What's the news?
Peugeot's new 5008 SUV is going on sale in Ireland next month and prices will start (with seven seats as standard, remember) at €28,745.
Now, that does mean buying a relatively basic Access model with the 1.2-litre PureTech petrol engine, but you do get quite a lot of kit as standard, including the all-digital instruments and eight-inch touchscreen from the smaller Peugeot 3008, Bluetooth, USB connectivity and three 12V sockets.
There's also ESP stability control, six airbags including curtain airbags along all three rows, cruise control with speed limiter, speed limit information with intelligent speed adaptation, driver attention alert and lane departure warning. Plus one-touch electric front and rear windows with pinch protection, central front armrest with butterfly-wing opening and illuminated chiller compartment, child safety locks, tinted rear tailgate, electric and heated door mirrors with LED side indicators, semi-automatic air conditioning and driver and passenger seat height adjustment. Not bad, especially considering that the 130hp 1.2-litre petrol turbo is better than most SUV-makers' basic petrol offerings.
Diesel models start at €29,265 for the 1.6-litre 120hp BlueHDI model in Access trim, while a more ritzy Active model will cost €31,045. Allure models start from €32,605 and there's both a sporty-looking GT-Line trim from €35,975 and a range-topping 180hp diesel GT model for €47,175.
Colin Sheridan, Sales and Marketing Director at Gowan Distributors Limited, Peugeot importers in Ireland, said: "The new Peugeot 3008 SUV has been a huge sales success in Europe since launch in October 2016, where it now has a multitude of international awards under its belt. That performance is being replicated in Ireland since its arrival in March 2017. Together with the continued success of the 2008 SUV and the diverse Peugeot van range, our market share jumped by 16 per cent in July, in a market that declined by 7 per cent.