Suzuki Baleno vs Peugeot 2008

What's the difference?

The Baleno is a disappointingly dull car from a company that makes plenty of un-dull cars. I suppose it's prudent for Suzuki to at least try to look like a grown-up, but as this car proves, there's no fun in that.

It will no doubt be dependable and if kept in metropolitan areas, will serve its owners well. But it's lacking in key safety gear, the servicing is a bit on the stiff side and the interior feels cheaper than most of its competitors.

And on top of all that, it feels really old.

The Peugeot 2008 is a handsome and accomplished little SUV that’s fun to drive and has a cabin that feels a little bit special.

In reality the 2008 is too expensive and isn’t as practical as most of the mainstream compact SUVs.

This is the car you buy with your heart, not with your head.

Suzuki says the Baleno's look reflects the brand's 'Liquid Flow' design language, but I'd much prefer it if they had stuck with the angular design of its other cars. Almost all of them are far better looking, or at least characterful.

The Baleno's recent facelift, which is mostly a new front bumper and a headlight tweak, was probably supposed to improve the looks but instead the car now appears to have had some fillers pumped into its cheeks.

It's not an attractive car from the front, with the grille overpowered by the lower fascia's sheer breadth. The rear and profile are fairly anonymous and to ensure its anonymity, there is little in the way of adornment. Looks basic, is basic.

Step in to the spacious-for-its-size cabin and you'll be greeted with the usual Suzuki staples of super-hard plastics, hardy carpets and tough cloth trim.

There is a little curvaceousness to the dash design but it just feels a bit half-hearted until the curves run into the centre console's alien-with-flappy-ears effect. There's nothing wrong with it but it does look dated.

The Peugeot 2008 is a smooth operator with head-turning French flair, but the devil is in the detail.

It’s not just the 2008’s well proportioned dimensions or the healthy dollop of exterior black highlights that catch your eye, but Peugeot has added a range of design cues to symbolise the Lion on its badge.

The tail-lights have a 3D effect that make them look like cat’s claws and the daytime running lights on the front resemble a scratch mark. These pair perfectly with the lion head crest on the grille.

Look deeper and you notice the attention to detail.

The 2008's redesigned front grille's slates are colour matched to the car's body colour.

Dual exhaust pipes are finished in chrome, giving the impression of performance even if the car doesn’t deliver on it.

The GT variant gets a two-tone paint job with a black roof contrasting with the body's colour.

Inside there are plenty of high quality finishes. The centre console is festooned in gloss black and there is a lovely carbon-effect textured insert on the dash and doors. 

Some hard plastics below eye-level and on touch points such as where your knee might rub are less impressive. The rear seat loses some of the lustre of the front pew with tough plastics covering the back of the front seats and most of the doors.

Here's some excellent news - there is plenty of space in the Baleno's tiddly sub-four metre frame. The awkwardly-proportioned body has delivered good space for front and rear passengers who would be happier on more comfortable seats, but for city driving, they do just fine.

If you're up to around 180cm tall, there's enough space for you and your legs in the back and headroom is adequate.

Storage is a limited to a couple of open trays but you can put your phone in the same place as the USB port. You get two cupholders at the front and if you don't mind losing the rearmost of your storage trays, the back seat passengers can share it as a solitary cupholder. Each door has a very handy bottle holder that will secure a 1.5-litre vessel.

The boot is a good size for the segment at 355 litres to begin with and 746 with the 60/40 split fold rear seat folded down.

Step inside and there is no hiding the 2008’s diminutive proportions.

It’s 4300mm long, 1815mm wide and 1550mm high, which puts it closer in size to the mini Mazda CX-3 than the larger CX-30 it is more aligned with price-wise.

This all adds up to a snug fit in whichever row you sit.

There are a couple of cupholders in the centre console - a smaller one for a standard takeaway coffee and a larger one for drink bottles.

Slight storage bins in the door can hold a regular drink bottle but there isn’t much room for much else.

The wireless device charger is hidden away behind a compartment below the central screen that opens with a push and there are two USB-C ports up front and the rear seats score a USB-C and A connection.

Rear seat passengers do without a dedicated aircon vent, unfortunately.

There is an issue with Peugeot’s i-Cockpit steering wheel and digital driver display, too.

If you like to sit low the chances are the steering wheel will cut off your view of the bottom part of the display. If you prefer to have the seat jacked up, you’ll have better vision of the readouts.

There are piano key-like physical controls for simple climate functions such as the de-mister and auto climate settings. More complex functions are done via the 10-inch central multimedia screen.

The boot is a decent size at 434L and can easily handle a weekly grocery shop or a few overnight bags.

There is only a space saver spare wheel, but this car is aimed at city driving where it is easier to source a replacement tyre.

The 2008 range kicks off at $39,990, before on-road costs, for the base Allure grade and rises to $44,490 for the fully loaded GT variant.

That’s a lot of money for a small SUV, especially considering the Skoda Kamiq range starts at $32,990, you can get Nissan’s Qashqai from $33,890 and a Mazda CX-30 for $33,140.

There is a lot to like about the 2008’s standard equipment list, though.

Flash looking 17-inch alloy wheels are complemented by adaptive LED headlights that control individual LEDs to brighten the road without dazzling oncoming vehicles. The headlights will automatically switch on in low light situations and stay on for a short period of time after you exit the vehicle to make it easier to find your way to the door at night.

A 10-inch multimedia screen is compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a wireless device charger completes the cord-free ecosystem.

Peugeot’s 'i-Cockpit' brings a 10-inch driver display with 3D readouts paired with a small steering wheel.

GT buyers can expect eight colour ambient lighting, a six-speaker stereo, four USB charging ports, in-built sat nav and brushed aluminium foot pedals.

Well bolstered seats are heated up front and wrapped in synthetic suede and leather upholstery with contrast green stitching. The driver’s seat is power adjustable and has a massage function but the front seat passenger will need to move the seat themselves.

There are rain-sensing wipers, roof rails, power folding and heated side mirrors and a space saver spare wheel.

It’s a solid list of equipment but is missing some features you’ll find on similarly priced rivals such as a head-up display.

You'll not need to hold on to your hat in the Baleno. The 1.4-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder musters up 68kW at 6000rpm and 130Nm 2000rpm earlier. It's not a lot, but at 915kg, the Baleno isn't doing too badly.

There's an old relic in the transmission department. Power reaches the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission. There aren't many of those left in circulation on new car forecourts.

You can't buy a Baleno with the plucky 1.0-litre turbo anymore, which is a bit of shame.

Lurking beneath the bonnet is a little three-cylinder 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine that makes 96kW and 230Nm. That’s a decent amount of grunt from the little unit, but again you can get more oomph for less from mainstream rivals.

It is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission that drives the front wheels.

There is no hybrid help, either.

Suzuki says you'll get 5.4L/100km on the combined cycle, which isn't too far off reality, our time delivering around 6.6L/100km. Which was remarkable in itself given how much throttle you have to use to move along.

Another bonus is that even though the fuel tank is just 37 litres, you won't spend half your life filling up.

Stiff emissions regulations in Europe mean these little turbocharged petrol engines have a fair bit of self control on the drink.

Peugeot claims the 2008 uses 5.4L/100km on the combined cycle. We used slightly more than this but spent most of the time in the cut and thrust of city traffic where cars use more fuel.

You’ll need to budget for pricier premium unleaded petrol, too.

Most Suzukis are fun to drive even if they're on the slow side. The Jimny bounces around like a fat puppy full of sugar, the Swift is a good laugh and the Vitara is quite handy. The Baleno fails to be any of these things, but it's not all bad news.

The first thing you'll notice is the very light steering that makes a high-pitched noise when you turn it.

The second thing you'll notice is the whine coming from the transmission or somewhere very like it, no matter how much throttle you have on. It shifts smoothly enough, though, which isn't very often given the lack of gears.

It's not often I yearn for a CVT, but that might be the better transmission for this car. Yes, I just checked outside for airborne pigs, too.

The Baleno does feel like it teeters a little on its skinny, high profile tyres. It's not a car to drive with enthusiasm, but if you're happy enough with its almost-lively off-the-mark acceleration, which then fades away rapidly, you'll be perfectly happy.

It's not very quiet, though, with plenty of noise passing through the trademark thin sheetmetal and sparingly damped shell. It's light, but you can hear why - there's not much sound-deadening to weigh it down.

On the open road the Baleno further reinforces its credentials as a city car - it wanders around on the tyres, the steering loses all its feel and the wind noise means you have to turn up the volume to either drown it out or make yourself heard.

On the road the 2008 is a bit temperamental.

Most European cars are fitted with stiffer suspension than the cosseting springs found in Japanese machines.

This means you’ll feel bumps and road imperfections through your seat more than other SUVs. It has particular problems ironing out consistent smaller bumps, which can unsettle it and lead the 2008 to skip across them.

The counterbalance to that is a more dynamic drive experience, with the 2008 exerting excellent body control through the bends as it is held in line by the stiffer set-up.

Pair this with sharp, direct and well-weighted steering and it's a fun little SUV to take on a twisting country back road.

Three cylinders might not sound like a lot, but in the real world this is all the 2008 needs.

Its 96kW and 230Nm won’t set the world on fire but the torque is accessed from just 1750rpm, which endows the 2008 with some punch off the mark and it feels zippy when navigating the daily commute.

Don’t confuse that for outright speed, though, the 2008 completes the benchmark 0-100km/h dash in 9.3 seconds.

The transmission is fine when you are accelerating or cruising at motorway speeds, where it uses its many ratios to keep the engine humming along in its sweet spot. There are paddle shifters if you want more control.

In stop-start traffic it isn’t as an accomplished performer. It can struggle to find the right ratio and this leads to a jerky movement reminiscent of dual-clutch autos.

The cabin is well insulated with the outside world kept mostly at bay, but you’ll hear the three cylinder’s charming little rumble when you put your foot down.

Parking is a cinch thanks to its petite proportions and the 2008 has no issues navigating tight city streets or underground car parks.

The 2008 has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, but that mark was given in 2020 and it might not get the same score if it was retested today.

It has six airbags, but misses out on a centre airbag that protects against head clashes in a side on collision.

It has a decent amount of safety equipment with auto emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control.

Rear cross-traffic alert, which sounds an alarm if a car is approaching from the side as you reverse, is a notable absence.

Suzuki has joined the mainstream market herd with a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty for private use (ie not Uber) but there isn't even a solitary year of roadside assist.

Happily, since we last drove the Baleno, service intervals on the 1.4-litre have improved to 12 months/15,000km (rather than the previous 10,000km) and the company also offers five years of capped pricing up to 90,000km.

Services come in between $239 and $499, unless you've somehow covered 90,000km inside the five year window, and then it blows out to $649. That last figure aside, you can expect to pay $1635 over five years (or $2045 if you go nuts on the mileage). It's not especially cheap.

Peugeot covers the 2008 with a five year/unlimited km warranty, which is the standard coverage today.

The French brand offers a range of prepaid servicing packs that’ll save you a handy amount compared to pay-as-you-go maintenance.

A five-year plan is the best value, costing $1700 for five scheduled visits every 12 months or 15,000km. That’s $638 cheaper than the pay-as-you-go servicing.