Peugeot e-2008 GT Electric (2023 - )

With the option of petrol engines, hybrid (from 2024) or a fully electrified version, there is plenty of scope for buyers looking at the stylish new Peugeot 2008. And when you factor in the attractive starting price along with a range of trim levels called Active, Allure, GT and First Edition, it’s easy to see why this car is gaining so much attention.

The five-door family car in full electric guise looks almost identical to its petrol-driven sibling which we quite like – after all driving an EV doesn’t mean an outlandish design that bears similarities to a milk float.

Yes, there are more affordable EVs out there and many rivals offer a superior driving range between charges, but few come close to the Peugeot when it comes to comfort and refinement.

The latest car comes with a larger 54kWh battery and a new electric motor with the maximum power increasing by 18 per cent to 156hp. This has also resulted in an increase in the driving range between charges which is now a WLTP-tested 252 miles. And it was that car that we opted to test in GT specification.

The latest e-2008 is a beautifully-styled five-door compact SUV that looks modern and dynamic when approached from any angle. Our car was supplied in a Selenium Grey shade which may not sound that inspiring, but it worked well with the black roof and pillars as well as the stunning 17-inch diamond-cut, two-tone alloy wheels.

Other eye-catching features include a 3D-effect grille housing the Peugeot emblem, distinctive front and rear light clusters, a black roof spoiler, privacy glass and GT badging.

Moving inside, the interior is a very high-end place to be with a wealth of technology at your disposal. The test car featured upgraded Alcantara Iconium upholstery with neat green contrast stitching. These seats were power-operated and could be heated against the winter chill and even featured a massage function – all for an extra £500.

There is a premium feel to this cabin and the level of tech reflects this too with a 10-inch infotainment screen being the main focal point and offering access to the 3D TomTom navigation with Live updates (£400 extra), Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, DAB radio, a six-speaker sound system, Bluetooth and voice recognition for the radio, navigation and telephone functions.

The steering wheel is a squircle shape – that’s a circle and square combination – and the digital drivers display offers a wealth of vital information about charging levels, range, speed and sat nav directions.

Everything works well and all dials, controls and readouts are ideally positioned for ease of use on the move.

The increase in battery size to 54kWh means the latest e-2008 delivers 156hp and 260Nm of torque resulting in a 0-62mph sprint time of just 9.1 seconds with a top speed of 93mph.

While there are more dynamically performing competitors out there, few will offer the sublime comfort of the front-wheel drive e-2008, so it’s up to the customer to prioritise between pace or refinement.

That said; the e-2008 is certainly no slouch as it accelerates smoothly and swiftly through the single-speed automatic transmission. It cruises at 70mph on motorways (although the range will take a hit if you spend too long at that speed), it is well balanced through more challenging B roads with impressive grip and it’s accomplished in busier city centres with nice steering feel and good all-round visibility being great assets.

There are drive modes called Eco, Normal and Sport that alter the driving characteristics of the car and will also impact once again on the range. In addition, there is a B setting on the gear selector and this increases the level of regenerative braking so more energy can be recouped along the way.

All occupants are well protected from any outside noise intrusion and, as is the Peugeot way, the ride is well cushioned with the highly-effective suspension system smoothing out any bumps and dips.

The Peugeot e-2008 is a compact-sized SUV that stretches 4,304mm in length, is 1,987mm wide (with mirrors), 1,550mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,605mm.

Up front the tallest of driver and front seat passenger will be impressed with the abundance of space they are treated to. And there is a decent amount of legroom in the back too provided those front seats are not pushed right back. Ideally, it’s just the right size for three youngsters to sit comfortably on longer journeys or a couple of adults over a shorter distance.

The rear doors open nice and wide which makes fitting a child seat a simple operation and there are Isofix anchors to the outer rear seats.

The boot can swallow 434 litres of luggage and there is room to store all the cables beneath the floor. Drop the 60:40 split-folding rear seats and that capacity increases to 1,467 litres.

Elsewhere, there are a number of handy storage compartments throughout the cabin, including a compact glovebox, door bins with space for a bottle, seat back nets, a wireless charging pad and a small central cubby beneath the armrest with a tray for holding coins.

Charging the 54kWh battery to 80 per cent via a rapid charger takes just 30 minutes, while a 100 per cent boost can be achieved in 7 hours, 30 minutes if connected to a 7kW home wallbox.

The fully-electrified Peugeot e-2008 line-up costs from £36,500 for the Active model and rises to £41,750 for the First Edition specification. It’s worth pointing out there is quite a price hike between the petrol and electric versions with the entry-level 2008 Active powered by a 1.2-litre PureTech engine costing £24,170.

Our test car, the e-2008 GT Electric 54kWh 156 model, was priced at £40,700 but there were a number of optional extras that saw the final cost climb to £42,100. These included upgrades to the upholstery and seating (£500), a Drive Assist Pack Plus that added adaptive cruise control with stop and go, along with lane positioning assist (£300), a Parking Pack with blind spot monitoring and colour and rear cameras £200), along with an upgraded infotainment set-up that added £400 to the price.

Thanks to its larger battery, the latest e-2008 can deliver a WLTP-tested 252 miles between charges and with the energy tariffs finally starting to drop, charging the car from a home wallbox could prove financially sound.

With its zero carbon emissions, the Peugeot e-2008 is an attractive car for business drivers thanks to its Benefit in Kind tax rating of just two per cent and, at present, it will be exempt from Congestion Charge and Ultra low Emission Zone fees. But this will all change in 2025 with the Government reducing or withdrawing incentives completely. 

However for now at least owners of EVs are exempt from road tax charges and not penalised for purchasing a car costing in excess of £40k. 

All in all, the Peugeot e-2008 is a top notch family SUV that is fully electrified. It’s not cheap, but you do get a raft of top quality fixtures and fittings for the outlay and it delivers one of the most refined rides on the market today.

The biggest issue facing the e-2008 is the ever-growing number of rivals, some of which offer a far better driving range between charges. While that might not matter to ‘hardened’ EV drivers, any newcomers switching across could be looking for the added reassurance those extra 40 or 50 miles bring to the mix.