Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Peugeot 5008

What's the difference?

A wise man* once said "Being first can sometimes feel like being wrong" and perhaps that's how it is with the 4xe, but at least Jeep Australia is giving the large SUV hybrid realm a good ol' try.

* Former CarsGuide Big Kohuna, Glen Knowles.

The company's first plug-in hybrid, the Grand Cherokee 4xe, is not perfect by anyone's standards, however, it is a definite move in the right direction.

It's a quiet and refined drive, it retains the brand's renowned 4WD capability, and even its hefty price-tag likely won't dissuade Jeep loyalists from giving it a go.

Despite its new mild-hybrid powertrain and generous list of premium features, the Peugeot 5008 GT Premium Hybrid doesn’t always hit the mark. It’s not a bad car. In fact, it’s comfortable, stylish, and well-equipped. But it sits in a highly competitive segment where some rivals offer more space, more power, or better value.

It’s not the most versatile seven-seater on the market, but it will suit families who only occasionally need that third row. And that’s the theme here. The 5008 is sufficient. It does most things well enough, but in a class full of standout options, it doesn’t quite push through to the front.

As with any vehicle, some will like it, some won’t, and some simply won’t care all that much. 

The 4xe certainly has a distinctive Jeep look to it.

A few exterior design cues hint at its PHEV leanings: the plug-in point on the front left-hand panel and a ‘4xe’ designation on the rear door.

The redesigned 5008 essentially looks like a stretched 3008, with a more squared-off rear that adds some robustness but not necessarily extra style.

It’s nice enough from most angles, but not all of them. The front, however, is a different story. With its fresh grille design and sharp pixel LED headlights, it looks striking, and the signature Peugeot ‘claw’ light motif remains; a detail fans will appreciate. The flagship grade also gets a stylised C-pillar and 19-inch alloy wheels to round out the look.

Inside is where the 5008 really shines. Trust the French to bring some dramatic flair, as the cabin is a standout. A multi-tiered dashboard and centre console are finished in a mix of grey knit fabric and Nappa leather, adding texture and elegance. Soft-touch materials are used generously, and with interesting lines and layered details, there’s always something to catch the eye.

The panoramic sunroof brightens things up during the day, while customisable ambient lighting adds wow-factor at night. That said, the pixel-style lighting strips can be a bit trippy if you stare at them too long!

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV retains the regular model’s level of functionality but adds a reasonably classy touch to everything.

All seats offer adequate comfort, support and room.

There are plenty of storage spaces, cupholders etc, and charging points - two USB-A and two USB-C plus a 12V socket in the front and two USB-A and two USB-C plus a 230V point in the back.

Controls are generally easy enough to locate and operate although some buttons are positioned in awkward places – including drive-mode buttons under the steering wheel – and it sometimes takes a few finger-stabs at the multimedia touchscreen to get to where you want to go in the operating system.

In terms of packability, the rear cargo area has a listed 1067 litres of space, and, with the second row folded and out of the way, that space opens up to 2004 litres.

When it comes to functionality and practicality, the new 5008 mostly hits the right beats. The beats it doesn't hit feel more quirky than full-fledged misses, though.

The first row is the clear winner for comfort, offering electric front seats with heating, ventilation, massage functions, expandable under-thigh support and adjustable lumbar and side bolsters.

That said, the passenger seat sits too high and is angled slightly forward in its base position, which made it tricky to find a comfortable setting for a long road trip.

The middle row features three individually folding seats, though they slide in a 60/40 split. At 4791mm long, the 5008 is on the larger side of the mid-size SUV segment, and that translates to decent legroom in the second row.

However, the seats are quite firm and set in a stadium-style layout. That raised position gives passengers a good view forward but means taller occupants will find themselves close to the roofline.

Amenities in the second row are solid, including climate control, manual sun-blinds, heated outboard seats and two USB-C ports. The only letdown is the fold-down centre armrest, which is frustratingly hard to open as it doesn’t have a toggle.

The third row is strictly kid territory. Access is manageable and the space is fine for children, but don’t expect adults to enjoy the ride. Even my eight-year old noted the limited amenities and legroom back there.

Access throughout the cabin is slightly awkward as the front footwells are flush with the door sills, but that changes towards the rear where the sill and floor levels shift, making it easy to tangle feet on entry until you get used to it. However, the 231mm ground clearance means it’s easy for oldies to get in and out.

Storage is well thought out, with a large ventilated centre console, glove box, centre console bin, phone cradle and sunglasses holder up front. The second row gets two netted map pockets and a small storage cubby under the rear of the centre console. There are cupholders in the first two rows and bottle holders in every door.

Boot space is decent for a seven-seater. With all three rows in place, you get 348L which is enough for a couple of school bags or a modest grocery run.

Fold the third row down and it expands to a useful 916L. There is an underfloor storage area but it disappears underneath the third row and the little space is hard to access if something rolls back there. A powered tailgate is standard on the GT Premium, though we found it didn’t open reliably from the external button.

Technology is fairly straightforward. The media display is responsive and includes sat nav, plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, the screen’s narrow, wide layout can make it easy to hit the wrong icon, and the lack of physical shortcut buttons means you’re relying heavily on the customisable on-screen panel. It didn’t bother me but my dad didn’t like it.

Charging options are good across the cabin, with USB-C ports in the first and second rows, a 12-volt socket and wireless charging pad up front and another 12-volt socket in the boot which third-row passengers can access in a pinch.

Don't bother looking for a spare of any description, a tyre repair kit is your only option.

The new 5008 line-up has been simplified to just two grades, the Allure and flagship GT Premium Hybrid, which we’re testing for this review. With a drive-away price of $73,705, it’s the most expensive top-spec, seven-seat mid-size SUV in its class.

For comparison, the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid Urban drives away at $49,990, the Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed Tourer at $63,130, and the Nissan X-Trail Ti-L e-Power at $59,990.

That higher price tag is softened somewhat by a generous list of premium features. You get Nappa leather upholstery, electric front seats (with heating, ventilation and massage functions), a panoramic sunroof, heated rear outboard seats, built-in sat nav and three-zone climate control.

New for this update is a 21-inch curved panoramic display that blends the digital instrument cluster with the central touchscreen.

You’ll also find pixel LED headlights, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an AI voice assistant and over-the-air updates for the nav system.

Other standard features include keyless entry and start, a hands-free powered tailgate, four USB-C ports, two 12-volt sockets, a wireless charging pad, customisable ambient lighting, rear sun-blinds, a retractable cargo cover and a 360-degree camera system as well as front and rear parking sensors.

All up, the spec list justifies the GT Premium’s high-end position but make no mistake, you are paying for it.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-charged petrol engine, two electric motors (one on each axle) and a 17.3kWh battery.

Combined engine and electric outputs for power and torque are 280kW and 637Nm, respectively. The 4xe has it over any of its stablemates equipped with the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine because that yields 210kW and 344Nm.

The 4xe has an eight-speed automatic torque-converter transmission and regenerative braking.

Drive modes include 'Hybrid' (with combined engine and electric motor providing “maximum instant torque and impressive acceleration”, according to Jeep), 'Electric' (“zero emissions”) and 'eSave' (aims to save battery power). 

There are a few options available when it comes time to charge the 4xe.

The 4xe vehicle has a Mode 2 charging cable so you can charge it at home in less than 10 hours, according to Jeep.

With a full charge, the 4xe has a claimed driving range, on electric charge alone, of 52km.

Jeep reckons a Mode 3 (wall box) single-phase electric vehicle charger will fully charge the 4xe in less than three hours.

If out and about and looking for a charge, a 4xe driver can use the onboard 'UConnect' system to locate an appropriate public charging station.

All grades of the 5008 now share the same mild-hybrid powertrain, paired with a six-speed dual-clutch auto transmission. The set-up combines a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine with a small electric motor and a 48-volt battery.

Together, they produce 107kW and 230Nm, making it the least powerful offering compared to its rivals.

Performance is modest, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 11.3 seconds, so you won’t be winning any races. While there's more to consider for everyday driving than outright speed it factors into long highway trips.

As mentioned, the 4xe has a listed electric-only driving range of 52km.

On our official test day, we drove just under 50km on a full electric charge and then the rest of the trip was courtesy of the good ol’ petrol engine.

Jeep's official figure for the combined cycle is just 3.2L/100km, but that's predicated on keeping the hybrid battery charged at all times. On fuel-only we recorded 11.6L/100km.

The 4xe has a 72-litre fuel tank (you need 95RON premium to fill it), so going by that on-test fuel-consumption figure, you could reasonably expect to get a driving range of about 620km out of a full tank.

Add an approximate electric range of about 50km on a full charge to that figure and you have a total estimated driving range of 670km.

The new hybrid powertrain has a claimed combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel consumption figure of 5.1L/100km. With a 55-litre fuel tank that translates to a theoretical driving range of up to 1078km, which is impressive for a seven-seat SUV.

The regenerative braking offers mild feedback but obviously helps because in real-world conditions I averaged 6.1L/100km over a week of mixed urban and open-road driving. That’s not far off the official claim and still very respectable for a family hauler of this size.

We’re all time-poor, right? So, why should I take up your time and rattle on about the 4xe for a thousand words when I can get the essence of it across to you, the reader, in a few sentences? Call me, Mr Thoughtful.

This is generally a big, quiet and refined, easy-steering large SUV, but it feels bulky at times and tends to be quite fussy on irregular surfaces, exhibiting a jittery ride on even brief sections of light corrugations on dirt tracks.

The 4xe’s PHEV set-up is smooth and highly responsive on-road and you can switch between the aforementioned drive modes to suit the circumstance.

Driving range on electric only is listed as 52km. I only recorded a total distance of just under 50km, and it’s a very quiet and smooth drive while relying on electric power.

It regenerates power rather quickly down big hills and via braking, but we’d exhausted all electric charge by the time we’d reached our 4WD test track.

As expected, this Grand Cherokee tackled every off-road challenge without any strife. 

The air suspension, set to full off-road height, is a bonus.

Our 4WD test track consists of difficult set-pieces, including one small steep rocky hill that I’ve seen heavily modified vehicles struggle to conquer and, to the Jeep’s credit, it climbed the incline, no sweat.

The 4xe’s efforts were only ever hampered by its 'all-season' Continental CrossContact tyres (275/45R21) which are much better suited to blacktop driving and the fact the 4xe costs upwards of $129,950 and I didn’t want to risk any damage to it.

The 4xe has a listed wading depth of 610mm but our test track was dry so I never had the chance to do any water crossings. 

The Grand Cherokee has a solid enough rep as a towing vehicle but, take note, the 4xe is rated to tow 2722kg.

You quickly learn the 5008's limits. It has enough power to get up to speed without feeling strained but there’s not much left in reserve. Overtaking is doable but not fast. It’ll get the job done, just don’t expect a burst of responsiveness once you're already cruising.

Steering has a nice, reassuring weight to it and helps you feel in control. The lane-keeping aid can be a little over-eager and tends to jiggle you around, but otherwise the driver assists don’t get in the way.

The suspension is on the firmer side, so you feel bumps on the road. That said, I never winced going over them, which speaks to how well it handles everyday surfaces.

Visibility is a strong point from the driver’s seat. The B-pillar is a little chunky, but the elevated driving position gives you a clear view through the front and sides.

You can feel the transition between the hybrid components, but it’s not jarring. However, the regenerative braking isn’t very strong. A bit more bite could help the driving experience, especially around town.

Parking is refreshingly easy. The 360-degree camera system's screen is small but clear, and the 5008’s relatively compact footprint for a seven-seater makes it easier to slot into tight spots. It’s a plus if you’re regularly navigating city streets.

At the time of writing, the new Peugeot 5008 remains unrated by ANCAP, which may be a consideration for some family buyers. It also features just six airbags which is on the low side for a seven-seater but the side curtain airbags extend to the third row, which is important.

Crash avoidance tech is comprehensive and includes autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, driver attention alert, traffic sign recognition, a 360-degree camera system, front and rear parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert, hill start assist, tyre pressure monitoring and intelligent seatbelt reminders for all seven seats.

In terms of child-seat accommodation, the second row offers two ISOFIX anchors and three top-tether anchor points.

The adaptive cruise control isn’t as well-calibrated as I’d like as it can feel a little slow to react and sometimes reacts to vehicles in side lanes. But otherwise, the safety tech works in the background without being overly intrusive.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV has a five-year/100,000km warranty and a lifetime roadside assist service.

Servicing is set at 12-month/12,000km intervals and capped price servicing keeps what you pay for each appointment at $399 for the first five.

The new 5008 is backed by Peugeot’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with five years of complimentary roadside assistance included.

While that’s fairly standard, it doesn’t quite match the longer coverage offered by some rivals, with several now pushing out to seven years or more.

Servicing intervals are spaced at every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first, which is generous compared to some competitors.

Peugeot also offers pre-paid service plans in three-, four-, or five-year packages. The five-year plan costs $1995, which is cheaper than paying as you go and reasonable for this class.