Seven-day test: 2024 Peugeot e-2008 GT review. Can it really challenge a Tesla Model Y or BYD Atto 3?

French cars have frustrated the living hell out of me this past decade, and the Peugeot e-2008 GT is another one to add to my list.

Why? Because it’s bloody good looking, has delicious cabin style and rides with peachy sure-footedness. I should want to own one.

But, this being a French brand, Peugeot’s ensured enough reasons are dialled in to have you question buying one. Then they sling a price tag on to practically ensure you don’t.

Comically, countryfolk Citroen and Renault employ the same technique.

As tested, our e-2008 GT small SUV is over $67,000 to drive-away in Queensland. Here’s what a week living with it revealed.

Day 1: Bonjour, mon ami

You’re a smart little SUV. Cute in some ways, but with a hint of aggression and dashes of flair to the styling. Just look at its cheery face (above), then the lion-claw headlights and ‘fang’ DRLs below.

The rear lights are even better. Tap the key and tri-claw red LEDs dance an entertaining show. Little things adding personality.

But enough distractions. This SUV is small for such money, and I’m struggling to see how it’ll work as our family car.

I’m pawing over specs and, sorry mon ami, it’s not looking good. The e-2008 has a range of only 328km, its single motor offers just 100kW/260Nm, has 100kW maximum charging, and the rear seat and boot space are sized better for a retired couple than our family of four.

Most competition is stronger on paper. Sometimes by lots.

Let’s start with Australia’s best-selling EV, the Tesla Model Y. From about $69,000 drive-away – $2000 more than our e-2008 as tested – the RWD version has 455km range, 194kW/340Nm, 170kW maximum charging, and mega cabin space for families. Home charging equipment would add to the bill, but the Model Y is close enough in price to challenge our electric Pug.

I could drive-away a Tesla Model 3 RWD (513km range) for around $66,000, while Chinese SUV rivals like the BYD Atto 3 and MG4 offer better specs for less.

The larger BYD Atto 3 Extended is about $53,000 drive-away with 420km range and 150kW/310Nm; while the similar-sized MG4 Essence 77 Long Range, for about $60,000 drive-away, has 530km range and 180kW/350Nm on tap.

I think about the new Hyundai Kona Electric (from around $60,000 drive away with 340km range) and fellow Euro Volvo EX30 (around $65,000 drive away, 480km range) and realise it’s a tough playground for my Frenchy to play in.

Bonne chance, e-2008.

Day 2 – It’s a smoothie

I’ll be fair. The e-2008’s exterior style has won me over, lessening the blow of its sticker price.

Its très French Vertigo Blue paint sparkles in the sunshine, but added $1050 to the bill. Only Peugeot knows why its sole ‘free’ colour is Fusion Orange, while you pay over a grand to colour it boring white.

I’d collected the car with full battery and 340km range showing: a confidence-inspiring 12km over quoted WLTP figure. Such range will be a sticking point for many, myself included. Over 400km is a good psychological barrier to hurdle; 500km even more so. Just over 300km makes longer journeys less palatable.

The claimed economy figure of 14.1kWh/100km looks optimistic on first drive. I cover 130km of the Bruce Highway and energy use is over 18kWh/100km. To be fair, it’s humid as hell and I ask the air-conditioning to work overtime. Damn good air-con actually. Blows very cold and rapidly chills the cabin.

First impressions are it’s one of the more gutless EVs you’ll drive. There’s a Sport button, hastening progress slightly, but it still labours to 100km/h in nine seconds.

Know what? I stop caring about that because power delivery and the overall drive is wonderfully smooth. There’s no hint of wheelspin; torque’s well managed and it’s blissfully quiet at low speeds.

Okay, there’s noticeable tyre roar at 110km/h, and the audio system’s not the best to drown it out.

But the suspension soaks up bumps well, and the adaptive cruise control is another smooth operator. I hit traffic and test its stop/go function. It brings the Pug to a complete stop and then resumes driving when the traffic ahead starts moving. Love it.

But otherwise, the car won’t coming to a complete stop in everyday driving scenarios. Mystifying. There are no steering wheel paddles to adjust regen, and you can’t enjoy one-pedal driving in the city, sadly. A ‘B’ mode on the gear shifter activates regen when you lift-off the throttle, but it’s very gentle and has just the one setting.

Day 3 – Home charging

It bothers me when EVs don’t come included with domestic power point charging cables. The Peugeot’s one is an extra $1325, then they ask another $79 for the flimsy bag to store it in.

It does, however, come with a Type 2 wallbox/public charging AC cable as standard.

These live under the e-2008’s boot floor, seriously eating in to the 434L overall cargo space. Load space with this in place is similar to a small hatchback’s.

As this e-2008 is an EV adapted to the platform of an ICE vehicle (the petrol 2008 SUV), packaging isn’t as smart as a dedicated EV platform’s. Result is no frunk under the bonnet: just electric component gubbins. This is a shame, as storing charge cables under here would be ideal.

I’ve not got a wallbox charger at home, so am reviewing home charging just plugged into a household socket.

I begin with 39% battery life and 114km range. After seven hours and 40 minutes, I’m up to 68% and 218km range. That’s a gain of around 13km per hour of charging. Doesn’t sound great, but I find if you keep it regularly topped up and always plug in when returning home, it covers urban life journeys easily.

As for energy use, I’m seeing 15.9kWh/100km around town. That’s still significantly over Peugeot’s official figure. It’s a scorching hot summer day so I cut it some slack.

If you have a wallbox, the e-2008’s onboard charger is 11kW three-phase. Using a 16A wallbox at 11kW would fill the 50kWh battery from empty to full in a claimed five hours. A single phase 32A wallbox does the job in 7.5 hours.

Day 4 – Family travels

I have two kids, aged 11 and 8. They have long legs and take lots of stuff with them.

The e-2008’s size rules out carrying their bikes in the boot (we managed this in a Hyundai Ioniq 5 with one rear seat folded), while the Peugeot’s back seat space isn’t vast. Again, a victim of not being a dedicated EV platform.

The kids score two USB ports back here, but no air vents. In a Queensland summer, such an omission’s very noticeable. And annoying. Two kids constantly asking for more air aimed their way from our front vents is a bit of a deal-breaker against this car.

At least rear seats are comfortable and it’s nice and light in the back thanks to the included glass sunroof. It opens, unlike many giant panoramic roofs, but doesn’t stretch fully back over the rear occupants’ heads.

Rear seats are a bit compromised for six-foot adults. Toe and knee room isn’t good, but head room is fine. Rear doors have large slabs of hard plastic, and there’s the same on the seat backs. You feel a bit second class back here.

You feel more special sitting up front. Seats are a mix of nice-to-touch Alcantara and faux leather, which will heat your backside. It being 35C outside, this wasn’t needed, so the lack of ventilated seats was more noticeable.

The driver’s seat is electric and with a massage function. Front passenger has plastic handles and must rely on back seat passengers for some back and shoulder attention.

I can grumble about the lack of goodies. There’s no wireless charging or wireless smartphone mirroring (you must cable-in for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), no head-up display and no Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality.

What is cool is the i-Cockpit: a low-mounted slither of a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, made just about readable if you put the tiny, flat-bottom steering wheel close to your legs.

It has a 3D display which projects driver information in hologram form. It may sound unnecessarily over-technical, but it works well, is neatly customisable and I found it very clear in delivering information.

Less so the 10-inch infotainment screen. It’s a fiddle to navigate, you must operate most of your climate control through here – good grief knobs and dials would be much easier – and the reversing camera quality’s poor. At least there’s a birds-eye view function to ensure it works well.

Saving graces are CarPlay proved excellent through the screen, and there’s a blessed bank of piano style keys for quick access to some controls. This includes one where you hit ‘Maximum A/C’ and the vents immediately fire out cold air at a noisy, powerful rate. Imperative during summer.

Overall it’s a pleasant cabin, but cosy. Some of the door plastics are too flimsy, as is the driver display surround, while the piano black centre console quickly attracts fingerprints. As per most French cars, the cup/bottle holders are better for espressos than large drink bottles. Surely being able to fit a bottle of Beaujolais in the centre should be mandatory, Peugeot?

Let’s finish on positives. The fake carbon fibre weave through the dash looks good, armrests are cosy, and a range of ambient lights make it a colourful place to enjoy at night.

Day 5 – Let’s find some corners

Full disclosure. French cars and I go way back. I owned a sweet handling Renault 19 in my youth, then enjoyed many years with a fast road/racing Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9. I like them light, playful and eager for lift-off oversteer.

I don’t hold out much hope for the near-1600kg e-2008, although it’s hardly heavy for an EV.

I head for my local test route with corners aplenty. Into Sport mode and, nope, there’s still not much shove on offer. But into the first roundabout and… wow. It sits well, stays composed and planted, and the steering feel isn’t half bad.

I get to the serious corners and it’s actually quite good fun. There’s decent balance and not much body roll, and the 215/55 R18 tyres hold on well.

As a summer storm arrives and soaks the road, it becomes ever more impressive. Grip levels remain good enough (it is pretty slippery), and I start to really appreciate the feel through the titchy steering wheel.

Oh but the braking’s horrible.

Brake feel is poor, as I’ve found with far too many EVs. There’s nothing… nothing… then suddenly the anchors jam on. It’s very hard to brake smoothly, and I find that particularly unpleasant in any car, especially when you’re out having some twisties fun.

Day 6 – DC public charging

Almost a week in and my energy use is over 17kWh/100km. What’s going on, e-2008? Why so hungry for electrons?

It’s making a 300km range seem more likely – fine for our typical town use, but I’d be fearful of regular charging stops on a road trip. Energy use does climb a fair bit when on the highway, and I’ve noticed it really gets power hungry when climbing hills, just like the Peugeot e-Partner van I tested.

I seize the opportunity for some public DC charging. Closest to me is a 50kW one, so I’m not being fair to the e-2008’s 100kW maximum capability.

I begin on 46% battery, start charging, and 52 minutes later have drawn 23.4kWh and we’re showing 95% battery and 318km range. It’s cost me just $7.03.

I’d done some shopping while it charged, but unlike other EVs – Tesla and Polestar specifically – there’s not much to entertain you if you stay with the car while charging.

The above let you enjoy Netflix, Amazon Prime or a selection of video games (for the kids, obviously), but in the Peugeot you’re seemingly expected to just sit back and discuss Voltaire or Foucault’s teachings with your high brow travelling companions.

There is a MyPeugeot app, which proves as useful as a paper beret in a monsoon.

It pairs with the car and the app tells you expected things like distance of you last trips, time you travelled and how much battery life remains.

But how about how much energy you used on the last trip? Nope. Overall economy? Nope again.

Okay, how about something easy and highly useful like being able to pre-cool or pre-heat the vehicle before you get in? Non, Monsieur. Pas de possible.

I contact Peugeot Australia to see what I’m doing wrong. Can I pre-climatise the car? Remote start it? Specify charging start times when at home? “The features you’ve listed are not currently available for the Australian market” is the response. It’s very strange, as online tutorials for the app show it functioning in other markets.

Day 7 – Au revoir, chérie

After almost 1000km I’ve averaged 17.4kWh/100km, a good chunk over the official consumption figure. I’ve certainly not driven it hard, so can only put it down to a fair bit of highway driving and the air conditioning being worked plenty.

I’ll miss the e-2008’s style, its smooth drive and fun, impressive handling. It’s proved a very enjoyable car for around town, and regular home charging has dispelled any range anxiety.

But you’d have to be a proper Francophile – or Peugeotphile – to pick the e-2008 in the face of such strong competition.

In isolation it’s a classy, attractive and well engineered small SUV. It’s just that the competition do most things better.

A Tesla Model 3 or Model Y is roomier, smarter and rangier. A BYD Atto 3 or MG4 are much cheaper for similar kit and similar EV drive experience.

Spend a splash more and the brilliant all-rounder Hyundai Ioniq 5 2WD is yours, and for Euro SUV talent there’s such a strong contender now with the Volvo EX30 priced identical to the e-2008 at $59,990 before on-roads.

But French car buyers are a loyal lot. You’ll not be disappointed with the style on offer here, nor the lovely, easy drive that’s vintage Peugeot. Just be sure to consider the opposition as well.

Peugeot e-2008 GT specifications

Price: $59,990 plus on-roads

Price as tested: $67,136 drive-away (Queensland)

Basics: EV, SUV, 5 seats, FWD

Range: 328km (WLTP)

Battery capacity: 50 kWh (46.3kWh usable)

Battery warranty: 8 years/160,000km

Distance travelled on test: 922km

Energy consumption: 14.1kWh/100km (17.4kWh/100km on our test)

Motor: 1 front 100kW/260Nm

AC charging: 11kW, Type 2 plug

DC charging: 100kW, CCS combo plug

0-100km/h: 9.0 seconds

Servicing: Five years pre-paid servicing is $1000, with services annually or every 25,000km.