Peugeot 2008 SUV sales strong – production to double

The Peugeot 2008 Compact SUV appears to have struck a chord with buyers to the extent that Peugeot is doubling production in France to meet demand.

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We have a bit of a soft spot for a number of Peugeots, and we were convinced that the 2008 compact SUV would be a winner for PSA. And it seems it is.

When we revealed UK prices for the 2008 last month, we commented that we thought Peugeot’s target of selling 8,000 a year in the UK was a modest one, and it appears Peugeot is quickly discovering the 2008 is even more popular than they’d hoped.

Talking to Automotive News, Peugeot’s Brand head, Maxime Picat, said demand is so high for the new 2008 that PSA are planning to double production at their plant in Mulhouse from September to try and keep up with orders.

It’s a strong start for the 2008 – and a clear illustration that many buyers find a compact SUV preferable to a small hatch – and Peugeot now says they will be building 200k 2008s a year by 2015, half in Europe, which is going to help the beleaguered French motor industry.

In fact, with the Clio-based Renault Captur and the Peugeot 2008 doing well, we could see these compact urban SUVs turn round the fortunes of  the French motor industry in this sector, probably outselling even the Nissan Juke.

The Peugeot 2008 is arriving in the UK from July at prices from £13k to £19k.