Astara, formerly known as Bergé Automoción, distributes 29 car brands in 14 countries in Europe and Latin America. Its presence in the Philippines is its first in the Asian region.

Part of Astara’s plans for the Philippine market include the opening of seven dealerships, up from the current four as well as a robust digital transformation.

Of course, a refreshed vehicle line-up is also integral to Peugeot’s plans for the Philippines, and the first one is the 7-seater 2022 Peugeot 5008.

Still sourced from Malaysia, where Peugeot parent company Stellantis set-up their regional manufacturing hub, the 5008 features a refreshed front-end with a new hood, frameless grille with black side scoops, and a painted tread plate integrated into the front bumper. Moving to the rear, there are full LED taillights with a slimmer version of Peugeot’s three-claw lighting signature, sequential turn signals and a darker lens tint. 18-inch wheels fill in the wheel wells.

Inside, the Peugeot SUV gets the brand’s i-Cockpit concept that features a 12.3-inch digital instrument display and a small-diameter steering wheel, while the size of the infotainment touchscreen has been increased from eight to 10 inches. Toggle switches provide shortcuts to main control functions.

Like before, the 5008 features three rows of seats with cargo space ranging from 780 to 1,940 liters. The middle row features three individual and fully adjustable seats, which feature reclining backrests and can be fully folded. The two seats in the third row can be fully folded and removed, while the front passenger seat can be tipped forward so objects as long as 3.2 meters can be loaded into the new 5008 SUV.

The black-colored cabin also gets a wireless charger as part of the update, which is accompanied by leather upholstery, powered front seats, powered tailgate, Apply CarPlay and Android Auto support, keyless entry and engine start, dual-zone climate control, and an ambient lighting system.

Powering the 2022 Peugeot 5008 is a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that makes 167 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 245 Nm of torque from 1,400 to 4,000 rpm. A six-speed automatic transmission sends drive to the front wheels.

In terms of safety and driver assistance systems, the 5008 comes with six airbags, ABS, EBD, and stability control. It also has Peugeot’s Advance Grip Control, hill descent control, hill assist, front and rear parking sensors, a reverse camera, and tire pressure monitoring system. It also has blind spot indicators, lane keep assist, and driver attention alert.

The 2022 Peugeot 5008 retails for P 2.260 million and is now available at all authorized Peugeot dealerships in four colors: Emerald Crystal, Nera Black, Pearl White, and Amazonite Gray.