Peugeot 2008 review: the practical case for buying French in Bahrain's crossover class
3.5/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
The 2008 is the more sensible of Peugeot's two small cars in Bahrain. The 155hp tune of the 1.2-litre turbo triple gives it genuine mid-range shove that the 208 lacks, the extra ride height helps over speed bumps and rough estate roads, and the boot is properly usable for a young family's weekly shop. It still depreciates faster than a Japanese or Korean crossover, so treat it as a car to buy for how it drives and looks, and to keep for a while rather than trade quickly.
Pros
- 155hp turbo triple has genuine mid-range urgency
- 434-litre boot is properly family-sized
- Extra ride height helps on rough estate roads and speed bumps
- i-Cockpit cabin design still stands out in the class
Cons
- Depreciates faster than Japanese and Korean crossover rivals
- Small steering wheel driving position is not for everyone
- Rear seat space still trails class leaders
- Fewer service centres than mainstream brands
Peugeot's decision to give the 2008 the 155hp version of the 1.2-litre turbo triple, rather than the milder tune fitted to the mainstream 208, is the single biggest reason it works better in Bahrain. There is real urgency once the turbo spools, which matters when merging onto the Sheikh Salman Highway from a standing start.
The extra ride height over the 208 hatchback is not cosmetic — it is genuinely useful on the transition ramps and unmarked speed humps that pepper Bahrain's residential roads, and the 2008 shrugs off potholed side streets with more composure than its footprint suggests it should.
Space and everyday use
At 434 litres the boot is a proper family size, and the digital i-Cockpit dashboard carries over from the 208 with the same small steering wheel that some drivers love and others never adjust to. Try the driving position before you buy — it is the one genuinely divisive thing about every current Peugeot.
Fuel economy is respectable for a turbocharged crossover doing mixed Manama and highway driving, and the eight-speed automatic is well matched to the engine's mid-range character rather than constantly hunting.
Resale reality
As with every Peugeot in this market, the trade-off is depreciation. A three-year-old 2008 will be priced meaningfully below an equivalent Japanese or Korean crossover, which is bad news if you are financing on a short cycle and good news if you are shopping the used market for one.