By: IOL Motoring Staff
Paris - First introduced abroad in 2013, and in SA the following year, Peugeot has given its 2008 crossover its first proper makeover.
Peugeot South Africa expects the freshened model to land in local showrooms this September and while the exact model mix has yet to be finalised, the local division promises that a wider range will be offered.
Only two versions of the current 2008 are offered locally, an Active and Allure both powered by a 1.6-litre normally aspirated engine. A wider range might just be what this baby softroader needs to gain some traction in the compact SUV market, where it goes up against rivals like the Ford EcoSport , Renault Captur , Nissan Juke and Opel Mokka .
Europe now gets a choice of three 1.2-litre PureTec three-cylinder petrol engines and while the 60kW normally aspirated unit might be considered a tad underpowered for our market, our bet is on the 81kW turbo-charged version of that engine becoming the mainstay of the range, while Peugeot might even sneak in the 96kW version as a range topper.
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The only diesel option offered at this stage is a 1.6-litre BlueHDi, in 55kW, 74kW and 88kW guises.
The facelifted 2008 is easy enough to spot from the front end, where designers have given it a larger grille with vertical slats and integrated Peugeot Lion badge, which has abandoned the bonnet. The side profile is marked out by wheel arch extensions (from Allure level upwards) and the back end gets LED taillights with new a 3D-effect lion-claw design.
Peugeot has also added a sportier 'GT Line' trim to the range, featuring a black and red interior theme as well as unique 17-inch gloss alloy wheels and black chrome front grille treatment.
The 2008's interior retains its familiar layout and gadgetry includes an 18cm touch-screen and Mirror Screen functionality that allows full smart-phone integration through Apple Carplay or MirrorLink.
The line-up, specs and pricing for South Africa will be announced when the 2008 arrives in September.