Peugeot 2008 1.2 VTi 82 CV, test drive (Engine, performance, handling and fuel consumption)

The good qualities of a Peugeot 208 but with more space and an SUV design, that is how we can define the Peugeot 2008. It is an urban crossover with enough space for four adults and, in addition, an exterior design that follows the current SUV trend.

Although its best feature is its price, it is available from 13,800 euros. If you want a spacious car with an urban character and at the same time a tight price, perhaps you are interested in this Peugeot 2008 1.2 VTi 82 CV that we have tested. How does it behave? Is its three-cylinder 82 CV engine enough? We answer all of this in the test.

Engine and performance

Peugeot has recently renewed its entry-level petrol engine range, and the new 1.2-litre three-cylinder units appear, naturally aspirated and with 82 CV of power. This engine can be found in the Peugeot 208 range (among other models of the PSA group).

Are three cylinders enough? I won’t lie to you: as soon as I was told which car I would be testing, and I also had a motorway trip with it, I thought I was going to die on the hills and that the engine would be very short of power.

But after getting behind the wheel of this small three-cylinder, we concluded that for urban and road journeys it works well, as long as we don’t load the car too heavily; it is an adequate engine. Its response is very progressive and the sound is low, although it responds at high revs, pushing strongly between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm.

We even tested it with the car loaded with four people and a stretch of motorway, and then the response is slow and on prolonged hills it struggles to maintain speed, which is where you notice that it has only three cylinders. Still, in town or on the road, the engine does its job.

Without a doubt it is an ideal engine for those who move around cities. What could be improved is the sensation on pull-away: it lacks smoothness at that moment, and the first few times, until we get used to it, the feeling is that the car is going to stall. However, after that we hardly notice it is a three-cylinder.

The engine is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox, with fairly short ratios; in fact, at 130 km/h the car in fifth gear runs at 4,000 rpm, which penalises consumption, although the motorway is certainly not this car’s ideal habitat with this engine. The gearbox feel, especially its precision, could be improved and is typical of a city car.

Handling

The Peugeot 2008 prioritises passenger comfort; it has little body roll but also lacks the agility of its smaller sibling, the 208. It is comfortable, and in the city it is easy to manoeuvre. Interior soundproofing could be improved, especially on the motorway, where a fair amount of aerodynamic noise gets through.

Thanks to its ride height and the Grip Control (optional) which acts on the ESP, it can tackle tracks and difficult terrain with more confidence than a city car, gaining versatility over other cars. Grip Control, the system that manages the ESP on low-grip surfaces to improve traction, is also a feature that rivals such as the Renault Captur do not offer.

The brakes work well, and the four-wheel discs stand out, something worth noting because its direct rival, the Captur, uses rear drum brakes. The steering feels correct and, thanks to the smaller-than-usual steering wheel (introduced on the 208), manoeuvrability is good.

Fuel consumption

The engine does not offer much excitement in terms of performance, but this is also reflected in consumption, and in the end the Peugeot 2008 is economical. On the open road it achieves an average of 6 litres per 100 km, and this figure can be lowered further if we are careful with the accelerator pedal.

In town the figure rises to 7.5 litres per 100 km, according to the test carried out by Vigo on our usual city route. On the motorway it is not a frugal car, because it runs at high revs; on our usual route it consumed 6.6 litres per 100 km.

In the second part we will analyse the car’s distinctive design, its interior, and whether it is comfortable for four or five occupants, as well as the build quality of the interior, which we can already say is identical to that of the 208.

Photos | Diego G. Moreira

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackPeugeot 2089 versions · from 22,520 €