Peugeot 5008 VS Toyota Fortuner
Peugeot 5008
Likes
- Striking looks
- Great to drive
- Awesome interior
Dislikes
- No reverse-cross traffic alert
- Curtain airbags don't reach third row
- Pricey
Toyota Fortuner
Likes
- Safety features
- Good size for everyday use
- Powerful engine
Dislikes
- Retro tech
- Lack of child seat options
- Third row stowage
Summary
Peugeot 5008
Previously on carsguide.com.au: Peter Anderson drove the Peugeot 5008 and quite liked it.Â
I don't think it's going to be a huge shock to learn that the recent update to the 5008 seven-seater has improved the car and, therefore, my opinion of the car.Â
Except, it's more than an update. Prices are much higher than when I drove the Crossway edition 5008 in 2019 (remember those happy times?) and the difference between the petrol and diesel engines is especially wide now in 2021.
The updated 5008 shares a great deal with its 3008 sibling and the two share a very important attribute - they are distinctively French, in a good way.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.6L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Toyota Fortuner
The Toyota Fortuner Crusade is a strange beast. It’s a four-wheel drive that feels like a HiLux hybrid but it lacks the fun of its ute sibling, despite being able to seat seven.
The four-wheel drive capabilities, seat configuration and high-ride should be a winning combo but it sits awkwardly in Toyota’s SUV line-up.
It’s not as family-oriented as the Kluger and not as refined as the Prado. It’s like that cousin that you only see once a year and don’t know well – you’re not quite sure what to do with them.
Read more about the Toyota Fortuner
I've been driving the top of the range Crusade for a week to get to know it for you. And my family of three has put it through its paces! Let’s see how it fared.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.8L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.6L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Verdict
Peugeot 50087.3/10
The answer is, I think, two-fold - price and badge. Peugeot Australia has a job on its hands to turn things around as 2020 was a tough year and 2021 is shaping up to be almost as hard. There aren't any significant changes to the 5008 to make it suddenly stand out from the crowd because it already did. So the badge's cachet isn't matching the premium pricing.
Peugeot's SUVs are very popular in Europe but barely make a dent here. Because there isn't a bait-and-switch cheaper model to lure buyers off the street, it's a harder sell. Peugeot's glory days of the late 1990s and the late 1970s before mean the people who have fond memories of the badge are older and probably don't have any attachment at all to the French lion. Perhaps the re-energised 2008 will start that conversation, except it's not cheap either.
Having said all that, it's hard to see why folks with over fifty grand to spend on a seven-seater - and there are plenty of those - aren't paying more attention to the 5008. It's a striking presence, is practical but isn't overbearingly large or even slightly clumsy. It may not have AWD but hardly anyone ever uses that. It'll handle the city and the motorway and, as I discovered, biblical rain all in its stride. Like its 3008 sibling, it's a mystery there aren't more out there.
Toyota Fortuner 7/10
So, after a week of driving the Toyota Fortuner Crusade, did it have a podium finish for my family?
I was hopeful, but no. The driving performance was mixed and only being able to fit two car seats will limit flexibility for younger growing families. I don't like the way the third row is stowed as it makes the boot a bit awkward to use. Combined with the retro-feeling tech and short servicing intervals, there can be some improvement here, especially in a market that is surging forward with all of those elements. I did enjoy the high driving position, safety features and the forgiving suspension, though.Â
My son liked the 'Feverish Red' colour and that he didn’t need my help to climb in and out of it.
Design
Peugeot 50088/10
The 5008 was always the slightly awkward big brother to the 3008. That's not to say it was (or is) ugly, but the bigger box fitted to the back is far less racy than the 3008's fast back.Â
There's not much change at that end, so the cool claw lights carry the can for style.Â
In profile, again, it's a little awkward (compared to the 3008) but some nice work with various materials and shapes help to reduce its bulk.
The front is where the facelift action has happened. I was never completely convinced by the front end of the 5008 but the reworking of the lights to look less like they were squeezed out of a tube of toothpaste is a marked improvement.Â
The updated lights work beautifully with the new frameless grille. The fang-style daytime running lights, that debuted on the gorgeous 508, look fantastic here on the 5008. It's a superb job.
Inside is largely unchanged, which is to say it's still brilliant. It's really one of the more inventive interiors in any car, anywhere and is a joy to sit in.Â
The seats look brilliant, even more so in the diesel with their fine stitching and racy shapes. The wacky 'i-Cockpit' driving position works much better in more upright cars like SUVs and is present and correct while the new 10.0-inch screen also looks good.Â
Even if you're not interested in buying one of these, if you're passing a Peugeot showroom, get in and have a look, feel the materials and wonder why more interiors aren't this cool.
Toyota Fortuner
Nothing discernible to me has been changed since the last model but let me paint the picture for you. Imagine a dual-cab HiLux with a boot and you’ll come up with something similar to the Fortuner.
It sits proudly at 1835mm tall. The sides are almost slab-like and it's squared off at the rear, which the chunky C-pillar and dark windows do nothing to detract from. It’s definitely prettier up front with a nicely tapered bonnet.
City-dwellers need not beware, at 4795mm long and 1855mm wide, it’s accommodating in a tight car park.
The interior is classically Toyota. Everything is where you expect to find it but it’s lacking some wow factor. There are a lot of hard plastics throughout that highlight this.
With tech, trims and ambience all getting upgraded in the market, the interior is a bit of a let down.
However, there’s a certain comfort in seeing a traditional gear shifter, handbrake and manual clock in an off-roader. In my mind, it lends a certain weight to the vehicle's capability.
Practicality
Peugeot 50088/10
Legroom is good in the middle row, with plenty of knee space as well as a that long flat roof stopping you from giving yourself a haircut.Â
Each of the front seats has a fold down airline-style tray table, which kids go absolutely wild for.
The third row is really an occasional use only proposition, but it does the job and is reasonably easy to access. The middle row also slides forward (60/40 split) to allow a bit more space for the third row, which is nice.
The 5008 has a trick up its sleeve - removable third-row seats. If you fold the middle row down and remove the back row, you have a massive 2150 litres (VDA) of cargo volume.Â
If you just fold the third row away you still have a formidable 2042 litres. Whip the back row out again but leave the centre row in place and you have a 1060-litre boot, reattach them and it's a still impressive 952 litres. So, it's a massive boot.
The 5008 is rated to tow 1350kg (petrol) or 1800kg (diesel) with a braked trailer, or 600kg (petrol) and 750kg (diesel) without brakes.
Toyota Fortuner
The interior isn’t terribly practical for a seven-seater, so there’s room for improvement. And that seems to be the running theme for the Fortuner.
First and second-row occupants will enjoy the most room but it’s best to think of the third row as 'sometimes seats'.
It was easy for my six-year old to get in and out with the side steps, and he had a great view from the wide rear window.
Individual storage is good with a double glove box, cooled middle console, two cupholders and drink bottle holders in the first and second rows plus an extra two retractable cupholders in the dash (hurrah!). Third row occupants miss out on them completely, though.
However, I think the storage bins and map pockets are a tad too shallow to be that useful.
The boot space is on the smaller side and the way the third row stows on the side encroaches on the space and creates a large blind spot on an already chunky C-pillar.
With all three rows in action, there is 200L of cargo capacity available, but you can stow the third row to get 716L. If you want maximum cargo capacity, the middle seats can also be folded and that figure jumps up to 1080L.
The tech feels retro and not in a good way. The 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system is plain on the graphics and laggy, plus on the smaller side for the market now.
It also only has wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but it's fairly easy to connect.
Also, there is only one USB-A port in the whole car and no wireless charging pad. You do have a couple of 12-volt ports and a handy 220-volt plug for when you’re camping or something but that’s it for charging, which is surprising for a family SUV nowadays.
Price and features
Peugeot 50087/10
Peugeot's local arm is pitching the 5008 at an interesting point. While nowhere near the largest of seven-seaters, it is also not the cheapest, that honour going to Peugeot's former technical partner for SUVs, Mitsubishi.Â
There is now just one specification level (although it isn't really), the GT and you can have it in petrol form for (deep breath) $51,990, or diesel form (keep drawing that long breath) $59,990. That's a lot of cash.
But as I say, the spec is not the same between the two. And there is a lot of stuff.
The petrol GT opens with 18-inch wheels, a 12.3-inch digital dashboard (upgraded, apparently), a new 10.0-inch touchscreen (ditto), front and rear parking sensors, around-view cameras, leather and Alcantara seats, keyless entry and start, auto parking, adaptive cruise control, powered tailgate, rear window blinds, auto LED headlights, auto wipers and a space-saver spare.
The more expensive diesel picks up the diesel engine (obviously), a banging Focal-branded 10-speaker stereo, acoustic laminated front side windows and 19-inch alloys.Â
The diesel GT's front seats are also upgraded, with extra adjustability, a massage function, heating, memory function and electrical operation of just about everything on them.
Both versions have the new 10.0-inch multimedia touchscreen. The older screen was slow and really needed a good stab to work, which is a bit of a problem when so many functions are packed into the system.Â
The new one is better, but still a touch laggy. Weirdly, the climate control shortcuts permanently frame the screen, so the extra real estate goes on those controls.
The diesel GT's seats are available as an option on the petrol as part of a $3590 option pack. The pack also adds the Nappa leather, which itself is a separate option for $2590 on that upper-spec model. Neither pack is cheap (but the Nappa leather is lovely) and the massage seats are more than a novelty.
Other option costs are $1990 for a sunroof and $2590 for Nappa leather (diesel only).
Just one paint colour, 'Sunset Copper', is free. The rest are extra. For $690 you can choose 'Celebes Blue', 'Nera Black', 'Artense Grey', or 'Platinum Grey.' 'Ultimate Red' and 'Pearl White' cost $1050.
Toyota Fortuner
There are three models for the Fortuner and the Crusade sits at the top.
As with everything, there’s been a minor price hike since the last model but you can pick this up for $62,945, before on-road costs.
There are some nice standard features, like electric heated front leather seats, a powered tailgate, three-zone climate control, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, seven seats (2/3/2 config), 18-inch alloy wheels and side steps.
Our model is fitted with an optional tow bar kit, which adds a tow bar, tow ball and trailer wiring for an extra $1350.
It’s a little annoying that each item has to be individually purchased, so make sure if the model you’re looking at has a tow ball, that the wiring is connected, too.
Compared to the market, you get a decent array of accessories and features for the price tag.Â
Under the bonnet
Peugeot 50087/10
As the names of the cars suggest, there is a petrol and diesel engine. Both drive the front wheels only through automatic transmissions.
The petrol is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo, with 121kW at 6000rpm and 240Nm from 1400rpm. The petrol scores a six-speed automatic and will cover the 0-100km/h run in 10.5 seconds.
For torque monsters, the diesel is the go, with 131kW at 3750rpm and 400Nm from 2000rpm. This engine scores two more gears for a total of eight and will run from 0-100km/h in 10.2 seconds.Â
So neither of them are drag racers, which is to be expected when you've got a fair chunk of weight to pull (1473kg for the petrol, 1575kg for the diesel).
Toyota Fortuner
All Fortuner models share the same 2.8-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine but it’s the main star that perfectly complements the 4WD system.
With a maximum output of 150kW and a massive 500Nm of torque, most weekend adventures can be pursued. It also doesn’t feel like you’re digging deep for that power, which is great.
The six-speed auto transmission is fairly smooth but occasionally the pick up is slow, so I wouldn’t be zipping across traffic in this.Â
Efficiency
Peugeot 50087/10
Peugeot says the combined cycle figure for the petrol is 7.0L/100km and 5.0L/100km for the diesel. The petrol figure seems sort of likely, the diesel, not so sure.
I ran the lighter 3008 for six months with the same engine (but with two fewer gears, granted) and it averaged closer to 8.0L/100km. The last time I had the 5008 I got 9.3L/100km.
As I drove these cars on the launch event (mostly highway running), the dash-indicated 7.5L/100km figure I saw is not a reliable indicator of real-world consumption.Â
Both tanks hold 56 litres, so based on the official figures, you'll cover around 800km in the petrol and over 1000km in the diesel. Bank on a day-to-day range about 150km lower than that.
Toyota Fortuner
The official combined cycle fuel number is 7.6L/100km. Real world testing saw my figure at 9.1L and I covered a good mix of urban and open road driving this week.
Considering its size and that it’s a turbo, I thought it was fairly efficient for how I drove it, but it could be better given it’s a diesel.
The Fortuner has an 80L fuel tank with an approximate range of 880km, using our on-test average fuel economy figure.
Driving
Peugeot 50087/10
Once you're comfortable with the i-Cockpit, which features a high dashboard and a tiny, squared-off steering wheel, you'll feel like you're driving a much smaller car.Â
I have theorised over the years that the light steering coupled with the small steering wheel makes it feel more dynamic than it is, but I think that's wrong - it's genuinely well set-up and is a car in which you can have some fun.
I was only able to drive the 1.6-litre petrol with six-speed auto on launch and that was on a horrifically wet day during Sydney's recent deluge.Â
The M5 motorway was covered in standing water and the spray from the big rigs made driving conditions rather more difficult than usual.Â
The 5008 sailed through it all (pun intended). That engine is hardly the last word in power and torque, but it does the job and the auto is well-calibrated to the numbers.Â
The big Michelin tyres bite the tarmac pretty well and while you always feel the weight of a seven-seater SUV, it drives much more like a raised wagon than a doughy SUV.Â
Fewer of its rivals are doughy these days, but there's a little bit of spark in the 5008, matching the promise of its looks.Â
It's not quick, and it's not a hot SUV, but every time I get in this or its smaller 3008 sibling I ask myself why more people don't buy them.
It's irritating that the diesel costs so much more if you want that extra in-gear performance and another two gears.
Toyota Fortuner
Mostly okay but there are points to consider for long-term use.
We’ve already covered that the engine has enough grunt for off-road pursuits but I enjoyed the torque because it means it's fairly easy to maintain a consistent speed on hills, which isn’t always the case for large SUVs.
However, the steering feels heavy at lower speeds. It makes the car feel older than it is and cumbersome to turn in car parks.
I'm not a fan of the steering wheel, either. The leather is hard/rough and the wood panel insert at the top is slippery, which is an odd combo for an off-roader where you want to stay very much in control.
The taller centre of gravity does give some roll in corners but it’s also not the sort of car you go hard in on bends, anyway. So, that's not surprising.
However, the Aussie suspension tuning gets an A+ because the ride comfort is good and you won’t really notice potholes or bumps.
This has a 360-degree view camera set-up with guidelines but the image is disappointingly blurry for a top-spec model.Â
Safety
Peugeot 50087/10
The 5008 lands with six airbags, ABS, various stability, traction and braking systems, speed limit sign recognition, driver attention detection, distance warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, road edge detection, auto high beam, reversing camera and around-view cameras.
The diesel picks up lane positioning assist while none of them have reverse cross-traffic alert. Equally annoying is the fact that the curtain airbags don't reach to the back row.
The forward AEB includes low light cyclist and pedestrian detection between 5.0km/h and 140km/h, which is impressive.Â
There are three ISOFIX and three top-tether mounts in the middle row and two top-tether restraints in the removable third row.
The 5008 scored a maximum five ANCAP stars in 2017.
Toyota Fortuner
The safety list earns some cred back for the Crusade with the following being standard features: LED daytime running lights, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure alert, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert (always good to have), 360-degree view camera, front and rear parking sensors and trailer sway control.
A couple of cool features to highlight are the 'SOS Emergency Call' button and 'Automatic Collision Notification' system.
The former is for if you’re ever in a sticky situation but don’t have access to your phone but need emergency services.
The latter, will alert the Toyota Emergency Assistance call centre if an airbag is deployed or a collision is detected by the impact sensors. I think these are good features for an off-roader.
It has seven airbags, which include a driver's knee airbag and curtain airbags covering the third row but it is missing the newer front centre airbags that we’re seeing on newer cars.
The Fortuner has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating but it was tested a little while ago in 2019.
There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard seats in the middle row and two top tether anchor points, so you’ll only be fitting two child seats in (unusual for a seven seater). There is enough room in the front with a 0-4 rearward facing child seat installed.
Ownership
Peugeot 50087/10
Peugeot's five year/unlimited kilometre warranty is now pretty standard but always welcome. You also five years of roadside assist and five years/100,000km of fixed price servicing.
Interestingly, the service prices aren't much different between the petrol and diesel, with the former costing $2803 over five years ($560 per year on average) and $2841 for the latter ($568.20 per year on average).Â
You have to visit your Peugeot dealer once every 12 months/20,000km, which isn't too bad. Some turbo-engined cars in this segment demand more visits or won't cover as many kilometres between services.
Toyota Fortuner
Ongoing costs are always something to consider and the Fortuner comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is standard for the market.
Unfortunately, it only comes with a three-year capped-priced servicing plan, which is unusual for this class.
The services are affordable at $290 per service but the intervals are painful at every six months or 10,000km, whichever comes first.Â