Value-packed Peugeot 4008 SUV launched

PEUGEOT officially launched its 4008 compact SUV in Australia this week, offering a highly competitive combination of European badge allure and value for money, underpinned by the Japanese reputation for reliability that comes from its Mitsubishi ASX origins.

On sale in early June from $28,990 plus on-road costs for the entry-level Active with a manual transmission attached to the 2.0-litre petrol engine, the 4008 will compete hard against similarly priced, Euro-branded rivals like the Volkswagen Tiguan and Renault Koleos, plus the British-built Nissan Dualis.

Peugeot Australia PR and promotions manager Jaedene Hudson told GoAuto the brand conservatively estimates it will sell 900 examples of the 4008 by the end of this year and around 1600 next year, which would place the SUV among the French company’s best sellers in Australia.

Those numbers may seem small fry in a segment that is up 52.7 per cent year-to-date with more than 18,000 vehicles sold, but the 4008’s arrival is a chance for Peugeot to reverse its fortunes from the six per cent sales dip year to date, on top of last year’s 7.6 per cent slump.

The 4008 is $500 more expensive than base variants of the Tiguan and Koleos, undercut on price by its Mitsubishi ASX progenitor by $3000 and priced $4000 higher than the cheapest Dualis, but the Peugeot comes more comprehensively equipped than all of them.

Peugeot has managed to squeeze a level of standard equipment into the base model of its SUV comparable with what most rivals in the segment include on their higher-spec variants costing more than $30,000.

Highlights include climate-control, a reversing camera with rear sensors, automatic headlights and wipers, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, a multi-function leather steering wheel, self-dimming interior mirror, rear privacy glass, front foglights and LED daytime-running lights.

Left: Peugeot 4008.

Safety systems including electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, and seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load-limiters are standard fit, along with seven airbags, including one for the driver’s knees.

A continuously variable transmission (CVT) auto is available on the front-drive Active for an extra $2500, and specifying all-wheel-drive costs $2000.

The top-spec Allure variant is available only with all-wheel-drive and auto transmission, costing $5000 more than the AWD and CVT-equipped Active, at $38,490.

Allure adds Xenon headlights, leather upholstery and electrically adjustable heated front seats with height adjustment for the passenger side while cosmetic upgrades include 18-inch alloy wheels (up from 16-inch), piano-black door trim strips and chrome inserts on the door sills.

Ms Hudson said the Active with front-wheel drive and auto is expected to account for the highest volume, with 30-40 per cent of 4008 customers expected to specify all-wheel-drive.

An optional touchscreen satellite-navigation system incorporating DVD player and TV receiver capabilities is available on both specification levels for $1495 and provides the image from the reversing camera (which is otherwise displayed on the interior mirror).

Buyers of the Active can upgrade to the Allure’s 18-inch wheels and chrome sill plates for $1000, while upgrading an Active even closer to Allure specification – with the exception of Xenon headlights – costs $3500.

Unsurprisingly, the 4008 is powered by the same 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine as the Mitsubishi ASX, but Peugeot decided to eschew the diesel for Australia as it is only available with a manual transmission.

Producing 110kW of power and 197Nm of torque, the four-cylinder unit consumes 7.7 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle – all identical figures to the ASX.

The numbers stack up well against its competitors, with the less-powerful Nissan Dualis also being less economical and the Koleos, while delivering more performance from its larger 2.5-litre petrol engine, is 20 per cent thirstier.

Volkswagen has hit the sweet spot of performance and efficiency with the twin-charged 1.4-litre petrol engine in the base Tiguan, which produces 8kW more power and has a considerable 43Nm torque advantage over the 4008 while consuming 10 per cent less fuel at 6.9L/100km.

In addition to adding its own styling ahead of the A-pillars and behind the rear doors of the 4008, Peugeot has widened the track front and rear by 10mm compared with the ASX, tuned the springs and dampers for a more European-feeling firm ride, recalibrated the braking and stability control systems, and tweaked the steering to give a heavier feel at medium to high speeds.

Peugeot also spruced up the interior, adding more soft-touch surfaces, chrome highlights and piano black inserts on the dashboard and improving sound insulation.

A three-year/100,000-kilometre warranty includes roadside assistance and, as with the 508 mid-sizer and 308 small car, Peugeot offers capped-price servicing at $330 per year for the first three years.

Ms Hudson said the point of the capped-price servicing scheme is tackling the concern people have about European cars being expensive to maintain.

By comparison, the ASX gets Mitsubishi’s five-year/130,000-kilometre Diamond Advantage warranty with roadside assistance plus a 10-year/160,000km powertrain warranty for the original purchaser.

Mitsubishi also offers a four-year capped-price deal in which the first four services on a front-wheel-drive ASX cost $195.

2012 Peugeot 4008 Pricing (plus on-road costs):
Active 2WD	$28,990
Active 2WD (CVT)	$31,490
Active AWD	$30,990
Active AWD (CVT)	$33,490
Allure AWD (CVT)	$38,490