Motoring Writer IAN LAMMING swerves a nasty accident in Peugeot’s latest 2008
THERE’S a cone in the middle of my lane and I’m doing 50mph! Gale force winds and the wake of a 38 tonner have plonked the orange and white obstacle right in my path so it’s full on braking and time to swerve.
It has to be said, so I will say it, that the new Peugeot 2008 handles what could have been a nasty situation with complete aplomb.
In effect, the only way to avoid the cone is to slalom round it and this is where all those letters in the press pack and brochures come into force. Emergency braking, anti-lock brakes, anti-skid and electronic stability programme kick in in the blink of an eye.
So the 2008 stays in complete control, unflustered, unharmed, its occupants protected at all times. Phew, thanks Peugeot.
I’d already been impressed with the brand new 2008 which looks like a scaled down version of the equally brilliant 3008 and 5008 SUVs. I love the way they both look and the 2008 is all the better for its new set of clothes.
Inside gets the same treatment – iCockpit – making the 2008 one of my favourite interiors thanks to awesome clocks, 3D virtual dashboard and large touch screen. It is just so good, particularly the piano key switches and carbon fibre in-lays.
The tiny flat-bottomed steering wheel makes you forget you are in a SUV and instantly you believe you are in a Peugeot hot-hatch. Its performance and handling convince you further, it really is a sporty and dynamic drive.
The petrol motor seems so modest on paper – 1.2 litres, three cylinders. But thanks to direct injection and a turbocharger this SUV charges to 62mph in in just 8.9 seconds and feels nice and peppy on the road when asked to overtake slower moving vehicles or climbing steep hills. It never feels lacking. It has a nice sound too because of the off-beat nature of its three cylinder set up.
Steering, handling and ride are fabulous too, not just in the case of emergencies but under normal driving conditions. It is agile, quick witted and always controlled. Drivers will love it.
Test car came in an unapologetic Fusion orange metallic and was all the better for it attracting admiring glances in the school car park and on the road. As it tried to merge with one of its crazy cone cousins I couldn’t help but feel reassured that under that bright coloured livery was a very hi-tech cache of electronic wizardry to keep us all safe.
Fact file
Peugeot 2008 1.2L PureTech 130 GT Line
Engine: 1.2 three-cylinder turbocharged petrol
Power: 131hp
0-62mph 8.9 secs
Top speed: 122mph
Combined MPG: 50.6
Transmission: six-speed manual
CO2 g/km: 103
Price: £26,100.00