Looking for the perfect car that’ll take you through the week and be able to whisk you away from the city for the weekend? Then it’s hard to look past these two Europeans best sellers. The only question you’ll have to answer is which one to choose!
Both the Skoda Kodiaq and Peugeot 5008 are large SUVs that can fit up to 7 people, so you can take the whole clan with you too (or a lot more fishing gear).
Escape in Style
Everyone will be sure to notice as you take off down the highway behind the wheel of one of these beautifully designed masterpieces.
The modern shape of the Peugeot 5008 impresses at first sight, with a bold athletic stance punctuated with chrome lines and trimming, aluminium bars, and finely sculpted wheel rims.
Precise, sharp lines shaped by Skoda’s new design language for SUVs give the Skoda Kodiaq a distinctive, yet timeless appearance, where form and function are in perfect harmony.
Escape in Luxury
The interior of both cars are well thought out and practical, with all the modern technologies that you can take with you wherever you go.
Experience the unique i-Cockpit driver-centred dash design and in the Peugeot 5008, and getting a clear view of the digital instrument panel over the top of the smaller and lower positioned steering wheel. An 8-inch infotainment touch screen sits in the centre of the dash, as does the specially designed one-touch automatic gear shifter.
The Kodiaq’s classy interior has more of a spacious feel up front and is packed with features to make your getaway journey more comfortable and enjoyable. The only things you need to pack your passengers and your luggage. Viewing infotainment controls is not a problem on the huge 9.2-inch touch screen with gesture control. Digital Voice Enhancement means you can talk to those in the back without having to shout or take your eyes off the road. And keep the kids entertained watching their favourite shows with their device safe and secure inside specially designed tablet holders behind each front seat.
Pack in more for your Escape
Typical for an SUV of this class, you can forget taking any more than a small overnight bag if all seven seats will be occupied on your getaway as there wouldn’t be enough boot space to bother mentioning.
However, with the last row of seats folded down, you can still take up to 5 people while opening up a respectable 630L of boot space in the Skoda Kodiaq, enough for all your camping or fishing gear as well as the essentials. The Peugeot 5008 has an even more generous 780L, so you might as well chuck in a set of golf clubs.
If you’re going solo or only with one other, you can free up a small cavern at the back. With all the rear seats down (they all fold flat in both vehicles) you get a huge 2005L of empty space available in the Kodiaq and a slightly larger 2042L in the 5008. That’s more than enough space to fit a couple of surfboards or even a small kayak!
Make a Quick Escape
Both cars will be able to take you away with speed and ease, but where you go outside the city will likely determine which car is better for you.
The engine offerings of the Peugeot 5008 are a 121kW/240Nm 1.6-litre petrol and 131kW/400Nm 2.0-litre diesel engine. The engines in the heavier Skoda Kodiaq range pack more punch with a 132kW/320Nm 2.0-litre petrol or 176kW/500Nm 2.0-litre diesel powerhouse. So the Kodiaq has more power and quicker acceleration than the 5008, but it also comes with a cost in fuel economy.
For example, the Kodiaq RS with 176kW/500Nm 2.0-litre diesel can go from 0-100km/h in 7 seconds, beating the 5008 GT running on a 131kW/400Nm 2.0-litre diesel by a cool 3.1 seconds. But when it comes to fuel economy, the Kodiaq RS requires 6.2L/100km compared to the 5.0L/100km that the 5008 GT consumes.
If you’re going off the beaten track, the 4-wheel-drive (4×4) capabilities of the Kodiaq will stand you in good stead, where this is unfortunately the one area where the front-wheel-drive 5008 is found wanting.
Escape in Comfort
The Skoda Kodiaq and Peugeot 5008 both give smooth, comfortable rides. The lighter 5008 is more agile with snappy response, making it more of a fun drive. However, it does take a little encouragement to get up to speed. The Kodiaq clings more to the road and so makes for a less agile but still solid response and accurate steering. It feels more stable at higher speeds, and its powerful engines make overtaking a breeze. This comes in handy when you find yourself behind a long transport truck or trailer on a country road and need to pass quickly in case of oncoming traffic.
Decision Time
The design, build and performance of both the Skoda Kodiaq and Peugeot 5008 are great. The 5008 is perfect for urban situations and if you like the boot space and savings in fuel costs. If you enjoy tackling the great outdoors and going on off-road adventures, then the Kodiaq with its 4×4 capabilities and more powerful grunt would suit you better. In all other situations in between you can’t really go wrong with either one.
