Sector: B-crossover  Price: €15,200-€24,450  Fuel: 3.8-5.9l/100km  CO2: 98-135g/km

The 2008 marks a move into a new niche for Peugeot, but it covers a few gaps in existing ones. This diminutive crossover is aimed at attracting customers out of compact MPVs, supermini estates and even offering an additional choice for those who would have defaulted to a lower-medium model.

It’s a shrewd move. Rivals such as the Nissan Juke and MINI Countryman have helped compact crossover volume overtake equivalent estates and MPVs in Europe, and it’s a sector set to receive newcomers from most mass-market manufacturers.

This also alters Peugeot’s fleet appeal. The 207 SW, which isn’t being directly replaced, had been a popular rental model, while small MPVs tend to perform well in Motability schemes. Peugeot expects the vast majority of 2008 sales to be user-choosers, almost a complete reversal of the 207 SW, and two-thirds will be conquests from other brands. As compact crossovers are popular on the used market, and tend to attract higher residuals than small estates or MPVs, leasing rates should be attractive too.

So Peugeot is expecting downsizers to represent a decent share of sales, in turn helping the 2008 follow the 208’s lead in top-heavy demand for trims. The Allure, three levels up from base spec, should be the most popular trim, just like its sibling.

Under the skin, the 2008 shares its platform and wheelbase with the 208, gaining a raised ride height and slightly wider front and rear track. The latter is similar to the 208 GTI, and contributes to impressive stability for what should be a top-heavy vehicle. Instead, the 2008 rides and corners much more like a C-segment car than its underpinnings would suggest. An impressive feat for a car which, in its lightest guise, weighs only 100kg more than a range-topping Volkswagen up!

Visually it’s not as obviously a crossover as the Juke or Countryman, but the 2008 makes a surprisingly rugged-looking small car. Chunky wheel arches with high ground clearance and aluminium scuff plates help it look less like an MPV than the larger 3008, but there won’t be a four-wheel drive version due to low demand. Instead, it uses Peugeot’s Grip Control package, comprising mud and snow tyres and a clever traction control system set using a rotary dial in the cabin.

The engines are a surprise. It’s the big-selling HDI 92 that feels the best suited, offering linear pulling power from just above idle, while the more powerful HDI 115 lags until around 1,600rpm. The petrol engines are similar, with the three-cylinder VTi 82 the star performer and a more efficient, flexible unit than the lethargic VTi 120 with its sloppy gearbox. More three-cylinder petrols are set to follow.

For most buyers, though, it’s the space that will appeal. Despite sharing its dashboard and low-mounted steering wheel with the 208, the cabin is noticeably larger and neatly packaged too. The seats fold flat easily, and the roofline is stepped like a Matra Rancho to give more headroom in the back. It’s just a shame the 3008’s split tailgate and movable boot floor haven’t moved down a class.

It’s so neatly packaged that it’s a surprise to find the panoramic roof presents such a large problem for those in the back. While it adds to the glazed area of the cabin, it follows the roof height from the front of the cabin, reducing the raised rear section to lumps underneath the roof rails and dramatically cutting headroom.

But with lower-medium comfort and the agility and efficiency of a supermini, the 2008’s faults are easy to overlook.

Verdict:

Priced at around €2,000 over an equivalent five-door 208, the 2008 has the space, styling and versatility to hold onto C-segment customers while the 308 is replaced.