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Peugeot has based the 4008 on the Mitsibishi ASX platform, with the aim of becoming a strong contender in the growing Australian SUV market.
However, sales haven’t been great for the small SUV, with only 59 sales for the month of July. If you compare this to the market leaders in this segment - the Nissan Dualis with 1,183 sales, Hyundai ix35 with 942 sales, and the Subaru XV with 768 sales - something about the 4008 isn’t clicking with Aussie car buyers.
VALUE
The vehicle starts from $28,990 for the base model and climbs up by nearly $10,000 to $38,490 for the Allure. We drove the Allure that comes with luxury extras like electronically operated front seats, height adjustable passenger seat, heated front seats, chrome inserts on the door sills, and black lacquer highlights.
While it’s essentially a Mitsubishi under the skin, the ASX is priced nearly $2,000 lower for the top spec Aspire from $36,990. The differences are found in the features list, as the 4008 gets 18 inch alloy wheels, (ASX gets 17 inch), leather seats, power door mirrors and power steering. But the ASX gets 5 years 130,000km roadside assist compared to the 4008’s 3 years 100,000km.
DESIGN
It’s a relatively simple design, which will probably be the preference for those not looking for an overly styled family car. The silhouette of the 4008 has a traditional SUV body shape - a curved back, and wide noise - with a large chrome grille flanked by two slanting chrome headlights.
The abundance of leather on the steering wheel, shift knob and seats is impressive. There are also black piano lacquer highlights on the door trims and centre console and for a bit of privacy there’s dark tinted glass.
The standard features are laid out clearly on the dashboard; 12V auxiliary sockets, Bluetooth connectivity and a six speaker stereo that can be controlled via the controls on the leather steering wheel. The tilt and reach adjustable steering wheel is easy to manoeuvre to your preferred position. However, for some the interior may lack personality, as the only novel touch is the “see you” text that appears on the dashboard when you switch the car off.
For those with a young family the interior space should be fine but it’s not for families with long-limbed teenagers as the backseats barely seat two adults comfortably. The boot also isn’t very big with a load capacity of 384 litres, but they can be dropped to 1193 litres.
SAFETY
Safety features include seven airbags, ABS with electronic brake assist, emergency brakes assist, electronic stability control, hill start assist, side impact absorbing door padding, force limiting seatbelts, three-point seatbelts on all seats and three rear seat child restraint anchorage points.
TECHNOLOGY
Under the skin the 4008 has the same two-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as the Mitsubishi's ASX. It comes with a six-speed constantly variable transmission with 110kW of power and 197Nm of torque. And the official combined fuel economy is 8.1-litre but on our tests we averaged 9.4-litres.
You have the choice of 2WD or on-demand 4WD and there’s also “lock” mode which is made for soft surfaces. So you’ll only need to switch to this mode if you go off road or find yourself bogged.
DRIVING
With the 4008 it was hard to get past the fact that it’s the ASX under the boot and it didn’t quite live up to Peugeot’s usual standards. It’s definitely not for the avid driver, as the cabin is far from quiet, with plenty of road and engine noise.
The suspension was a bit stiff due to the 18inch alloy wheels, so when we drove over uneven surfaces the car shuddered heavily. The six speed auto transmission struggled to find the right gear on hills, which resulted in a sluggish climb. In fact, we had to switch over to manual mode to get a bit of zest out of the Allure.
But putting these negatives aside, for around town the 4008 does the job, manoeuvring well through traffic, holding steady in start stop traffic and providing good all round vision, through the wide rear and side mirrors.
Actually, probably the best thing about the drive was the vision, especially at night. This is due to some top spec features, such as the Xenon headlights with auto height adjustments, which really provided clarity of vision. There are also double optic halogen headlights, LED daytime running lights and front fog lights.
Overall, while the drive wasn’t impressive, it has all the features you need from an SUV, as well as a price tag that’s easy on the eyes.
VERDICT
So if you’re looking for an affordable SUV that is suitable for the city and can go off road then the 4008 is worth a look.
| Vehicle | Specs | Price* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active (4x2) | 2.0L, PULP, CVT AUTO | $9,020 – 12,650 | 2012 Peugeot 4008 2012 Active (4x2) Pricing and Specs |
| Allure (4x4) | 2.0L, PULP, CVT AUTO | $9,130 – 12,870 | 2012 Peugeot 4008 2012 Allure (4x4) Pricing and Specs |
| Active (4x4) | 2.0L, PULP, 5 SP MAN | $8,140 – 11,440 | 2012 Peugeot 4008 2012 Active (4x4) Pricing and Specs |
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