2024 Peugeot 2008 GT is So Cool Despite Itself, Here’s Why

Peugeot’s auspicious name has been emblazoned across everything from coffee grinders and pepper mills, to bicycles and scooters, yet is sexy automobiles for which the French name is best known. These days the Peugeot company that started in 1810 is now part of Stellantis.

Along with Citroën, Jeep and Alfa Romeo, there are 14 brands in all.

There is no other way to put it; Peugeot-Citroën sales are bijou. Fear not, it puts you in a very discerning community.

Peugeot 2008 is the quaint -and-quirky entry into the Peugeot range of 9 models; 3 passenger, 3 SUV, and 3 commercial.

2008 recently got a subtle nip and tuck which resulted in the GT Sport being dropped. It left the Allure and GT, with their Euro 6, 96kw/230Nm 3-cyldiner turbos, to carry the name alone.

The 2008 GT’s sexy front end got even sexier. I’m partial to an adaptive LED headlight, and to make them even more gorgeous, Peugeot designed a set of daytime running lights to resemble a cat’s claw. The local kids reckon the front of my 2008 GT was attacked by a T-Rex, a story that I think is way cooler.

The rear lights also got a clean up as part of the makeover, and are now a set of double elongated slots along the black trim. It is all very tasteful and discrete.

Specifications HERE:Peugeot-2008-Facelift-MY24-Brochure-Spec-Sheet-Combined-web

The cabin

The delicious interior was penned by someone with lashings of taste and a well-developed sense of fun. There is no hint of 2008’s entry level status in the plastic, and the upholstery fabric has sets of green lines that match green stitching and green theme lighting.

The latter changes colours with the drive modes in another nod to fun motoring.

The soft surfaces, gentle lines, quality fittings and high-definition instrument panels leave an impression of a premium space that has been beautifully curated. Peugeot has redoubled its efforts in the quality of the finish inside and out.

ABOVE: 2024 Peugeot 2008 GT (plus e-2008)

The Human/Machine Interface

Although it looks fabulously cool, the interface is wildly bewildering. Was it designed after a boozy baguette and pâté lunch?

The gear selector is a small 3 position mini-lever, with PARK and MANUAL on buttons above and below the lever. Selecting reverse brings up the reversing camera but the picture is not live, as such. It gradually builds an image as you go backwards, so is not a current representation, more of a fairly recent one.

The lane centering function is a button set low on the right-hand side of the dash and the cruise control is on a stalk hidden behind the steering wheel. The climate controls are a combination of physical and virtual switches split between the dash and menu system. You never quite know what menu you’ll finish up in, so you just press things hoping for a result.

Trying to set radio favourites took and age, then once set, another age to try and use. It is offset by wireless CarPlay that allows easy use of your phone, and it is very easy to connect.

Using “Hey Peugeot” will often elicit a haughty response with no explanation of what options you have. You get the impression that owners would need take their 2008 for dinner and drinks in hopes of it being nice to you. You need to schmooze your car.

One word of warning: do not try to bend it to your will. You will not succeed no matter how hard you try.

The Drive:

Once the GT Sport was dropped, the range was left with a single engine/transmission option. The turbo 3-cylinder drivers the front wheel through a new 8-speed automatic which replaced the inadequate 6-speed version. Peugeot-Citroën languished behind then it came to technology, but those days are gone.

Along with saying good-bye to diesels, Peugeot has said hello to electric driving with the addition of the e-2008. That review will come in a little bit, meanwhile the petrol car will have to suffice.

The 9.3 second 0-100 is a gentle canter at most, but the fabulous ride and handling more than makes up for it. Steering and brake are equally sharp and give the baby SUV the sporty feel a GT moniker deserves.

Sadly, wringing the 2008 GT by neck does awful things to the fuel figures. The promise of a 5.4L/100k didn’t come close to realisation. We got 9.9L/100k, but after a long highway stint, shrunk that to around 7.8L/100k.

The only way to enjoy 2008 GT was to set preconceptions aside, then let the Gallic charm wash over you.

Although the stop/start can cause slightly awkward takeoffs, 2008 GT sweeps lazily through the suburbs once on the move. Sport mode adds a little spice to your chai, but it hardly transforms 2008 into a rocket.

Peugeot dropped all its go-quick models, so expect a muted, relaxed, experience.

Enthusiastic drivers can still corner swiftly and tidily, so it is easy to imagine yourself on one of those picturesque roads that cling to cliffs above the Med. Motoring in Europe is about the journey. Joie de vivre is about smelling sea air, pine forests, and wisteria-covered cottages, even when you’re caught by the balls in snarling afternoon traffic.

Highways are sublime, mostly. The cabin is incredibly quiet; however, the lane keep system that has the ability to sense the edge of the road, lined or not, it is terribly temperamental. Even with auto steering turned on, you have to keep your wits about you. It stops working now and then, when you least want it to.

Conclusion:

Despite the fibs about the fuel consumption, the 2008 GT is a thoroughly charming mademoiselle. It gets under your skin, and you find yourself loving it, in spite of itself. You learn to live with its quirks which then become endearing friends.

It all comes down to price. Competition such as Mitsubishi’s ancient ASX sold almost as many units last month (1,152) as all Peugeot models combined for the entire 1^st half of the year (1,190). The biggest seller in the segment is MG ZS (1,970), one of 6 models that sold over 1,000 units last month.

As a sign of the lay of the land, 2008 Allure has an MLP of $39,990 (up $1045), and 2008 GT $44,490 (up $1093).

As a special offer (not listed on the offers page but is in the sales configurator) the 2008 GT is currently $41,990 DRIVE AWAY, a saving of around $7,000.

Engine: 3 cyl Petrol Turbo
Power: 96kw/230Nm
Trans: 8-Speed Auto
Econ: 5.4L/100k (our week scored 7.9L/100k)
CO2: 123g/k, Euro 6

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