The Peugeot 2008 failed to shine as a tow car.
It took time to recover its composure after any sharp steering input, and the back of the car was moving around in the lane-change test, even during the slowest of three runs through the manoeuvre.
At 60mph it felt okay in still air, but wandered when the breeze picked up. And when slowing down from 60mph, the caravan’s Al-Ko ATC sensors picked up some swaying.
The engine took its time pulling the 2008 up to speed, while engine noise isn’t as well suppressed in this car as in the larger Peugeot 3008. And if you need to stop in a hurry, the 2008’s 11.9m stopping distance from 30mph was among the longest in this year’s tests.
Unhitch the caravan and the 2008 still disappoints. It’s not fun to drive, and doesn’t ride comfortably either, fussing and fidgeting over poor surfaces.
Inside, there’s more space than you’d find in, say, a Nissan Juke. But the boot proved too small to cope with our typical holiday luggage load, and the electrical socket was really awkward to access.
What’s more, the official towing limit of 1300kg drops to 980kg if the car is fully loaded.
At least the 2008 is keenly priced, especially after haggling – What Car?‘s experts suggest savings of around £2500 should be possible. The frugal diesel engine should make for affordable running costs, with an official combined figure of 76.3mpg.