The Peugeot 5008, our favourite this year, is a family hit

As Ireland continues to go 'SUV crazy', could Peugeot take on the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and Volkswagen Tiguan with the 5008? We take it for a test drive to find out. Video: Neil Briscoe

A regular reader writes: “Hi there. I’m looking for a car that’ll fit three child car seats in the back. Plus maybe some extra seats in the boot. And it needs to stylish, preferably an SUV. Oh, and not to bad on tax. And I don’t fancy a diesel, given all the bad publicity. Thanks!” That’s a letter which regularly plops onto the welcome matt (or the electronic equivalent) around here, and thankfully, the new Peugeot 5008 is, more or less, the answer.

Based on the same structure as the very impressive 3008, the 5008 adds space, and seats. Seven seats, to be precise (as standard, no making you pay extra as Skoda does), with a huge boot and those gorgeous all-digital dials as standard.

On top of which it’s good to drive, and comes in its cheapest form with its best engine – the 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol turbo PureTech 130hp unit. And prices start under €30,000, which is often a key figure for family car buyers.

For kiddy-friendly transport that also offers quasi-premium finish, a strong touch of modern tech and fun for the driver, it’s pretty hard to beat.