Peugeot e-2008 Facelift review

The Peugeot 2008 debuted more than a decade ago and became an instant hit in the sub-compact SUV segment. The slightly lifted version of the ultra-popular 208 hatchback retains its small size and front wheel drive and its second generation gained a fully electric version. That one goes by as e-2008 and just got a faceliftm so we figured we'd see how it does and how it stacks up to its competitors.

Table of Contents:

• Exterior
• Interior
• Storage & practicalities
• Driving experience
• Tech features
• Ride comfort
• Cabin noise
• Acceleration and braking
• Consumption
• Charging speed
• Competition
• Verdict

The Peugeot e-2008 offers no choice when it comes to powertrain - a 54 kWh battery pack feeds a single 115 kW (156 hp) front-mounted motor. We drove the GT-line trim, which comes with all options available, so we got to test the whole lot of them.

The little Frenchman is becoming increasingly popular among city dwellers, who only occasionally do longer trips and the electric version is arguably even more suited to that usage pattern.

The Peugeot offers flamboyant styling and simple usability solutions - a formula that has served the 2008 lineup perfectly since its inception. But is the electric 2008 better than its rivals? Let's put it through its paces and find out!

Peugeot e-2008 SUV 2023 -

• Dimensions: 4,300 mm x 1,770 mm x 1,550 mm, 2,605 mm wheelbase.
• Drivetrain tested: 54 kWh - FWD 115 kW (156 hp), 270 Nm, 54 kWh total battery capacity, 50.8 kWh usable battery capacity
• Charging: 100 kW CCS; 10-80% in 25 min.
• Range: 402 km WLTP
• Weight: 1,648 kg unladen, 2,030 kg gross
• Other features: 3D gauge cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, OTA updates.

Exterior

Looks are a major selling point of the Peugeot e-2008. It is aggressive and modern, perhaps a tad overstyled, but that has been the theme for Peugeot models for a while now. Peugeot’s latest design language uses a lot of Predator-reminiscent elements, tying in nicely with the lion’s head badge.

The front looks busy at first, but once you get past that and look at the big picture it ties down smoothly for a cat-like face. Especially intriguing are the running lights, which are on either end of the lower bumper and look like tiger teeth or a claw scratch.

From the side the e-2008 looks more like its compact SUV siblings with black plastic bumpers lining up the lower part. It has a raised roof line for more headroom inside and some angular accents on each panel to try and set itself apart. One less than ideal part is the sharp angle of the outer rim of the rear doors, which tends to stab your while entering the rear seats if you are not careful.

You can choose from 16 up to 18-inch wheels and we had the middle of the range, 17-inch option, which forgoes the traditional spoke pattern for what we can best describe as a great Spiderman logo idea.

The rear of the Peugeot e-2008 keeps up with the angular angry-looking theme. The facelift has ditched the rear emblem in exchange for a huge "Peugeot" label as is the trend lately, while the taillights have become narrower. The rear bumper sticks out like the chin of a highschool bully, finishing the aggressive design.

Interior

The interior of the Peugeot e-2008 is going to feel familiar to any recent Peugeot's owner. And that's generally a good thing as those are appealing and modern, but the obvious downside is that the models don't have much of an identity. Anyway, the key materials are good and nothing squeaks or rattles inside, but there are a bit too many hard plastics even for this segment. To put it a different way the base petrol version of the 2008 is half the price of the GT-line e-2008, but the interios of the two don’t suggest anything close to that price gap.

The driver controls the e-2008 through a very tiny steering wheel, which is placed below the gauge cluster. This creates layout creates an issue with the visibility of the driver's display. Shorter drivers have parts of the gauge cluster blocked at all times, while taller ones are forced to have the wheel in their lap in order to see the entirety of the screen behind. This is an inconvenient design that Peugeot has been using for far too long and needs to fix as quickly as possible.

The stalks that come behind the steering wheel, feel and work great, especially the cruise control one, which is a separate thing below the blinkers. Being different from the usual setup, it takes some getting used to, but then becomes very intuitive and easy and Peugeot deserves credit for this.

The stalks behind the steering wheel are very intuitive and feel solid.

Behind or over the steering wheel is the gauge cluster/driver display, which has a very neat 3D effect (sadly our camera couldn't capture it quite well) and great interface. It is bordered by a massive chunk of plastic with holes on each end, as if you can pull it out and use it as a steering wheel, Star Wars style.

The center display sits in the middle of the dashboard, sharply tilted towards the driver. It has huge bezels on all sides, but the lower part cleverly extends slightly so that you can easily rest your hand while using the touchscreen.

Below the screen is a cluster of controls and vents, which looks as if lifted off a fighter jet's cockpit. The switches sticking out control various A/C functions and the hazard lights, but may well launch rockets if we go by looks alone. Slightly above them is a thin stripe that is touch-operated and it has some infotainment presets and the seat heating controls.

Going further down we see the storage/charging area of the dashboard, where you get USB-C outlets on each end. They used to be USB-A in the pre-facelift model, but now Peugeot has replaced the port without changing the housing, which looks like an aftermarket upgrade. There is also a wireless charging tray, where you can leave your phone and close it.

The front of the middle console consists entirely of the gear selector panel, creating a huge waste of space. The gear lever itself is tiny and the fake carbon handrest is more bulky than convenient, making this area rather useless for storing stuff and not particularly comfortable either. Behind it are two big cupholders, the parking brake, the drive mode selector and the hill assist button.

The seats in the GT-line are sporty and heavily bolstered, but they also offer great comfort. They combine leather and Alcantara with green stitching and flamboyant patterns, making the seats worthy of being put in a true sports car. The driver’s seat features electric adjustment and offers massage, which is not often found in this segment.

The seats are worthy of being in a sports car!

The doors up front feature green stitching and leather-wrapped door handles, which are very nice touches. They also have soft leather armrests and then everything beyond that is pretty poor. The rest is made of hard plastics and around the back that's the totally prevalent material.

The doors up front combine leather touches with many cheap plastics.

While the front row gets some features beyond the e-2008's price range, the second row comes short and it's fitting for a small budget vehicle. There are no climate vents for the rear passengers, there is no armrest and the materials are significantly cheaper all around. The only exception is that the rear passengers get USB-C and USB-A chargeports and some side and thigh support.

On the upside space at the back is alright for such a small vehicle. Our reviewer is 1.95 m (6’4”) tall and fits if tightly. Shorter passengers should have a decently pleasant journey, as despite its size the e-2008 offers sufficient headroom and legroom.

The rear of the e-2008 suits adults comfortably, as long as they are not too tall.

Storage & practicalities

The trunk of the Peugeot e-2008 is perfectly average for this type of small crossover vehicle and one great benefit is that it offers some smaller storage pockets for smaller items you don't want rolling around.

The trunk is decently sized with some smaller storage pockets.

With the rear seats up the maximum capacity is 405 l, while folding those gives you 1,470 l to work with. And thanks to the boxy shape of the car it can be utilized almost perfectly. It should be noted though, that the rear seats don’t fold flat, which means that longer objects are tougher to fit and take more space than neccessary.

You can't fully make a flat floor even with the raised trunk liner.

The Peugeot e-2008 doesn’t come with a frunk (front trunk), meaning that you get no bonus storage for rarely used items and charging cables.

Driving experience

Driving the Peugeot e-2008 is best defined as unengaging. The suspension is soft, the steering wheel is light and all driving manners are aimed towards smooth and comfortable travel. The e-2008 just wants to be your companion and not bother you in any way. Driving it is as easy as it gets, which should fit well with its target audience.

The visibility outside is great and the e-2008 can be effortlessly parked anywhere, despite its laggy rear-view camera. In the segment of sub-compact SUVs one of the most sought-after traits is ease of driving. This is where the e-2008 excels and it becomes quite obvious why so many people purchase it.

The Jeep Avenger, which we also reviewed, is essentially the same vehicle underneath, so the two feel vastly similar to drive around the city. The Peugeot is longer and heavier, which makes it more stable at higher speeds, but it has even more body roll and leaning in corners. If you often travel on twisty roads, the e-2008 may lead to some drowsiness, further amplified by the long suspension travel.

Even though the Peugeot e-2008 is the less off-road focused model, it has the same number of off-road assistants and modes as the Avenger. The FWD doesn’t inspire confidence and the lower ground clearance compared to the Avenger limits its capabilities, but you can still take it to a dirt road.

The e-2008 doesn’t interfere at all when driving and its assistants are nowhere near as invasive as some of its rivals. It has all mandatory and optional assist features, but they work in a gentle way that lets you be in control and only engage when absolutely necessary.

Further improving the everyday experience with the e-2008, you can simply walk away from it the vehicle locks itself. Once it senses that the key is away all doors lock, meaning you never have to worry about having it left unlocked as long as the key is on you. Unlocking is equally effortless - when approaching the e-2008 it automatically unlocks and you don't need to do anything.

Tech features

The little Peugeot e-2008 is no technological marvel, but it offers a sufficient amount of features to ensure a pleasant experience.

The most eye-catching piece of tech in the e-2008 is the digital gauge cluster, which looks like a hologram with 3D graphics. No doubt this is futuristic and interesting, but its operation is fairly simple. Above the main screen sits a separate projector that displays readouts on the gauge cluster protective screen, thus creating the hologram look. There are many ways to configure the display to show your desired menus without having to search for them in the infotainment menus.

The infotainment display itself shines with crisp quality and little to no input lag. The menus have big buttons that are easy to use while driving, but the brightness is a bit low. While not an issue most of the time it makes the screen a bit hard to see in the sunny summer days.

The support for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is much appreciated and they work seamlessly. There is always a stationary button in each menu that leads you back into CarPlay so you can play with your settings and then go quickly back to Waze or Google Maps.

Sadly, there is only a single zone climate control in the e-2008, even in the top GT-line trim. This is not unusual for such small vehicles and the benefit is that the controls are simple to use and can be commanded both through the screen or through physical buttons.

The built-in navigation doesn’t have the greatest graphics, but works well and has up-to-date detailed maps. It is made by TomTom and can be updated OTA for new features and maps.

TomTom navigation can be updated remotely for new maps.

There are graphs detailing your consumption, charging and battery state and when you inevitably have to charge or wait somewhere, Peugeot lets you kill time with its built-in games. They are not some interactive marvels like the ones found in BMW or Tesla, but they’re still fun and a great addition.

Track your data or play games? The e-2008 offers both!

The backup camera is not that great and has quite a lot of lag. There isn't a 360° camera option, which many rivals are starting to add. It fills in the space where you’ve already reversed from memory and draws an image based on that, but this is nowhere near as usable as a regular 360° camera.

The MyPeugeot app lets you track your vehicle, set a departure time and remotely cool/heat your vehicle, which is another great convenience for your everyday commutes. It is always highly appreciated when manufacturers take care for the customers even on their smallest, budget-friendly models.

Ride comfort

The ride of the Peugeot e-2008 is smooth and comfortable. The car has no sporty ambitions, so Peugeot tried to maximize comfort. Only big bumps and potholes are felt harshly inside and that is because the suspension tries to balance itself out quickly, thus leading you to experience the secondary impact more than the initial one. Your body bounces a lot when riding in the e-2008, which is due to the huge suspension travel and the entire car moving along with it.

Cabin noise

For a small and low class model, the e-2008 impresses with a quiet cabin and lack of road noise. Tire and wind noise are minimal and only loud sounds from trucks or potholes disturb the peaceful atmosphere.

Sound level tests are carried out with a specialized sound level meter placed in the car's cupholders. The test is conducted with air conditioning and radio off and while maintaining a steady speed.

Acceleration and braking

The e-2008 is no dragster, but its 8.5 seconds time for the 0 - 100 km/h sprint make the little FWD crossover perfectly fine for normal driving. The time is actually half a second faster than what the maker claims and at no point does the car feel inadequately slow. The only drawback is the electronically limited top speed of just 150 km/h, which is just far off what we’re used to in modern vehicles.

The Peugeot e-2008's braking performance is very imrpessive. The little Frenchman stops from 100 km/h to 0 in just 36 m (118’1”), which is surprising considering how small its brake rotors are. The all-season tires on our test car probably worked against it, yet the e-2008 did very well. And the e-2008 performer the brake test 4 times in a row with identical results and no degradation due to overheating.

Acceleration and deceleration are measured with a RaceBox device inside the car. Testing is done with a single person inside the car, with air conditioning and traction control off.

Consumption

The Peugeot e-2008 is efficient and in fact in the top 3 most efficient vehicles we’ve ever tested at 60 km/h. As the speed goes up, so does the consumption, but the Peugeot remains reasonable at all speeds. For more details on its consumption check out our dedicated range test article for the Peugeot e-2008.

We measure consumption by driving at constant speeds on an identical test route during the day. Testing is conducted with air conditioning, all safety systems and radio on. The data comes from the vehicle's board computer. Specific testing parameters such as ambient temperature are mentioned in the text on a case by case basis.

We now suggest you use the widget below to find out the Peugeot e-2008 range in every combination of speed and temperature you might need. We've used our real world tests and a complex model to provide an estimate that should be as close to the actual performance as possible.

Charging speed

The e-2008 charges with up to 100 kW and when we tested it it even reached 103 kW for a while. This peak power is available only at the lower percentages and quickly tapes off, but the e-2008 can still do the 20-80% in 30 minutes, which is alright for the class.

Competition

The Peugeot e-2008 enters a hotly contested niche, particlarly in Europe. There it faces a bunch of lot of domestic and foreign brands for a piece of the sub-compact SUV cake. Its great usability and easy controls mean there are no real deal-breakers, while the design will ultimately try and win your heart.

The closest alternative is the Jeep Avenger. The two share a platform and powertrain as they are both Stelantis products, yet they are not without differences. The Avenger is smaller and has worse infotainment, but packs higher ride and more off-road capabilities.

A more formidable rival is the Hyundai Kona Electric 65.4 kWh. The Hyundai is slightly bigger and more expensive than the Frenchman, but offers more creature comforts to justify the premium. Material quality is similar, but the Peugeot is nowhere near as intrusive while driving as the Kona. The Peugeot arguably looks more recognizable, but the Kona offers a much bigger battery and superior range.

Jeep Avenger 2022 - • Hyundai Kona Electric 65.4kWh 2023 -

Verdict

The Peugeot e-2008's distinctive design and futuristic interior will sure win it a number of fans. It remains perfectly capable of doing all things a little SUV should, although it lacks the driving excitement some people look for when switching to EVs.

The e-2008 is easy to understand, predictable to drive and comfortable to ride in. Its solid cabin isolation protects you well from the stress of city driving too. Its suspension is tuned for comfort, which is probably smart since sporty drivers probably left when they read the powertrain output. We would’ve appreciated a bigger battery and optional AWD, but for what it is the e-2008 doesn’t disappoint. If you want more the larger e-3008 has you covered.

The Peugeot e-2008 stands out from the masses and lets you enjoy true freedom behind the steering wheel, since its assistants all let you be the captain that dictates the journey and not interfere with your driving whatsoever. If you can get over the awkward steering wheel and gauge cluster situation, then you can get yourself the perfect daily driver.

Pros

• Attractive styling.
• Solid build quality.
• Great brakes.
• Lock/unlock without even touching the vehicle.
• Non-invasive driver assistants.
• Easy to live with.
• Comfortable and supportive front seats.

Cons

• The steering wheel hides the gauge cluster.
• Many cheap hard plastics around the interior.
• No frunk.
• No flat floor with the seats down.
• Laggy rear camera.
• Single uninspiring powertrain option.