2024 Peugeot E-2008 vs 2018 Subaru Liberty

What's the difference?

The Peugeot e-2008 GT looks stylish but it’s definitely a compact SUV and that means it will only suit a small family. Or even a grandparent who has to occasionally ferry the grandkids around.

I like how easy it is to park and its stylish packaging but the cabin feels small. The practicality just wasn’t there for my family this week and the price point isn’t quite right for the features you get.

My son liked its looks but didn’t get excited about it.

The Liberty has a lot going for it - a great reputation for reliability, it isn't terribly priced (although servicing is a little steep) and has that signature all-wheel drive. While I've complained about the ride and handling, apart from STi and RS-badged versions, that has never been the Liberty's strong suit.

While it might be a shrinking part of the market - and Subaru is a founding architect of the modern SUV cult - Subaru and its competitors still care. The Liberty, like Forester and Outback, remains a stand-out in the sector with a boxer 2.5 and all-wheel drive. Sometimes that kind of individuality is enough.

The e-2008 looks super cute! I love the intense 'Vertigo Blue' paintwork on our test model. It makes it pop.

In fact, all the paintwork colour options look bright and happy and that describes the styling of this car.

The e-2008 has stacks of personality and sports Peugeot’s signature three-claw LED lights at the rear but the daytime-running lights almost look fang-like, which gives it an edgy look.

The GT comes with a contrasting black roof, the same shade applied to the mirrors and 18-inch alloy wheels, which further enhances its street-cred.

The cabin is gorgeous with the premium-look trims and contrasting green stitching.

The dashboard features sharp cutaways and shiny chrome accents but it's the 10-inch multimedia system and 12.3-inch 3D digital instrument panel which give the cabin a 'wow' factor.

Its a good-looking little SUV inside and out.

Here's a thing - this week I regularly parked my car in the same street as a fourth-generation Liberty. I kept heading for it at the end of each day because that design feels a lot more contemporary than the current car.

I came to my senses every time before trying to get in, but it does tell you that today's machine is a little on the dowdy side. While not the horror of the lines-everywhere-slab-sided fifth-generation model, I don't think the styling has escaped unscathed from the mess of the car it replaced.

This one won't scare small children or start pub arguments, though, and is a more cohesive, gracefully-ageing design. The LED daytime running lights and, in the case of the Premium, LED headlights, give it a modern feel and its less imposing headlight design is rather more pleasing. 

Little has happened as part of the refresh, with just the requisite number of visual tweaks. The front and rear bumpers (now with subtle diffuser) are a bit sharper and new wing mirrors and grille all add a little extra - but not much - to the 2014 original.

Inside is pretty much the same as before. The touchscreen has a flat, glare-prone screen but the rest of the cabin is well thought through, if entirely conventional. The flashy alloy pedals are a fun touch, though, and the materials choices are solid if uninspiring.

The e-2008 looks great but what about the practicality? Well, let’s just say the front row benefits the most in terms of everything – space, comfort and features. If you’re a super tall family, this might not be the car for you.

I felt perfectly happy when it was just my son and me but as soon as my husband jumped in, it started to feel a bit claustrophobic in the cabin.

There are a few reasons why, though. You knock elbows with your front passenger, if you have a cup in one of the centre console cupholders it gets in the way of the transmission shifter and you knock your feet on the too-high door aperture. I felt clumsy getting in and out of this car.

That said, the seats are comfortable and you could easily do a longer trip in them. It's curious that the front passenger seat and the sunblind for the panoramic sunroof adjust manually. But all in all, I was happy with the comfort in the front.

Individual storage is decent up front for this class with a middle console, glove box, two drink bottle holders in each door plus two cupholders. There is also a large hidden storage cubby above the phone tray that I was able to pop all my loose items away in.

Individual storage is basic in the back seat with the only options being a couple of netted map pockets plus shallow storage bins in each door.

Generally speaking, space is lean in the second row. I’m 168cm (5'6") and sitting behind my driving position, my knees touch the back of the seat.

My videographer and I had a laugh when we were filming the video review for the e-2008 because it was so awkward for him (at 183cm / 6'0") to get comfortable in the back seat! I thus dub it only fit for kids on longer journeys.

The two digital screens look great and the 3D-effect instrument panel is a cool highlight but the multimedia system doesn’t seem to have a lot of accessible information or customisations available.

The screen responds quickly but sometimes the built-in satellite navigation is slow to load. However, I like how easy it is to connect to the wired Apple CarPlay plus it has wired Android Auto for those users.

Charging options are good with each row enjoying two USB-A ports and the front getting a single 12-volt socket. Disappointing that there are no other amenities in the back row, though.

The highlight of the car for me is the boot. It's a good size at 434L and I like the level load space. You have underfloor storage for cables and such but the compromise for getting all of this space is that you only get a tyre puncture repair kit. There’s also no frunk storage in this model.

I missed a powered tailgate because the boot lid is quite heavy to close but otherwise, the boot suited my little family’s needs just fine.

The Liberty has a terrifically spacious interior. Rear seat passengers have a huge amount of legroom, with a ton of room behind my driving position (I'm 178cm) for long-legged teenagers. There's also plenty of legroom and even air vents.

The cabin has four cupholders in total and four USB ports, two up front and two in the back.

If you found a way to fill the boot with water you'd get 493 litres aboard and you can drop the 60/40 split fold seats for yet more space.

The Liberty's sixth-generation has arrived at middle age and Subaru took the opportunity to tweak the specification as well as the looks. Second in the three car range is the 2.5i Premium, which sits between the 2.5i entry-level and the 3.6R, and carries a $36,640 price tag.

Standard on the Premium are 18-inch alloys, a six speaker stereo with Bluetooth and USB, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, active cruise control, powered and heated front seats, sat nav, auto high beam, active LED headlights, a very impressive safety package, partial leather seats, leather steering wheel, power everything, sunroof and a full-size spare.

The 7.0-inch touchscreen now not only features sat nav and a half-decent media system but also has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is still a rarity in this class. Also a rarity is the standard all-wheel drive system (good) and the CVT auto (maybe not so good).

The e-2008 GT has a fully electric powertrain and a lithium-ion battery that has a 50kWh capacity. The battery is located underneath the rear seats.

The electric motor delivers a maximum power output of 100kW and 260Nm of torque. It's official 0-100km/h sprint time is nine seconds.

So, it's not the punchiest EV on the market but it has enough power to tackle the open-road, if need be.

Like the overall specification, the drivetrain has received some attention. While power outputs are the same as before - 129kW/235Nm - the CVT auto with which Subaru's 2.5-litre boxer engine is paired is slightly improved. Even in the quiet of the cabin you hear that 'flat' four-cylinder's trademark gravelly growl.

Being a Subaru, all four wheels receive their share of power. The Liberty's published towing capacity is 1500kg for braked trailers and 750kg unbraked. If you need a bit more, the six-cylinder 3.6R can handle another 300kg.

The e-2008 has a driving range of up to 328km (WTLP) and a Type 2 CCS charging port – which means you can hook it up to a fast charger.

The battery capacity means it can also accept a 50kW fast charger’s speed and will go from 0-80 per cent in as little as 30 minutes, which is very handy.

Peugeot's official energy consumption figure for the e-2008 is 14.5 kWh/100km and I saw my average flit between 17.3kWh to 19.5kWh on my travels after doing mostly urban driving this week. 

I will admit to feeling some range anxiety because of the lower driving range available.

Subaru says the combined cycle fuel figure is 7.3L/100km and I got 9.3L/100km with a mix of suburban and 80km/h running.

The fuel tank is a generous 61 litres.

Besides the range anxiety, the e-2008 drives well. The power is a bit lacklustre compared to other EV models out at the moment but there is still plenty to access when you need it. I felt confident whenever I had to tackle the open-road or overtake.

The ride comfort is good with the suspension cushioning most bumps. The road noise can creep up a bit, especially at higher speeds but the e-2008 is otherwise fairly quiet around town.

I like the concise steering. It makes the e-2008 super fun to drive in the city! When you hit corners or wind at higher speeds, it can feel a bit light footed, though.

It sits low at 1550mm in overall height and that can mean that sometimes the visibility isn’t great if you pull up to a roundabout or traffic lights with a big SUV beside you. Otherwise, the windows are nice and wide and provide decent visibility.

The e-2008 is a good size to fit into small car spots in the city but the 180-degree rear-view camera isn’t as clear as I’d like. It’s still serviceable and I like the back up provided by front and rear parking sensors. It takes out some of the guesswork!

Subaru says the Liberty has undergone some changes to improve the driving experience. To my backside, that hasn't worked out perhaps as intended. At least I hope so, because the results aren't terrific. The ride is particularly odd - in the corners there is noticeable body roll but it bangs and crashes over bumps, the rear passengers suffering worse than those up front.

In the cruise it's perfectly reasonable and the car is very quiet, indeed it's pleasant at speed. At lower speeds, there is a lack of feel contributing to the feeling that the wheel lacks accuracy. Nothing dramatic, but I felt like I was constantly correcting it the way Parisians correct my high school Francais.

Cheeringly, what I expected to be my least favourite part of the car was quite good. I am monotonously on record dissing CVTs because generally, they're pretty terrible. After six months with one in the Forester, I was never comfortable with it. 

Here in the Liberty, it seems better integrated with the engine, with much better control of the trademark flaring and it's only when you really get the accelerator up against the firewall that you're reminded you're driving a rubber band. When you switch from I (Intelligent) to S (Sport) mode, it also responds accordingly, but there's never going to be fireworks.

The brake pedal is a bit on the mushy side, too, but its stopping ability was never in doubt. I guess the final verdict is that some parts of the experience are dreamily isolating while others are not as good as you might expect.

The Liberty ships with seven airbags (including driver's knee), lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise with brake light recognition, ABS, traction and stability controls, reversing camera, forward and side view cameras, reverse cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring. 

Bafflingly, there are no parking sensors at all on any Liberty. I know that sounds churlish, but I don't park watching a camera and like the beepers so I can watch somewhere else. Give me a beeper and a dipping left-hand mirror any day.

On top of all that, the 'EyeSight' system is also fitted. EyeSight is a pair of cameras pointing forward that not only powers the lane keep assist, but lets you know if you're drifting or approaching an obstacle too quickly. It also detects pedestrians and in this latest iteration will work up to 50km/h rather than 30km/h as before.

As you might expect, the Liberty scored five ANCAP stars in December 2014.

The e-2008 comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, as well as an eight-year/160,000km warranty on the battery.

Servicing intervals are every 12 months, but it is normal to see EV servicing at around 24 months.

You can pre-purchase either a three- or five-year servicing plan, which are both cheaper than the pay-as-you-go option.

On the five-year plan, services average $200, which is good for the class.

At three years/unlimited kilometres, the Subaru warranty is now starting to look a bit thin compared to, say, Korean rivals. Over the three years of the capped-price servicing you'll wear $2281.66 for up to 75,000km of servicing. 

Subaru expects to see you every six months or 12,500km, so that averages out to $380 per service.

Hyundai's Sonata will cost you just $795 over the same period (for fewer visits), a Mazda6 will only hit you for between $308 and $336 per service, and a Camry will cost just over half what Subaru charges every year.