The European styled but Japanese engineered Peugeot 4008 marks the start of a new attack by the French manufacturer as it seeks to expand its marketshare in Australia. From the outside it’s unfathomable to think the Peugeot 4008 has anything to do with its relatively over-styled brother, the Mitsubishi ASX, but underneath the pretty French styling remains a Japanese heart and soul...
Peugeot has been at the forefront of diesel cars in Australia and the company has championed diesel on the famous Le Mans circuit with some success. Yet there is no diesel on offer here. Instead, it’s the same two-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine from the ASX. The 110kW of power pulls the 1.4-tonnne vehicle to 100km/h in just under 10 seconds, which is ok but hardly sizzling. The resemblance to the stunning Evoque is uncanny, particularly in the bold front end. However, the roof line doesn’t dip as far toward coupe-like styling as the Evoque and the result is that the rear compartment is not as cramped or claustrophobic. All models come standard with a rear camera and seven airbags. Strangely there is a full-size spare wheel under the boot floor but it is only rated up to 80km/h. It takes up cargo space, yet doesn’t really provide much peace of mind if you venture out bush to test its AWD capabilities. Driver and passenger accommodation is comfortable with easy access and plenty of leg and headroom. However, it will still only fit two teens or adults comfortably in the rear. Extra sound deadening material provides a quiet cabin. Surprisingly there seems to be more luggage space than the ASX.
Pros • Cabin, load space • Fuel economy • Dash presentation
Cons • Noisy suspension • Flat seats • CVT characteristics The Koleos did what it was intended to do. It gave Renault a foothold in a hitherto unrepresented segment and, more importantly in Australia, it quickly became Renault’s biggest-selling model.If there was a major shortcoming with the second generation Koleos it was the lack of a diesel engine. The newcomer was exclusively powered by a hard-working 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine producing a reasonable 126kW/226Nm and returning, in AWD form, a combined fuel consumption average of 8.3L/100km.But that’s all changed now. The long-awaited turbo-diesel option arrived in August 2017 to immediately bring more power and (a lot more) torque. At 130kW/380Nm it’s a true grunter which, at 6.1L/100km, also offers better fuel consumption, plus lower exhaust emissions (150g/km against the petrol version’s 192g/km).
Pros Noticeably more torque and better fuel economy from the diesel engine Big size equals excellent second-row space inside Competitively priced Good ownership credentials
Cons Powertrain not as seamless and effortless as the numbers suggest No quicker than cheaper front-drive petrol Koleos variants Wieldy SUV to manoeuvre and park Ho-hum infotainment system Lower braked towing rating than petrol versions The diesel clatter is also quite noticeable, though nothing like a deal-breaker, but it does harness the on-demand all-wheel-drive system's tractive talents better and more noticeably than the petrol engine does. And by maintaining fuel economy within a ballpark of its maker’s 6.1 combined cycle claim, it’s markedly more efficient by a couple of litres per hundred, particularly around town.
Pros Great exterior looks Nice enough to drive Good level of equipment
Cons Doesn't come with a seven-seat option Prices are a bit high Manual gearbox isn't the smoothest
