Peugeot 5008January 2010

This is the Peugeot 5008, the new compact MPV which has just gone on sale in the UK.

The 5008 is an important car for Peugeot, not least because it's part of a model offensive that the manufacturer hopes will build on the success of the 3008 and attract new customers to the brand.

The car doesn't get Peugeot's updated badge (that honour is reserved for the forthcoming RC-Z) but its well-proportioned body does feature elements of the French manufacturer's new design language.

Peugeot has finally ditched the shark mouth grille they've persisted with for the past decade and replaced it with a cleaner, arguably more conventional nose. It's a definite improvement and neat touches on the flanks give the car a purposeful, athletic definition. It might not have quite the stand out looks that would have made it a head turner, but it's a solidly handsome MPV.

The car shares its platform with PSA stablemate, the Citroen C4 Picasso (which is itself descended from the 308), but unlike that car, Peugeot has decided not to offer its MPV with a choice of seating configurations - the 5008 comes as a three-row, 7-seater only.

The car gets three trim levels; Active, Sport and Exclusive. All 5008's include air-con, an electric handbrake and ESP stability control; the Sport adds 16-inch alloy wheels, front fogs and cruise control; and the top-spec Exclusive gets dual-zone climate control, a head-up display, panoramic glass roof, Bluetooth connectivity and rear parking sensors.

There are five engines to choose from. Both petrol engines are 1.6-litre, but produce either 120bhp or 156bhp depending on which version you pick. The familiar 110bhp 1.6-litre HDI is the base turbo diesel or there is a choice of 150 or 163bhp outputs from the larger 2.0-litre HDI engine.

Peugeot insists it has put a great deal of effort into improving the all-round quality of its new MPV, but the manufacturer's primary focus is on increasing driver appeal in its new cars.

Well, that's easier said than done. The MPV class is a particularly tough nut to crack anyway, and Peugeot claims to have threaded the trickiest needle of all - engineering driver enjoyment into dedicated 7-seat family transport.

It's a pity then that the first thing you notice out on the road is what the 5008 has lost rather than what it might have gained. The big Peugeot's ride has clearly sacrificed some of the Grand Picasso's cushioned pliancy, and though never uncomfortable, undulations the Citroen would have effortlessly smoothed are only adequately dulled by the 5008.

Fortunately for Peugeot, and partly as a result of the firmer setup, the car does prove more proficient in the bends. With a surprisingly keen turn in and plenty of grip, the 5008 corners well for a car of its size. The light steering may lack the detailed feedback of the Ford S-Max's, but its entertaining elasticity makes brisk progress a real possibility.

While the 5008 might not be nimble enough to be labelled agile, Peugeot still deserve some credit for concealing some of the car's bulk behind effective body control and excellent rigidity. Refinement is generally good too, even if the presence of road noise at speed means it falls short of class leading.

Predictably, the turbodiesels suit the 5008 better than the petrol engines. The 110bhp 1.6-litre HDI is the pick of the bunch, primarily because it's noticeably lighter and more refined than the 2.0-litre equivalents. It should also return better fuel efficiency. Peugeot quotes 53mpg, but somewhere closer the 45mpg would be more realistic.

Inside, Peugeot has given the 5008 the raised driving position it believes is currently essential to buyers. It's hard to avoid the sensation that you're sitting on top of the car rather than in it, but the raised centre console does at least make you feel snug. The head up display is a redundant gimmick, and best avoided.

The dash though is reasonably good looking, even if it does make excessive use of shiny plastics in places. Fit and finish are both good, but that impression does fade the further you get from the steering wheel - the fold-out plastic trim which covers the stowed rear seats for example seem particularly cheap and flimsy.

This is a shame because the two rows of innovative rear seats are very good. All can be moved and lowered individually to reveal (lots) more space, and the legroom only gets reduced for the final two. Access to the third row is made easier by making the seats in front collapsible.

The car's admirable practicality probably suits the Sport trim best. The Exclusive's extra toys are attractive, but the panoramic roof is probably the only item that deserves to be on the spec sheet through merit.

Overall, the Peugeot should consider the 5008 a success. As compact MPVs go, the car is practical, spacious, good-looking and pretty good value. The manufacturer has also gone some way to delivering on its new brand promise; the 5008 is certainly a healthy step towards greater driver involvement.

That compromises have been made to achieve this should come as no real surprise to anyone, and while the car might fall a little short of the qualities that would have made it class-leading, it is comfortably good enough as a package to be considered a serious option in one of the toughest markets.