Peugeot 5008 Review: The 7?Seat SUV That Quietly Outclasses the Big Names

You know the story. You start with a cute hatchback and weekend getaways. Then life happens: kids, car seats, scooters, groceries, sports gear, maybe a dog with too much energy. Suddenly your stylish, nimble car feels like a shoebox, and every trip turns into Tetris on four wheels.

So you start looking at seven-seat SUVs. And the options are… underwhelming. Huge on the outside, cramped on the inside. Boring cabins, dead steering, fuel bills that sting, and price tags that assume you have a corporate expense account.

Thats the frustration the Peugeot 5008 directly tackles: you need space, comfort, and practicality, but you refuse to give up style, driving pleasure, or financial sanity.

The Solution: Peugeot 5008 as the Grown-Up Family SUV

The Peugeot 5008 is Peugeots three-row SUV, built to carry up to seven people without turning every drive into a chore. It sits in that sweet spot between compact and full-size SUV: big enough to swallow a family, small enough to still feel human in a tight parking garage.

On paper, its a practical seven-seater. In reality, it feels more like what happens when a design team obsessed with aesthetics, a chassis team that loves sharp handling, and a product manager with kids all work on the same car.

Peugeot, now part of Stellantis N.V. (ISIN: NL00150001Q9), positions the 5008 as its flagship family SUV in Europe. The latest version refines what owners already loved: a high-quality interior, efficient engines, and that distinctive, almost concept-car-like exterior.

Why this specific model?

The seven-seat SUV segment is crowded – think Skoda Kodiaq, Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan X-Trail. But the Peugeot 5008 stands out in three key ways: design, interior experience, and driving feel.

1. Design that doesnt scream family bus

On the official Peugeot site, the current 5008 wears the brands latest design language: a bold grille with the new Peugeot emblem, claw-style LED daytime running lights, and a sleek, stretched profile that looks more like a high-riding wagon than a lumbering truck. Instead of looking bulky, it looks intentional.

The upright stance gives you a proper SUV feel, but the surfacing and details (especially with higher trims and optional contrasting elements, depending on market) give it a premium vibe usually reserved for more expensive German rivals.

2. The i-Cockpit interior that feels like a modern lounge

The 5008s signature move is the Peugeot i-Cockpit: a compact steering wheel, elevated digital driver display, and a central touchscreen, all angled slightly toward you. According to Peugeots official specifications, the 5008 includes features such as:

• Digital instrument cluster (depending on trim and market)
• Central touchscreen for media, navigation, and vehicle settings
• Advanced driver assistance systems like adaptive cruise and lane-keeping support on selected variants

In plain language: it feels like a car designed recently, not a dashboard leftover from a decade ago. The elevated screen and instruments keep your eyes high, and the smaller steering wheel makes even low-speed city driving feel more responsive.

3. Real-world practicality: seven seats, three individual rear chairs

One of the most-loved features mentioned repeatedly in owner discussions and reviews is the second row: three individual seats. Each one can slide and recline independently, and in many markets each has ISOFIX mounting points. That means three child seats across without contortionist-level belt gymnastics, which is something most rivals cant claim.

The third row consists of two additional seats more suited for kids, teens, or shorter trips for adults. The smart part: you can remove those rear-most seats in many versions, freeing up a massive, flat cargo area when you dont need seven seats.

4. Engines and comfort: built for long runs, not drag strips

Peugeots official information highlights efficient gasoline and diesel engines across the 5008 lineup (availability varies by country), tuned more for comfort and economy than raw performance. Owners often report fuel consumption numbers that are impressively close to the official figures, especially with the popular diesel options in Europe.

On the road, reviewers and user posts from forums and Reddit threads consistently mention two things: comfortable ride quality and surprisingly secure handling. It doesnt try to be sporty, but it doesnt wallow in corners, either. For a tall, seven-seat SUV, that balance matters.

At a Glance: The Facts

Feature	User Benefit
Up to 7 seats with removable third row (market dependent)	Switch from full family mode to huge cargo space in minutes, without buying a van.
Three individual seats in the second row	Flexible layout for kids and adults, easier child-seat mounting, and better comfort on long trips.
Peugeot i-Cockpit with digital instrument cluster	Modern, high-mounted displays keep key information in your line of sight and make the cabin feel futuristic.
Central touchscreen infotainment system	Integrated control of media, navigation, and car settings reduces button clutter and keeps the dash clean.
Advanced driver assistance systems (depending on trim)	Features like adaptive cruise and lane-keeping support reduce fatigue on long highway drives.
Efficient gasoline and diesel engine options	Lower running costs and fewer fuel stops compared to many larger, heavier SUVs.
Distinctive exterior design with Peugeots latest front-end signature	Drives like a family car, looks like something youre proud to park in front of your house.

What Users Are Saying

Dive into owner reviews and Reddit threads about the Peugeot 5008 and a clear pattern emerges: people who buy it for practicality end up talking about how nice it is to live with day to day.

Common pros from real owners:

• Space and flexibility: The three individual rear seats and clever third row removable seats get constant praise. Families with multiple kids, especially those using multiple child seats, highlight how rare this layout is.
• Comfort and refinement: Many describe the 5008 as luxury-adjacent, noting soft ride quality, low noise levels, and an interior that feels more premium than its price suggests.
• Fuel efficiency: Diesel owners in particular report very competitive consumption for a seven-seat SUV, making it attractive for high-mileage drivers and road-trip families.
• Design inside and out: Even years into ownership, a recurring theme is I still love how it looks, both the exterior and the i-Cockpit cabin.

Common cons and complaints:

• Infotainment responsiveness: Some users mention the touchscreen can be a bit slow or menu-heavy compared to the latest systems from tech-focused brands.
• Third-row space: As with many mid-size seven-seaters, the rearmost seats are best for children or short trips for adults, not ideal for long-haul journeys.
• Small steering wheel ergonomics: A few taller drivers say the combination of low steering wheel and high cluster takes some getting used to, especially to avoid obscuring the display.

Overall sentiment: highly positive among owners who prioritized space, comfort, and style over badge prestige or sports-car performance.

Alternatives vs. Peugeot 5008

The Peugeot 5008 competes in one of the busiest corners of the SUV market. Heres how it stacks up against some well-known rivals:

• Skoda Kodiaq: The Kodiaq is a packaging genius with great space and very rational design. It can match or beat the 5008 on boot volume and practicality, but its interior doesnt feel as distinctive or stylish. If youre ultra-pragmatic, Kodiaq is tempting; if you want more character, 5008 wins.
• Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace: VW offers a solid, conservative take with strong engine options and a familiar interface. The 5008 usually undercuts it on price like-for-like and offers a more visually striking interior, but VW has the stronger brand pull in some markets.
• Kia Sorento / Hyundai Santa Fe: These often bring longer warranties and available electrified powertrains (depending on region). They tend to be bigger and heavier, with more space in the third row, but they feel more like full-size SUVs. The 5008 is easier to maneuver in tight European-style cities.
• Nissan X-Trail: Another mainstream seven-seat option that majors on comfort. However, many reviewers find the Peugeot 5008 cabin more premium and its design more distinctive.

In short: the Peugeot 5008 isnt the biggest, nor the flashiest on paper, but it offers a rare blend of design, comfort, and smart packaging that makes it feel a classier choice without a punishing price tag.

Final Verdict

If youre at that life stage where your car needs to be a rolling wardrobe, grocery hauler, kids shuttle, and road-trip machine, the instinct is often to buy something huge and compromise on everything else. The Peugeot 5008 suggests a better idea: get a car that handles the chaos of family life and still feels genuinely good to drive and sit in.

Its key strength is how intelligently it uses its size. The three individual rear seats, removable third row, and generous cargo area when configured as a five-seater make it incredibly flexible. Add in the i-Cockpit, modern design, and solid efficiency, and you get a family SUV that doesnt feel like a sacrifice at all.

Its not perfect. If you plan to carry adults in the third row every day, you may want to look at larger, more full-size SUVs. And if youre obsessed with the very latest fast infotainment UX, some rivals edge ahead. But for most families balancing budget, comfort, and style, the 5008 hits a sweet spot that few competitors match.

If you want a seven-seat SUV that treats you like a driver, not just a parent with cargo, the Peugeot 5008 deserves a serious spot at the top of your shortlist.