Porsche Macan vs Peugeot 5008

What's the difference?

There is no doubting the substance of the Porsche Macan Electric. Its ride, steering and poise make it a joy to drive on twisting roads, and it ticks the practicality boxes, too.

The only lingering question is whether enough people are ready to make the all-electric switch. Only then will we know if Porsche's Macan gamble has paid off.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

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.

The Macan Electric looks sharp, all aerodynamic and swept-back like a range-maximising electric SUV should.

There’s functional method behind all this swoopy styling, too. The headlights look as though they’ve been chiselled into the body work, and at the grille, you’ll find active venting to help with cooling when needed.

There is also a sizeable front splitter that looks very much like the Macan is sticking its jaw out. All of which is to assist with aero and range.

It’s also a dual charging port layout with access left and right, though the latter is AC charging only, while the one on the left does both.

Step inside the Macan and you’ll find a familiar and very welcoming space. I especially like the twin-screen set-up that looks great in the way it's kind of embedded into the dash. Each is big, clear and easy to use.

I also really like the control panel that gives you quick-button access to the climate control, and the haptic feedback is next level, with the whole screen clicking in or out whenever you hit a button.

That said, in Turbo-guise you’re dropping almost $200,000, and some of the materials feel too hard and plasticky at that price point.

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!

There is a little open-sesame magic at play with the Macan, and that starts at the frunk, where, if you lovingly caress the bonnet, it will automatically pop open for you, revealing an 84-litre storage space.

Rubbing the charging port will see it slide open, too, but just in case you’re not the kind of person who likes to fondle their car in public, you can use the key.

The Macan’s boot is a little more traditional, opening to reveal 540 litres (but just 480 litres in the 4S or Turbo) of storage with the rear seats in place, with a wide, flat and very useable area for your goodies.

The back seat of the Macan feels spacious enough, without being outstanding. There’s more than enough space for my 175cm frame, with enough knee and head room, but the way the middle console juts out will definitely eat into leg room for any middle-row passenger.

Elsewhere you get air-con controls with vents, along with bottle storage in each of the doors. There is also a pull-down divider that’s home to two extra cupholders.

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 entry-level Macan is equipped with a single rear-mounted electric motor, and it will make a total 250kW (265kW with launch control activated) and 563Nm, which is enough to push the cheapest Macan to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds.

The 4 then adds a second electric motor for AWD, upping the grunt to 285kW (300kW with the launch function) and 650Nm, and drops the sprint to a brisk 5.2 seconds.

The 4S is probably the performance sweet spot, with its dual-motor set-up generating 330kW (380kW in launch) and 820Nm, and a blistering sprint of just 4.1 seconds.

But the Macan Turbo is a true monster. We’re talking 430kW (470kW with launch control), 1130Nm and a sprint to 100km/h that’s as fast as a Carrera Cup race car – just 3.3 seconds.

It’s twin-motor, all-wheel drive and offers the kind of brutal acceleration that gives you a little facelift every time you step on the accelerator.

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.

Every Macan is fitted with a big 100kWh lithium-ion battery, which helps deliver a solid driving range no matter which one you choose.

The entry-level Macan will cover the most distance, at a claimed 654km, while the 4, 4S and Turbo will travel 624km, 619km and 616km, respectively.

The Macan rides on an 800V architecture, and is set up for 270kW DC high-speed charging, which will take 21min to go from 10 to 80 per cent. It will also accept 11kW AC charging, which should take 10 hours to go from empty to full.

Worth noting, though, that most home wall boxes are around 7.0kW, which means a full charge would take more like 13 hours plus.

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.

Porsche seemed at pains to prove that, though the all-electric Macan has lost its ICE heart, it's still worthy of the badge, and still very much a Porsche.

First stop, then, was the Norwell race circuit in Queensland, to put the Macan through its paces with 0-100km/h sprints, drifting (well drift attempts... ) on a watered-down skid pan and finally some high-speed running on the circuit.

And two things immediately became very clear. The first, and most obvious, was that, like the first men on the moon, we were likely among only a handful of people that might ever take their all-electric Porsche mid-size SUV to a race track. And second, this is one seriously sorted electric car.

Happily, for the many (read: every) owners who won't be pulling out of a pit garage at their next local track day, the Macan is actually more enjoyable on the road than it is on the track.

On the latter, there's a freedom to push too hard – what with the lack of trees, guard rails or oncoming traffic – and cracks do appear, mostly from the screaming tyres struggling with the two-tonne-plus weight.

But on public roads, where a thick fog of consequence prevents you pushing too hard, the Macan is a gem.

Porsche tends to have a knack for these things, I know, but the Macan is a seriously smooth and satisfying drive.

The ride is bang-on (comfortable enough on rougher surfaces, firm and grippy enough on twisting roads) and the steering is direct and confidence-inspiring.

Body-roll has been largely banished, too, with the Macan staying flat, stable and satisfying, even on the tighter stuff.

In much the same way the ICE Macan defined what it meant to be a driver's SUV, I think this one does the same in the EV space. And the fact that it does it with five seats and a decent boot is a sizeable bonus.

But there's no denying it lacks in the emotion department. That sense of excitement, the sound track, the hard-to-define fizz – as competent its this, and as weaponised as the EV powertrain is – it does feel a little clinical, like a tool doing its job and doing it well.

One important caveat. We've driven the 4 and Turbo to date. The entry-level Macan and the mid-tier 4S are still incoming. And I suspect I wouldn't be dropping my deposit on the Turbo.

Yes, the power is ridiculous, but I don't reckon you need it. For me, the 4 is more than enough, but I suspect the real performance sweet spot will be with the 4S.

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 Porsche ownership experience is frankly underwhelming by modern standards, with the brand offering just a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, plus an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty.

The positive, though, is that servicing should only be required every two years or 30,000km. You also buy a prepaid service plan for three, four or five years, priced at $1495, $2795, $2995.

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.