SOMEWHERE along the way what were once known as people carriers got renamed multi-purpose vehicles - or MPVs as they’re generally known. The old name was probably more than adequate, a real case of ‘saying what it does on the tin’, though as we all know the automotive industry loves its acronyms. The other big change since the dawn of the first seven-seater people carrier is a tendency for them to get smaller over the years too. As motorists have come to demand a more car-like driving experience manufacturers have been forced to come up with ever more ingenious ways to make large MPVs and SUVs (they’re the ones that used to be known as 4x4s while we’re on the subject of acronyms) a lot easier to drive. With the SUV all kinds of clever engineering methods are employed to aid driving dynamics but with the MPV someone just said ‘let’s make them smaller’. So while Peugeot used to make a thumping great seven-seater in the shape of the 807, with electric sliding doors and the ability to transport seven people in a considerable degree of comfort it has down-sized with the 5008. Interestingly lots of manufacturers have taken the same approach, leaving the business of turning out old cavernous seven-seaters to the likes of Chrysler and Kia. The 5008 has plenty going for it as a successor to the 807. For a start it looks a lot nicer, less like a small minibus and more like a car. And its more compact dimensions mean it’s far more fun to drive too. The big test, with any vehicle like this is practicality and it’s fair to say the 5008 performs well in this department. Some ingenious touches, such as a middle row of seats that fold flat and allow easy access to the two rearmost seats are an example. Many mid-sized and c compact MPVs’ rear seats are often little more than an ornament, only really catering for children - and getting in and out of them can be pretty tricky too. But the 5008’s fold-up seats offer a surprising degree of space and comfort. It might be venturing a little far to suggest two adults would be comfortable travelling in them for a long distance but given the overall size of the car you have to say the Peugeot designers have done a pretty good job in this regard. To drive the 5008 comes up trumps. It doesn’t feel too unwieldy or bulky and goes round corners nicely. The all-round visibility is fabulous and I rather like the head-up display that imparts driver information on your windscreen. The positioning is perfect and it actually acts as a real aid, particularly when it comes to monitoring your speed – though I can appreciate it might not be to all tastes. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the electronic gearbox control (EGC) mated to the 1.6-litre diesel in my test car. Maybe it would be better matched to a larger engine but with the 1.6 this newly developed automatic transmission felt like it was having to work hard to make progress and at times the gear changes seemed to take a little too long. Economy is decent though and Peugeot’s EGC system matches or betters equivalent manual versions. Overall the 5008 is a decent family motor that offers good value for money too. A lower-specced 110 HDi will set you back considerably less than £20,000. FAST FACTS Peugeot 5008 Exclusive HDi 110 EGC Price: £22,595 Mechanical: 110bhp, 1,560cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 6-spd automatic gearbox Max speed: 112mph 0-62mph: 12.6 seconds Combined mpg: 55.4 Insurance group: 17 C02 emissions: 135g/km BIK rating: 19% Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles | 
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