Peugeot’s onslaught on its “double-0” models shows no signs of calming down and the recent introduction of the new 5008 (pronounced five-thousand-and-eight) brings a welcome 7-seat addition to the French manufacturer’s line-up. Following on the heels of the 3008, the 5008 makes use of the same funky character while being even more practical.

Essentially a 5-seater with two extra seats in the boot, the 5008 is beautifully proportioned and further employs Peugeot’s new design direction, while still maintaining that instantly-recognisable friendly face. A deep front overhang and “groomed” nose introduce a sleek body, with subtle design cues from head- to tail lights. An interesting side window profile adds flavour to the mix and funky 17-inch alloy wheels complete the interesting side profile. At the rear, curved and sculpted glass is met by a rather plain tail gate, but with clever tail light designs the overall effect is by no means boring.

On the inside, the familiar Peugeot dashboard appears more mature, with some new influences on show, including a new set of buttons which govern the traction control and other elements. The console is raised up, adding to the SUV-style driving position and features, as in the 3008, a gigantic storage bin between the front seats. Rather annoyingly (and I would really love to know just when French manufacturers will get over their anti-cup-holder mentality), there is only one central cup holder for front passengers, which in turns means that you can’t really use the arm rests if you want easy access to your drink.

Dials are typically clear and neatly laid out and the 5008 features an upgraded central trip computer, with a new gear shift indicator and improved graphics. Perhaps the best feature on the instrument side of things was the head-up display (HUD), which is rather well executed in this car. A curved glass screen rises from behind the instrument binnacle and a clear orange projection of speed and other safety information is displayed. Another interesting feature was the Peugeot’s following distance monitor, which indicates (on the HUD) how far you are from the car in front of you, with a triangular warning symbol and the following distance displayed in seconds. More of a gimmick than something that will keep you safe (in my opinion), it’s a clever system, but I was admittedly very disappointed when I discovered it was not a self-regulating cruise control feature.

The seating system in the 5008 was interesting too, with a very clever folding arrangement employed on the rear-most seats. That said though, I found the design to be flawed as, once those two seats are up, the under-floor compartment can be seen, along with various mechanical levers and rods which contribute to the mechanical ballet. Furthermore, the boot all but disappears with all seven seats in place. Entry to the rear seats is through the conventional rear doors and, while this isn’t too much of a pain, folding the middle seats forward proved finicky and impractical. Leg room at the very back is fine for children, at least. The middle seats are superbly comfortable, but with trays mounted on the backs of the front seats, I could only sit comfortably once the front seat had been raised, to stop my knee caps from being murdered by the tray in its upright position. It’s a silly problem, but easily fixed.

Middle-row passengers are also treated to an entertainment system comprising of a DVD player with USB support and stylish Bluetooth headphones. Integrated very neatly into the front head rests, the system looks great but falls flat on its nose the second you turn it on. It may be factory-fitted but it is not a Peugeot system and as such is incredibly annoying to fathom. Plus, the DVD unit is mounted under the front passenger seat, so even once that seat is moved as far forward as possible, you still strain and stretch to access it (and you really need to be out of the car to do so). All rear windows feature roll-up blinds too and, with the full-length glass sunroof (non-opening), the kids will surely still enjoy a long trip with or without their favourite DVD.

And a long trip is definitely something you can look forward to in the 5008. This THP Allure model, which is the range-topper, comes with the formidable 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged engine, which in this case produces 115kW and 240Nm, with carbon emissions of just 179g/km. Featuring a slick 6-speed automatic gearbox which transfers the power to the front wheels, the drive is smooth and silky, though using the gearbox in manual mode makes things a little more jerky. Fuel consumption is understandably not brilliant thanks to the heavy body and I returned 9.9-litres/ 100km. Peugeot claims 7.7-litres/100km and on a nice long trip you should have no problem achieving that. Performance is pretty good thanks to the turbo, with 100km/h being reached from rest in an impressive 9.9 seconds and top speed pegged at 195km/h. Trust me, Peugeot is not joking on those claims…

Equipment is also of the usual Peugeot standard, with pretty much everything as standard. Auto lights and wipers, an auto-dimming interior mirror, leather everywhere, the glass roof, a great 6-speaker audio system with CD/radio/MP3/USB functionality, Bluetooth, the rear entertainment system, fully-automatic climate control with front and rear zoning, heated front seats, cruise control, an electronic handbrake, daytime running lights, front fog lights and rear parking sensors all fitted as standard. Safety features include six airbags, ABS with EBD (anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution), traction control, ISOFIX child seat anchors, pre-tensioned seatbelts for all passengers, the HUD and that distance alert system, too. The 5008 also has a 5-star EuroNCAP rating.

Price-wise the new range sits quite comfortably in the market and, in the case of this THP Allure model, the value-for-money aspect is high. For R314 300 including a 5-year/90 000km service plan and 3-year/100 000km warranty, the 5008 THP Allure offers a great alternative to the Mazda5 2.0 Individual (which costs R30 000 less but offers a less inspiring drive and a wheezy normally-aspirated engine, though its seating design is top-notch) and a considerable rival to the Chrysler Voyager. Yes, the Voyager offers way more space and practicality thanks to its Stow ‘n Go seating arrangement, but the higher-specced Limited model retails for an enormous R429 900 and, though the LX is much cheaper at R359 900, it offers far fewer features than the 5008 and also has a very thirsty V6 engine. The Hyundai H1, of which we’ve only tested the diesel model yet, is another good competitor for the 5008, but with a much bigger 2.4-litre petrol engine it will not be as efficient as the THP. The diesel model is a whole R70 000-odd more than the 5008.

Perhaps my biggest gripe with the 5008 THP Allure is its powertrain. I drove the 3008 2.0-litre HDi diesel extensively earlier in the year and I know how much more economical it is compared to the THP. Yes, the 5008 does come in HDi, but at a lower spec level it offers fewer features than this Allure model. Coupled to a manual gearbox I returned insanely-low fuel consumption figures on a long cruise (under 5.0-litres/100km) and for that reason it is the better bet in a car like this.

Because cars like these are typically heavy, especially with a full complement of passengers and luggage on board, you really have to look at diesel power for efficiency and driveability. And for that reason alone, the Mazda5 doesn’t feature on my list of cars I would actually buy. The Voyager is surprisingly good, but the diesel is just too expensive compared to its competitors.

If I had one thing to say to Peugeot SA it would be to release a 5008 HDi Allure, because that would simply be the 7-seater to beat. Unfortunately they don’t have plans to do so at this stage. (Look out for our test of the 5008 HDI in a few weeks time). Would I buy a 5008? The diesel, yes, but without the allure of Allure, I’d never rid myself of that nagging voice when signing a deal on one…