Peugeot e-2008 Review

The Peugeot e-2008 sits in a very crowded part of the EV market. Small electric SUVs are no longer unusual, and buyers now have a long list of alternatives that includes everything from the Jeep Avenger and Vauxhall Mokka Electric to larger, more mature EVs such as the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV.

That means the Peugeot e-2008 no longer gets away with simply being one of the earlier options. It has to stand on its own merits, and the good news is that it now does that more convincingly than before.

The biggest turning point was the 2023 update. That facelift sharpened the styling, improved the infotainment and, most importantly, brought the bigger 54kWh battery and 156PS electric motor. Those changes did not transform the car into a class leader, but they made the e-2008 a much more rounded and much more competitive proposition.

The Peugeot e-2008’s strongest qualities remain its comfort, its ease of use and its cabin ambience. This is not an EV that tries to wow you with huge performance figures or gimmicks. Instead, it majors on being simple to drive, smart inside and easy to live with day to day.

There is still a regular Peugeot 2008 with petrol and hybrid power, but our Peugeot 2008 review covers that separately. In electric form, the Peugeot e-2008 now feels like a proper standalone choice rather than just the niche version of another car.

The Peugeot e-2008 range is now simpler than it used to be, because there is effectively one battery and motor combination to choose from in current UK trim walk-up form. That means the key decision is less about battery size and more about trim.

For most buyers, the best Peugeot e-2008 is the GT. Allure is still a solid entry point and already gets the improved 10-inch touchscreen, 17-inch diamond-cut alloys, front and rear parking sensors and Peugeot’s configurable instrument panel. But GT adds the extra details that suit the e-2008’s character particularly well, including the black roof, smarter lighting, keyless entry and the 3D-style driver display.

GT Premium is the range-topper and adds genuine luxury touches such as heated seats, driver massage, connected navigation and a heat pump. It is an impressive version, but it is more of a want than a need.

In simple terms, Allure is the sensible buy, GT is the sweet spot and GT Premium is the indulgent one.

The Peugeot e-2008 now looks much more competitive on price than it used to. Current Peugeot UK offer listings show the e-2008 GT from £30,145 on the road once the £1,500 Electric Car Grant is factored in, while the GT Premium comes in at £32,695.

That matters because the e-2008 once felt quite expensive for what it offered. Peugeot’s UK price cuts and the return of the grant have brought it back into the conversation for buyers who had previously written it off.

Used values are also appealing. Earlier pre-facelift cars are now much cheaper than they once were, which means there is a usable route into e-2008 ownership even if the newest versions are beyond budget.

The Jeep Avenger is one of the Peugeot e-2008’s clearest rivals if you want a compact electric SUV with style on its side. It is smaller and a little less practical, but it has similar showroom appeal and feels like a direct alternative for buyers who are led by design.

The Vauxhall Mokka Electric is the obvious close relation. It shares much of its engineering with the Peugeot but wraps it in a different look and feel. The Peugeot e-2008 generally feels a little more polished inside, while the Vauxhall has a slightly more straightforward cabin layout.

The Hyundai Kona Electric is the rational benchmark if range matters most. It goes farther on a charge, is highly efficient and feels more mature as a long-distance EV, even if it cannot quite match the Peugeot for cabin flair.

Beyond those three, the Kia Niro EV remains a strong all-rounder if you need more rear space, while the Renault Megane E-Tech is worth a look if you want something a little lower, more modern-feeling and more driver-focused. The Peugeot e-2008 makes most sense if you want a small electric SUV that feels stylish and easygoing rather than purely rational.

One of the Peugeot e-2008’s advantages over smaller electric hatchbacks is that it still feels like a proper small SUV inside. The slightly raised ride height gives you an easy-in, easy-out driving position, and there is enough front-seat space for taller drivers to get comfortable.

Rear-seat space is also respectable. Adults fit more comfortably than the coupe-ish roofline might suggest, and there is enough headroom and knee room for family use. It is not the most spacious car in the class, but it does not feel cramped, either.

Boot space is 434 litres, which is one of the Peugeot e-2008’s stronger practical points. That is a useful advantage over a Jeep Avenger, which offers less luggage room, and it also leaves the Peugeot looking competitive against small electric SUVs such as the Vauxhall Mokka Electric. You still get a noticeably bigger and more useful load area than in lower-slung EV hatchbacks such as the Renault Megane E-Tech or Cupra Born, too, which matters if you are choosing an SUV shape for a reason.

It is not a class champion, though. A Hyundai Kona Electric or Kia Niro EV makes a stronger case if outright family practicality is your top priority, because both offer more rear-seat room and a more generous-feeling boot. Even so, the Peugeot’s square load bay, wide opening and fairly flat lip make it easier to use than some coupe-styled rivals, and that often matters just as much as the headline litre figure.

Fold the rear seats and capacity rises to 1,467 litres. So the Peugeot e-2008 does a good job of offering the style-led appeal buyers want from a small SUV without making too many compromises in the areas that matter day to day.

The Peugeot e-2008 measures 4,300mm long, 1,770mm wide & 1,550mm high. That makes it compact enough to suit urban driving while still being large enough to feel like a proper family crossover.

In practical terms, it is easy to park, easy to place on the road and just large enough to avoid feeling like a city car on stilts. That balance is one of the reasons the e-2008 works well.

Technology improved a lot with the 2023 update. The 10-inch touchscreen is now standard across the range, and that matters because the earlier system was one of the car’s more obvious weak spots.

The latest screen is sharper, quicker and easier to use, while wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard. That makes the e-2008 feel much more current than older examples and removes the need to rely on Peugeot’s own system for everything.

The familiar Peugeot i-Cockpit layout remains, with the small steering wheel and high-set instruments. It still divides opinion, and there is no escaping that. Some drivers will love the more unusual feel, while others will never quite get comfortable with it. This is absolutely something you should try before buying.

The Peugeot e-2008 feels well finished for a small SUV. Soft-touch materials on the upper dashboard, neat trim detailing and the more sculpted design all help give it a richer feel than many mainstream rivals.

Allure and GT already feel quite smart, while GT Premium adds Alcantara-style trim, heated seats and more of the details that lift the cabin towards premium territory. It is not flawless, because there are still harder plastics lower down, but the overall impression remains strong.

The current Peugeot e-2008 uses a 54kWh battery and a front-mounted electric motor producing 156PS. Official WLTP range spans 227 to 247 miles depending on version, with Peugeot quoting up to 247 miles in the most efficient specifications.

Performance is adequate rather than thrilling, which is perfectly acceptable in a car like this. The 0-62mph time is 9.1 seconds, so while it is not especially fast by EV standards, it still feels responsive enough in normal use thanks to the instant torque of the electric motor.

The range spread reflects wheel size and specification rather than any change in battery or motor output. That is why the lower trims make the strongest efficiency case, even if GT is the more appealing overall buy.

The Peugeot e-2008 is a relaxing small EV to drive. The light controls, modest dimensions and easy throttle response make it well suited to town use, where it feels smooth and reassuringly simple.

Ride comfort is one of its strong suits. The suspension has a soft, absorbent edge that helps the e-2008 deal well with poor urban roads and speed humps, and it does this without becoming floaty or clumsy at higher speeds.

It is not a particularly sporty EV. The small steering wheel gives it an exaggerated sense of agility at first, but a Renault Megane E-Tech or Cupra Born is more involving if driver appeal matters to you. Still, the Peugeot e-2008’s comfort-first approach will suit far more buyers than an overly sharp setup would.

Refinement is generally good. The electric motor is quiet in town, and while wind and road noise do creep in at motorway pace, it remains a calmer long-distance companion than many cheaper electric rivals.

The Peugeot e-2008 shares its core safety structure with the regular 2008, which received a four-star Euro NCAP rating in 2019 in standard form, with a five-star result available when fitted with the optional safety pack.

Standard safety kit is decent, with autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance and driver-attention monitoring all included. Higher trims add more sophisticated systems, and options such as the Drive Assist Pack Plus bring adaptive cruise control and lane positioning assistance.

So while the e-2008 is not a crash-test standout by today’s standards, it is still broadly well equipped and fundamentally sound.

Peugeot quotes a 20 to 80 per cent DC fast charge time of 27 minutes when connected to a 100kW public charger. That is a decent result for a small EV with a relatively modest battery and makes the e-2008 fairly easy to use on longer trips.

At home, a full charge on a 7.4kW wallbox takes roughly eight hours, so an overnight top-up is straightforward. Because the battery is smaller than the packs used by some larger EVs, the total cost of a full home charge is also relatively modest, depending on your tariff.

The e-2008 is not a class leader for charging speed or outright range, but the battery size is well judged for the sort of mixed urban and suburban driving many owners will do.

Peugeot’s standard manufacturer warranty is three years from first registration. In the first two years it is unlimited mileage, while the third year is capped at 60,000 miles. The traction battery is covered separately for eight years or 100,000 miles.

Peugeot Care also applies to the e-2008. That builds on the standard three-year warranty with service-activated cover of up to eight years or 100,000 miles, subject to the relevant terms and servicing conditions.

Servicing intervals are more specific on Peugeot’s current EV guidance than generic warranty wording suggests. Initial operation is due at one year or 8,000 miles, with scheduled services then every two years or 16,000 miles.

Insurance groups for the Peugeot e-2008 sit in the mid-20s. Recent market guides place it in groups 25 to 27 depending on trim, which is a little higher than the regular petrol and hybrid 2008 but about what you would expect for a small electric SUV with a relatively high list price.

In practice, it should not be prohibitively expensive to insure by EV standards, though the pricier trims will naturally cost more.

The Peugeot e-2008 now costs £200 a year in VED after year one. The EV Expensive Car Supplement applies to electric cars with a list price of more than £50,000. The good news is that the Peugeot e-2008 sits well below that threshold in current UK offer form, so it avoids the extra charge.