A week on the Island of Anglesey in North Wales, should provide the 5008 GT with ample opportunity to impress, especially once filled to bursting with holiday clothing and equipment and will show once and for all if it can indeed provide a journey that leaves you wanting for nothing.
A boot offering 952 litres of storage up to the parcel shelf and a potential 2,150 litres there really is no excuse for being unable to pack all of that you may require. Indeed, for the average family holiday there should be no problems at all cramming suitcases, body boards and associated beach paraphernalia into the 5008’s capacious rear. Upfront you’re also catered for with cubby-holes, pockets and clever storage solutions. Lovely.
You’ve also got Peugeot’s i-Cockpit® where each iteration of the dash improves upon the previous so that what we have now is a configurable 12.3″ head-up digital instrument panel which is a thoroughly well developed and user friendly piece of kit. You’ve got a fully customisable series of settings which allow you to display exactly the information you need directly ahead of yourself. The beauty of Peugeot’s i-Cockpit® is in it’s positioning directly in the eye line of the driver, meaning that you can keep glancing at your speed without looking away from the road itself.
Then there’s the driving itself. With a seating position benefiting from the usual SUV plus points of height and accompanying visual range you’re already one step ahead of the game. Strong lines of site allow for excellent views through traffic or country lanes giving you that crucial advantage when it comes to planning your next move or anticipating other cars’ activity. Just what you need when exploring the smaller roads criss crossing Anglesey’s interior.
On the motorway linking Britain to it’s Welsh neighbour, the Peugeot offers a driving experience that is simplicity itself. Set the adaptive cruise control to 70mph and just let the accomplished 5008 GT do what it does best, keeping up with the traffic and making excellent progress. A quiet and comfortable cabin offers you everything you would expect in 2019 whilst the Peugeot’s 8.0″ capacitive touchscreen allows access to the Automatic dual zone climate control, DAB Radio, Bluetooth music streaming and calls, Mirror Screen®: (Apple CarPlayTM, Android Auto and MirrorLink®) and Connected 3D navigation: includes TomTom® Live updates keep you occupied.
It’s when you get off the motorway though that this Peugeot SUV really starts to entertain. You know you’re in for some fun once Thomas Telford’s Menai Suspension Bridge (opened on 30th Jan 1826) appears on the horizon as this signals an end to traffic and frustration and represents the doorway to adventure. Why? Head out on the A5025, Pentraeth Road and you’re immediately transported to a rare driving experience due to a lack of traffic and a stretch of tarmac that follows the contours and elevation changes of the local topography providing the 5008 with an opportunity to shine.
Using the 5008’s 177 bhp @ 3750 rpm provided by it’s 1997cc, 8 speed diesel power plant and an impressive 295 lb/ft torque accessed low down at just 2000 rpm means that the Peugeot has a rather surprising turn of speed whilst also offering up to 58.9 mpg. And with the benefit of a smooth and intelligent automatic gearbox, the Peugeot is able to access it’s power exactly when and where it is needed.
Overall, the 5008 GT is a more than worthy addition to Peugeot’s SUV range as it’s a thoroughly modern, efficient, practical and good looking SUV. One that also offers up to seven seats when necessary. The best bit? You can have an entry level car on your drive from only £26,259 and that is a bargain.
Where will you go?