The SUV has been a huge success in the car market since General Motors and Ford created the original concept in America in the 1980s. Previously for a family there was just the option of a large 4x4 or an estate car – the SUV filled the obvious gap.

Peugeot have just released their new 2008 compact SUV in the UK and I was invited along to test it out. On first looks the Peugeot has that sleek design flair that the French manufacturer does so well. It’s a good-looking car. Inside there is a sporty theme and nice touches such as lights within the roof lining, like a Rolls-Royce.

A reassuring feature for the everyday driver
Out on the country roads, the 2008 was composed and drove well, but I was soon to discover its party trick. Peugeot had arranged an off-road course and this allowed me to fully test the new ‘Grip Control’ function on the 2008. This is an adapted traction control system for low grip conditions, which is combined with Goodyear Vector 4Season tyres.

The ‘Grip Control’ system allows the 2008 to cope with snow, mud and sand, and the condition is selected by a thumb wheel on the centre console. The way the Peugeot coped with sand was most impressive, with the car instantly adapting the slippage of each front wheel so the car did not dig in and simply glided through. I can imagine this would be a reassuring feature for the everyday driver who comes across the odd muddy field at an event or a beach that can be driven on.

There is a choice of four trim levels with the Access, Active and Allure levels being crowned by the GT Line, which adds a panoramic roof, aluminium door sills/pedals, reversing camera and lashings of sporty black and red GT detailing. Engine-wise you can go with either the 3-cylinder Pure Tech Petrol or the ultra-clean Blue HDI Diesel (technology developed on the race tracks of Le Mans), and there is a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes.

Driver-friendly options and packages to fit your personal needs
The compelling element of the Peugeot 2008 is the price – £13,615 for the Access package 1.2L Puretech 82 up to the range topping GT Line package 1.6L Blue HDI 12 at around £20,000 on the road. Yes, you can spend a lot more on an SUV from other manufacturers, but at the end of the day these are family cars. At this price it does not matter if a trip to the beach ends up with ice cream all over the seats or if the dog gets mud everywhere!

In short I liked the new Peugeot 2008 compact SUV. Price-wise it’s perfect for the family on a budget, the engines are cheap to run and there is a host of driver-friendly options and packages to fit your personal needs. If you are considering an SUV it would be worth adding the 2008 to the list and booking a test drive at your local dealership.