Peugeot lobs seven-seat 5008

PEUGEOT has undercut some of its main rivals with the 5008 people mover kicking off for less than the base model Kia Carnival and Honda Odyssey.

Starting at $36,990 plus on-roads for the petrol Active, the French car-maker’s first attempt at a people mover here is now available, with one specification level offered, powered by singular petrol or diesel engines.

Arriving a little late to the party after going on sale in Europe in 2009, the 5008 diesel Active retails for $40,490, which is $1000 dearer than sister company Citroen’s C4 Grand Picasso.

While it undercuts some rivals, it can’t match the bargain basement price of the recently released Fiat Freemont that starts from $25,990, or even that vehicle’s donor car, the Dodge Journey for $32,400.

The seven-seat 5008 features a versatile interior with reclining second row seats that, along with the third row, can be lowered into the floor of the vehicle.

With the front passenger seat folded flat, long cargo can be stowed as far up as the glove box, making trips to Bunnings a bit easier.

Drivers can feel tall in the 5008 with a raised seating position that Peugeot says “gives the driver excellent visibility and a real feeling of safety,” while a large panoramic glass roof enhances the feeling of space in the cockpit.

Cargo space is a respectable 758-823 litres, depending on the position of the third row, but this increases to 1247 litres when the rear parcel shelf is removed and 2506 litres when the second seating row is folded away.

By comparison, Kia’s top selling Grand Carnival (from $38,990) manages 912 litres with all seats up and 2380 litres with just the third row folded down.

Peugeot claims that third row passengers won’t feel like they drew the short straw with the inclusion of head-protecting curtain airbags that stretch all the way back to the rear, air conditioning controls and a centred seating position that allows passengers to chat to people in the front seats.

Other safety gear in the 5008 includes a collapsible steering wheel and pre-tensioning front seat belts and a total of six airbags.

Powering the petrol model is a 1.6-litre unit that is the smallest capacity in the segment, producing 115kW of power and 240Nm of torque for combined fuel economy of 7.6 litres per 100 kilometres.

The bigger 2.2-litre diesel unit produces 120kW and 340Nm of torque with fuel economy of 6.3L/100km.

To appeal to value-seeking families, Peugeot has fitted the 5008 with a solid standard features list that includes a seven-inch retractable sat-nav screen, rear camera and parking sensors, multimedia system in the rear with two seven-inch screens, dual-zone climate control and retractable blinds on the two rear rows.

A leather interior option is a $3500 extra.

2013 Peugeot 5008 pricing*

Active petrol (a)	$36,990
Active diesel (a)	$40,490

*Plus on-road costs