SUVs are the perfect solution to meet your everyday transport needs. Although they are often overlooked down under, seven seaters like the Skoda Kodiaq and Peugeot 5008 are two of the best choices for large or growing families.
Let’s take a closer look at which of these European best sellers you should choose by going through a typical daily driving scenario. Begin by picturing yourself getting in this car and driving to work that’s 30 minutes away from your house through traffic and over the freeway…
Looks so fine
Both these vehicles are stunning to look at. Just walking towards the car you feel a little more confidence in your step. The Kodiaq has a more subtle elegant appearance with sharp lines and strong contours where every element from the lights to the grille and bumper seem to fit seamlessly together. If you’re picturing a fresh, interesting look with an athletic outline, streamlined curves, stylish design with chrome trim and cool looking head- and tail-lights, then we’re talking about the Peugeot 5008. Get a little ego boost as you notice others checking out your ride.
Speaking of looks, you get to choose from two premium 5008 trims, the GT Line and the top level GT.
And for the Kodiaq, there are three trims available – Kodiaq, Kodiaq Sportline, and the top level Kodiaq RS. Each comes with their own different aesthetic or colour combinations.
Everything you need and more inside
You open the door and sit down in the driver. How do you feel? The Skoda Kodiaq has a more spacious, open vibe, and the dash and controls are well laid out in a more familiar and traditional arrangement. The unique i-Cockpit design dominates the cabin of the Peugeot 5008 with surroundings that cocoon the driver’s seat, with the infotainment screen thoughtfully angled towards you, while the compact and lower positioned steering wheel gives you an uninterrupted view of the digital instrument panel.
On the drive to work, stay in touch with the rest of the world by connecting your smartphone to the infotainment system of the Kodiaq or 5008. Stay entertained with your favourite music or podcast streaming from your phone. When you’re stuck in the middle of peak hour traffic jam, let the comfortable Nappa leather seat of the Peugeot 5008 give you a nice “Cat Paw” massage and stay chill.
You probably won’t be using the third row of seats on a daily drive, so you get a 630L in a Skoda Kodiaq. This is enough to fit about 5 large suitcases or a whole lot of shopping bags. But in an incredible application of design, you get a much larger 780L of boot capacity in the Peugeot 3008, even though it comes in a smaller frame (With dimensions of Length – 4641mm Width – 1844mm Height – 1646mm, the Peugeot 5008 and is 58mm shorter in length, 38mm shorter in width, and 9mm shorter in height when compared to the Kodiaq). And if both your hands are full carrying your weekly shopping, you can open the boot with your foot instead! (this feature comes standard on the Peugeot 5008 and is an option on the Kodiaq).
A pleasurable ride
As you’re making your way through local traffic, the nimbleness of the Peugeot 5008 should make for a pleasurable experience with light touches inducing a crisp response. On the other hand the Kodiaqs are much heavier (by 283kgs if you’re comparing the Kodiaq RS to the 1575kg Peugeot 5008 GT) and steering should feel more weighted, with larger actions but still accurate response. Speed bumps and roundabouts aren’t a problem for either model.
Once you get into clearer traffic on the highway or freeway, this is where the Kodiaq is able to flex its muscle and quickly power past any slowpokes you encounter. Whether you choose the trim with the 132kW/320Nm 2.0-litre petrol or 176kW/500Nm 2.0-litre diesel engine, they both have more grunt than either of the 121kW/240Nm 1.6-litre petrol or 131kW/400Nm 2.0-litre diesel engines powering the Peugeot 5008.
The smaller output Peugeot engines run more economically and so are better for your hip pocket in the long run.
Safe and helpful
Both the Kodiaq and 5008 have a maximum 5 star Euro NCAP rating, so you can feel confident that you’re well protected no matter which one you’re driving. Automatic Emergency Braking available in both models will help prevent front end collisions, and a driver fatigue detection and warning system will keep you alert and awake if the caffeine from your morning coffee hasn’t kicked in yet.
The Peugeot 5008 does come with a few extra safety features such as active lane keeping assist and Speed limit recognition and recommendation – useful in helping you avoid getting caught speeding unawares.
Once you reach the workplace, the 360 degree vision reversing and front camera on the 5008 takes the stress out of parking (Kodiaq only has a reversing camera), or better yet just turn on the City Park system (works for both 90 degree and parallel parking) and let the clever car do most of the work for you.
It’s all good
So as you can see, both the Peugeot 5008 and Skoda Kodiaq are more than capable of handling every aspect of your daily driving needs. For travel around the city and for the growing family, the Peugeot 5008 would be the slightly higher recommendation, given its larger cargo space, better fuel economy and having some nifty safety systems that either aren’t standard or available in the Kodiaq.