sporty SUVs are not a BMW thing: the Range Rover Evoque, Audi Q5 Sportback, and Mercedes-AMG’s range of GLC Coupé models have all taken off, each contributing toward an unlikely trend that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. 

Looks are subjective but Peugeot’s updated 2008 small SUV is good looking from every angle.

The update brings a raft of design tweaks and some tech upgrades, but mechanically there isn’t anything new.

It’s not a cheap car and its diminutive size might scare off some buyers who can cross-shop cheaper and more value focused alternatives from mainstream Japanese and Korean brands.

We are driving the range-topping 2008 GT variant to find out if it’s more than just a pretty face.