Je Ne Sai - Wah?

The Filipino people have very specific tastes when it comes to cars, and our needs are essentially universal when it comes to deciding on buying a new vehicle. Yes, there are the outliers among us who prefer driving cars that excite the soul more than move the body, but even they have practical cars for mundane tasks, like daily life.

We like our cars to be practical first and foremost. A cavernous cargo area, good rear legroom, and folding rear seats are only some of the priorities of typical Filipino buyers.

Right after practicality is fuel efficiency. Admittedly, this problem only got worse these last few weeks because of the war in Eastern Europe, but fuel efficiency has always been one of the go-to queries for vehicles, so much so that sometimes it’s the clincher when choosing a car.

Lastly, though for some this is far more important than practicality, is the vehicle’s looks. They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and Filipinos are no different – there are some that like understated design and color, while there are others who like the bold fashion statement, that stands out in a sea of black and silver.

It comes as no surprise, then, that one of the first actions of Astara, the new distributor of Peugeot Philippines for 2022, is to launch their newest Subcompact Crossover SUV, the 2008.Hot on the heels of its bigger brothers the 3008 and the 5008, the 2008, or the Deux Mille Huit as the French call it, aims to capture a segment of the market that is a real up and comer – the young professional. Makes sense, when you consider the yuppie makes up one of the biggest segments of the Philippine car buying market, as well as one that has a lot of spending power. There’s also quite a bit of freedom when it comes to styling since these twentysomethings like to make bold statements with their possessions. As such, they like cars that are painted in bold, standout colors, as well as having aggressive designs that make the car look muscular, and larger than it is.

On top of this, the millennial and Generation Z crowds are obsessed with having all the gadgets and gizmos that can be fitted to a car. The market competitors know this, and are catering to the desires of the market, so the 2008 must keep up to even be considered.

Powering the 2008 is a turbocharged 1.2L Puretech Inline three cylinder engine, making 130 horsepower and 230 Newton-meters of torque at 5500 rpm. This is par for the course for the market, the only difference being the 2008 uses a turbo 1.2 where the competition uses a Naturally aspirated 1.5. mated to the Puretech engine is a 6 speed automatic transmission that propels the 2008 to 100kph in 9.1 seconds, and a theoretical top speed of 195 kilometers per hour – not bad numbers for a Subcompact SUV.

While the 2008 has enough power to get out of its own way, the gadget game for the 2008 is very much a force to be reckoned with in this market segment. While the average in this market segment already comes with cruise control, power adjust and retracting side mirrors, as well as a whole host of safety features, the 2008 adds in Active Lane Keep assist as well as Driver Attention Assist, to stop an accident before it even happens. This makes the 2008 a real contender for the segment dominators.

Taking a look at the exterior of the 2008, we find that it is a striking, thoroughly modern design, befitting a vehicle launched in 2022. With claw-like accents in the headlights, a fang mark Daytime running light, and triple tail lights, the 2008 really embodies the lion on the front grille. All that’s left for it to do is growl at you if you make eye contact. The interior is more subdued than the exterior, with black on most surfaces, and a splash of green and blue in the accent lighting. Beyond the colors, though, is the level of refinement in the interior that heightens the experience of being in the 2008. Everything has an air of quality that you don’t get from a mainstream affordable product. Soft touch plastics and copious use of leather (vegan, or otherwise) makes the interior feel more, for lack of a better word, official. Instead of feeling like a young professional when sitting in the front seat, the 2008 makes you feel like you’re the industry maverick, making a name for yourself by being a trendsetter.

As the vehicle has only just been released, the jury is still out on reliability and longevity, but at a glance, the 2008 looks solidly built.

Driving the 2008 is almost like playing a video game. The engine of the 2008 has no right to be that peppy in second gear, and the sound it makes under load is the kind of sound that can make grown men giggle like children. The brakes are so good that smooth stops are a breeze with just partial braking. Say what you will about lightweight body, or electronically assisted brake servos, but the end result is a braking system that feels overpowered for the vehicle, while still providing the driver with all possible control over brake force. The steering, though, is a little numb, and doesn’t inspire confidence. Because it's electric, there is little feedback that makes its way to the driver’s hands, and it can be unnerving for some. Is it a deal killer? Not really, but a little more resistance would not be a bad thing.

At 1,550,000 Philippine Pesos, it sits at the high end of the market, which is a bit of a drawback. But the secret to success in the Philippines lies in aftersales service. True, Peugeot did sell in the Philippines, and they had little success because of poor build quality and aftersales service. But that was two decades ago, and with double that in experience and success in distributing cars, Astara’s Peugeot can have a fresh start. As far as first impressions go, though, the 2008 does indeed impress.