Striking design adds to relaxing drive

“Its comfort, striking design, and safety features makes one a proud owner”

Vinay Shrestha, actor and a car enthusiast, went on a test drive on the roads of Bhaisepati with the new Peugeot 2008 SUV. He shares his experience with THT Auto Plus

Striking exteriors

I was impressed by Peugeot’s striking exterior. A new (entrant) French car in the Nepali market, this lured me at a first sight. A convenient compact SUV, this seems to be very handy in the crowded narrow lanes of Kathmandu.

The exterior looks sharp and exudes luxury. The horizontal bonnet and the rear sports spoiler have accentuated the sophisticated sportier look. Its features like reverse camera with rear sensors, front and rear fog lights, LED daytime running lights, full-length glass roof, auto headlights and wipers have added grace to the car’s exterior.

Sophisticated interiors

Peugeot’s modern design i-Cockpit makes driving intuitive, swift, and safe in the bumpy roads — leaving no room for fears of bumps while driving. The driving seat is comfortable, and its adjustable height makes access to the steering easier — that is perfect for someone petite like mine. It has spacious modular rear seats allowing a surprisingly complete backrest — a single button makes it fold down into a completely flat floor.

The large multifunction colour touch-screen places all the functionality at your fingertips making the drive more easy and comfortable without making the driver take his eyes off the road. The two front and two rear speakers plus two tweeters make the acoustics awesome during the drive. It boasts a 3.5 mm jack for external audio and a digital radio avails you the full of fun and infotainment.

The sophisticated and sleek interior with smooth finishing on the seats inspires a good feeling and the comfort of home. The panoramic glass roof allows the driver and passenger to enjoy natural light while going on a drive.  It is also equipped with LED lights creating a lightening ambience.

Relaxing drive

The said PureTech and BlueHDi engines give a high performing driving experience without compromising on the fun with responsible bump-free driving which is a plus point. Its PureTech three-cylinder petrol engines are said to be powerful yet fuel-efficient. As per the company, it gives 72-km per hour which is pretty good mileage for Kathmandu roads.

The drive was smooth and powerful with maximum speed and acceleration.

Safety matters

Its active city brake helps to avoid accidents with short-range sensors on top of its windscreen, which I found vital in terms of safety — this obviously contributes in minimising road accidents. It exhibits safety measures like six airbags and active city brake that makes it possible to avoid an accident in urban conditions.

Anti-slip regulation, hill start assist, and automatic activation of hazard lights under emergency braking are other special safety features it offers.

I found the feature of park assist and reversing camera very useful, especially in crowded urban areas. The camera automatically activates when the reverse gear is engaged and allows the driver to view the area behind the car. During the entry and exit of parking space, the system provides you visual and audio information to ensure safety.

Ease of handling

It is very easy to drive. I have been driving cars for almost two decades. I thoroughly enjoyed this test drive and would definitely be happy to own one. Its comfort, striking design, and safety features makes one a proud owner. I would recommend New Peugeot 2008 to city dwellers who would like to go for long drives beyond the city limits — this is an attractive option. Car enthusiasts could fully enjoy its electric auto handling with comfort.