Peugeot 5008 vs Kia Sorento: a super seven-seat SUV showdown

Style and substance: two qualities that tend not to go hand-in-hand that easily. When it comes to seven-seat people movers, manufacturers can try to add a sense of glitz with some SUV-style ruggedness. 

But there’s still a level of skill needed to prevent these machines from looking like anonymous boxes, or without compromising their overall practicality simply in the name of delivering a more rakish design. 

While we understand that style is a very subjective thing, we still can’t help but think that one glance at the Peugeot 5008 will lead many people to think that kerb appeal was very high on the agenda for its designers. New electrified powertrains aim to add meat to the bones of the package, but can it possibly be practical enough to back up its looks?

To find out, we’ve pitched the French model against one of its most dependable and practical alternatives. That’s not to say that the Kia Sorento isn’t lacking in design flair, either, because a facelift in 2024 has graced the Korean manufacturer’s big SUV with a more striking face, too. But it’s still a car with the ability to give the 5008 a stern test. 

Peugeot 5008

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Peugeot’s offering in the seven-seat class has generally been high on style but short on practicality. For this model, the French brand aims to cling onto the former while adding some competitiveness in the space stakes – plus extra electrification to take the edge off running costs. The car tested here is the GT model, which is priced at £42,770. Our pick of the range is the Allure trim, which sacrifices some standard kit (including front parking sensors and heated front seats), but costs £39,890.

Tester’s notes

While the dual-motor E-5008 is the only 5008 to boast four-wheel drive, Peugeot still caters for buyers who might choose to take their car onto rougher terrain. The £300 Advanced Grip Control is an optional pack, which looks like good value. It adds Sand, Snow and Mud driving modes, each with specific traction and stability control settings, plus hill-descent control to keep a steady, controlled speed while driving down  steep off-road tracks. Finally, Michelin Cross Climate 2 SUV tyres improve grip in adverse conditions.

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There are plenty of obvious cues to show the high quality of the 5008’s finish, but there are a few subtle details that hammer the point home. One of these is on the outside; the door seals are neatly tucked away inside the door panels, just like they are on a Range Rover, which helps to clean up the side profile. Inside, the ambient lighting is another small detail that adds just a little bit of extra sparkle. Concave, patterned panels are gently backlit, creating a soft glow that looks great at night.

Kia Sorento

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The Sorento has been around longer than the 5008, both in its current generation, which was launched in 2020, and as a model line as a whole, which has been going for more than 20 years. A mid-life facelift in 2024 has improved the tech offerings, but does the Korean car still have what it takes to compete at the top of the class? When it comes to pricing, the Sorento sits a little higher than the Peugeot; this base model in 2 trim starts at £43,685, which is £915 more than the top-spec 5008 Hybrid GT.

Tester’s notes

While diesel power finds favour with fewer and fewer buyers, in many ways it’s the best option in the Sorento range. The 2.2-litre CRDi – complete with an aluminium block that saves 19.5kg compared with the cast-iron item in the Mk3 Sorento range – makes 190bhp, which is slightly down on the hybrid’s output, but it’s much more torquey, with 440Nm. 

This makes it the pick for towing; with a 2,500kg limit, it can haul more than twice as much as the HEV or PHEV powertrains. A 9.7-second 0-62mph time is a match for the hybrid, too.

Of all its rivals, the Sorento’s closest match comes from its own parent company. The Hyundai Santa Fe is mechanically similar to the Sorento, but unlike its Kia cousin, the Santa Fe no longer offers diesel power. This puts the model at a disadvantage for buyers who like to tow trailers or caravans. 

That aside, the Santa Fe is the marginally more luxurious option; it has a little more headroom in the third row, plus there’s the option of a posher six-seat layout which replaces the second-row bench with a pair of captain’s chairs.

Head to head

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On the road

The Peugeot feels significantly lighter and more agile than the Sorento, yet also it rides a little more smoothly than the Kia. The 5008’s brake pedal is soft at the top of its travel, but once the brakes fully bite, they offer more stopping power than the Sorento’s. Power is the one thing that the 5008 is short on, though; the Kia’s hybrid unit feels more muscular under load, and it can run in fully electric mode for much longer.

Tech highlights

Both cars aren’t short on choice when it comes to powertrains, with the 5008 offered with Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and fully electric variants. The Sorento doesn’t come as a full EV (that’s reserved for the EV9), but there are two hybrid and one diesel options. Unlike its French rival, the Kia has four-wheel drive as standard on every model. Aside from the most potent electric versions, the 5008 is front-wheel drive only.

Price and running

The 5008 was the more frugal car during our test, averaging more than 40mpg in mixed use – significantly up on the Kia. The Sorento is more expensive to buy, too, with top-spec 4 trims climbing as high as £52,385. The least expensive 5008 Allure dips below the ‘luxury-car’ levy on VED rates due to its £39,980 price. That means it will cost £425 a year less to tax from years two to six than editions priced above £40,000.

Practicality

If you plan to use all seven seats regularly, the Sorento is the car to have of this pair. While its third-row seats are still a little tight for adults, they offer more space, especially knee room, than the 5008’s, which are only suitable for children. But if the sixth and seventh seats are only going to be used occasionally, the Peugeot is the better bet. Its second row is more comfy than the Kia’s – especially in the middle seat.

Safety

Euro NCAP tested the 5008’s smaller rangemate, the 3008, in 2025, and later applied the four-star rating  to the seven-seater, too. It was mainly let down by its driver-assist score, in particular the lack of an occupant-monitoring system for the second and third rows of passengers. The Sorento was awarded five stars by NCAP, but that was back in 2020, to less stringent standards than the latest tests.

Ownership

In the 2025 Driver Power Customer Satisfaction survey, Peugeot finished seventh overall out of 31 brands. The 5008 was too new to feature as part of those findings, but it’s a promising result overall. In contrast, Kia took a surprising slip in 2025, falling from its third-place finish the previous year to a result of 18th overall this time around. However, Kia’s seven-year warranty should put many buyers at ease.

Verdict

Winner: Peugeot 5008

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Victory here shows that Peugeot has built on the appeal of the second-generation 5008, and addressed some of its weaker points. The hybrid powertrain in particular is a big step up over the previous non-electrified system, while the combination of ride and handling is as good as anything in the class.

 When it comes to cabin design and finish, nothing in the segment comes close, while in five-seat mode, the Peugeot is among the most comfortable, too. The third row is tight compared with the Kia, but it will get the job done for occasional use. It’s a close contest, but the 5008 just takes the win here.

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Runner-up: Kia Sorento

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If the purpose of your seven-seater is to use each of the seven seats regularly, then the Kia’s the one to have. Not only is the accommodation in the third row more luxurious and spacious than in the 5008, but its more powerful hybrid system is better equipped to handle the weight of carrying six passengers, too. 

Those things aside, however, the Peugeot is the better package. The Kia is comfortable, but not quite on par with the 5008, yet it feels heavier and lazier on the road. While the Korean model’s cabin is smart enough, the Peugeot’s feels more expensive – yet the Kia is more expensive to buy.

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Prices and specs

What we would choose

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Peugeot 5008 

It’s pricey, but the £950 Sunroof Pack creates an airy feel inside, especially for those further back. The front section opens, while the pack adds laminated acoustic front windows and a cabin air-quality management system.

Kia Sorento

As a brand, Kia doesn’t really do options; if you want more kit, you’ll need to step up to the next trim level. Buyers can dip into the accessories catalogue to upgrade the standard 17-inch wheels to 19-inch alloys, though.

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