It’s enough to make you lose faith in capitalism. Kendall Roy (Succession, 2023 Season 4 Episode 5)

“The chicken climbed back into the other’s window,” Lavinia said aloud, pointing to the window of the farmhouse lying in the barn on the mountain of straw. The door was partially open and the sun was casting its shadow on the ground as if a portal had opened the dark, cold interior of the barn into a world full of light. Lavinia wore a Yankees baseball cap on her back. Dirty and worn, more than the short time she lived in. Lavinia slowly chewed a piece of gum while watching the chicken. “It’s already gone down. He breaks his neck every day. I think he dreams of flying, you idiot.” And he let out a sigh that spoke of more than worrying about the chicken. Lavinia put both hands behind her head and was very reluctant to get up. “The idiot…” Lavinia said again as her eyes watered. Then there was silence for a few minutes, and the creaking of the barn boards swaying in the wind subsided. Lavinia felt herself sinking slowly into the straw, as if carried by a current in a lake of treacherous waters.

But he continued to chew the gum slowly, methodically, so as not to lose even an iota of taste, and measured his saliva so as not to use up the juice too quickly. The sour strawberry flavor that brought back memories of when she could go to the village store with her grandmother with frantic impatience as she very slowly picked out what she needed and finally pulled out her purse from which she took out a few coins and asked with a smile. ¿¿ What do you want?” But her grandmother is not there. In fact, she is all alone, but on that pile of straw chewing the last gum, she realizes that she is the only one missing. With her wrinkled hands, her sudden cough, her smile, that silenced all the cares of the world, her snow-white gray hair, her ill-adjusted glasses, the hundreds of pills she took before bed, the smell of a goatee with a little anise “for the nerves”. But the smell that reached Lavinia was that of corpses. It was time to get down to business and bury them. Meanwhile, the damn chicken crawled back to the window…

Peugeot’s “double zero” models are a very specific bet by the French manufacturer to compete in the tough SUV market. A bet that has carried the company’s stamp for years from a lion with a touch of sportiness and luxury with sometimes controversial design decisions (such as a reduced steering wheel) that make it stand out from other manufacturers, even those you share the group with.

In the case of 2008, we find ourselves in the populated territory of compact SUVs, vehicles that are based on the chassis of urban models but provide more livability and versatility. This Peugeot model is already in its second generation, and we had the opportunity to test the version with an electric motor some time ago, and the brand gave us a version with an internal combustion engine.

2008 gasoline

As we already pointed out in the mentioned article, the transformation of 2008 from the previous generation is remarkable and responds to the new family air (which is actually almost four years old) common to all models of the Lion brand. In 2008, the main hero is the front, as with other Peugeot models, with a modern design that does not renounce the feline aspect characteristic of the brand.

In this case, the optical groups of three angular LED elements with that “cat” design or the vertical position lights stand out, as well as the very large central air intake and the hexagonal shape with black elements. The design is complemented by sporty elements with a second air intake in the lower part and a colorful skirt ending this front part.

A compact SUV needs to take advantage of a small chassis, which is why height matters. In this case, the roof is practically horizontal to maximize habitability and interior space. However, as we have already mentioned, in terms of the size of the rear windows, something has been sacrificed to give the side of the car a sporty line with a rising line at the bottom of the line towards the rear.

sports design

The design of the rear is also attractive and sporty, with a short black spoiler complemented by two plastic parts that run down the sides of the spoiler and occupy the sides of the rear window. Both the optical groups extending into the sides and the generous bumper, which boasts silver exhaust pipes in the lower part, which are obviously not found in the electric version of this model, are impressive.

The interior has that mix of avant-garde and good finishes that is very specific to the brand. As happened to us when testing the electric version, we really liked the seats with very good firmness and comfort, with good cornering grip and padding that makes them really comfortable. In the comfort section, the useful central armrest is also worth highlighting, which allows for more comfortable driving on long journeys.

complete interior

The infotainment system is controlled from a 10-inch screen well placed at the top of the dashboard, which provides access to the car’s various control menus. Specially designed buttons below the screen, as well as the controls found in the cockpit of the aircraft, allow direct access to some functions.

The available space in the back is very good for the size of the car with seats that are comfortable and have similar padding to the front seats. The middle seat does not become an armrest, which makes it somewhat more comfortable, however, the width does not allow three adults to travel in this second row, unless it is uncomfortable.

As for the trunk, this 2008 with a heat engine does not require a battery, so the capacity increases significantly. With the two rows of seats available, 434 liters of cargo can be reached, and up to 1,496 liters when the rear row of seats is folded down. It is a versatile suitcase with several practical features, such as a bottom that can be placed at two heights.

With the advantages in mind, the engine characteristics must be written down first. In this case, it is a small 1.2-liter three-cylinder, which, thanks to direct injection and a turbocharger, achieves a power of 131 horsepower and a torque of 230 Nm. Of course, another feature to consider when comparing the electric version is the weight: 1,280 kg compared to 1,623 for the electric version.

Agile in the city

Around town, the 2008 petrol engine is a bit noisy at low revs with that odd three-cylinder sound, carrying over low-rev vibrations too. It’s not unpleasant, especially when the car reaches its optimum operating temperature, but it’s one of the big differences with the electric-powered model.

However, it performs with great agility, the 131 horses are available quite linearly. However, the eight-speed automatic transmission does not always make the engine run smoothly when driving at low speeds, and therefore the engine is sometimes a bit noisier than it should be and spends more than necessary. Of course, it’s not a relaxed ride with an electric in an urban environment again, but it’s an agile car.

The response of the engine on the road is good and the sporty response to the change becomes a positive factor here, as it allows acceleration in relatively short times for its power capacity. The engine revs sharp and responds well to the throttle, making it a fun car to drive, thanks to its power-to-weight ratio.

good cornering response

We really liked the cornering behavior of the car, especially in the case of an SUV. The lively engine and that direct steering response make the 2008 a fun car that, thanks to the suspension setup, can handle every corner even at good speed. The problem is that this translates into somewhat significant sensitivity in bumpy or uneven areas.

However, on highway routes with good asphalt, the three-cylinder engine vibrates less in high gear and the suspension does not suffer, making it a car that invites you to travel for kilometers, thanks to the aforementioned comfort of the seats and the general comfort that the car provides beyond that , which is assumed by size.

conclusions

This 2008 petrol version makes this Peugeot model much lighter, but it loses some interesting features such as constant power delivery, acoustic comfort and of course zero exhaust emissions, which also excludes it from boasting a zero DGT label, which provides benefits, which we all know, except that they are less polluting.

The fact is the 2008 continues with high marks for fit and design but changes its personality, it’s still a fun car but more for agility than power delivery it’s still a recommended car for finishes and design but with a somewhat comfortable ride penalized for sound and suspension. In any case, an attractive and versatile compact SUV like few on the market.