Peugeot 5008 Seven-Seater 2010

Bouncing onto the scene in 2010, the Peugeot 5008 has wowed the car industry with a fun-looking, ultra practical seven-seater that doesn't break the bank. The innovative design, high quality and versatile package is a great alternative to the Ford S-Max, which many believe is the number one seven-seater available.

There are three trim levels for the new Peugeot 5008 seven-seater; Active, Sport and Exclusive, all of which have automatic electric parking brake with hill assist, energy saver tyres, ESP (electronic stability programme) and air conditioning as standard. The different trim levels allow Peugeot to have a certain flexibility in how the car is marketed, from luxury leather seats to chrome accents and clever electronic gizmos.

The practicality of the seating arrangement is one of the main reasons Peugeot is stealing Ford's customers. The rear seats can fold directly into the floor, which maximises the boot space and creates a flat floor to give it an almost van-like carrying capacity. The generous boot is enough for most applications, at 823 litres, but that figure blossoms to a frankly unbelievable 2,506 litres of space when all of the seats are folded neatly away.

Peugeot 5008 pictured above.

The Peugeot 5008 is not just stylish and compact but also a practical car for families; the Sport trim adds a sense of fun and frivolity to the page. Chunky 17” alloy wheels, chrome detailing on the grille, front fog lights and cruise control complete with speed-limiter are available.

For a more upmarket trim level, opt for the Exclusive trim. This is the top-of-the-range model and it comes with more electronic gadgets than you can shake a stick at. Head-up display allows the driver to keep their eyes on the road while their speed, revs and fuel consumption is displayed on the inside of the windscreen - just like in a fighter jet.

Bluetooth hands-free connection, USB port and MP3 player are available. Climate control and air conditioning helps keep passengers cool and to help the driver, there is a rear parking aid and a distance alert tone when reversing. Electrically folding mirrors and a Cielo panoramic glass roof add yet more funky styling cues.

The 5008 is a perfect family car. It handles like a car: the driving position is high up but not van-like high, and the cracking engines make it a real driver's car, too. Whether you opt for the 1.6-litre 156bhp THP petrol engine or the 1.6-litre Hdi diesel, it's difficult to fault Peugeot's latest engines. The choice engine would be the 2.0-litre Hdi diesel with its torque 251lb-ft of raw power - enough to take seven passengers and their luggage up mountain sides without breaking into a sweat. Fuel economy is around 38-45mpg, which is pretty good considering the size of the 5008.

Passengers in the rear are pampered with two seven-inch TV screens that can be used for games or DVD viewing. A decent stereo system is available too, so long drives should be painless. Overall, the 5008 is a great buy for anyone in the market for a seven-seater.