The Peugeot E-5008 has been the best value seven-seat electric SUV for a few years, now, and one of our favourites. The seats and boot are spacious and flexible, you can get it with a couple of different batteries to cater to all different lifestyles, and it’s about the best value seven-seat electric SUV you can buy.
But it’s got competition with the excellent new Mercedes GLB Electric. Mercedes is on a roll with its latest new generation of electric cars, and the GLB is no different. It’s smart, practical, desirable, stuffed with screens and tech, and could well make the Peugeot look a bit… whelming? Shall we find out?!
Batch and Nic have had the new Mercedes GLB Electric and Peugeot E-5008 together for a twin test, to decide which of these electric seven-seat SUVs is best.
Mercedes-Benz GLB 250+ Electric AMG Line Premium Plus
Price from: £46,100
Price as tested: £56,800
Est monthly PCP: £595 (3yrs, 10k miles, £8,000 deposit)
WLTP range (test car): 359 miles
Real world range (est): 250 - 330 miles
Max charging: 320kW
Power: 265hp
0–62mph: 7.4sec
Boot capacity: 145 – 480 – 1,605 litres (127 litre frunk)
Max towing capacity: 1,500kg
Peugeot E-5008 GT 73kWh 210
Price from: £38,595
Price as tested: £42,195
Est. monthly PCP: £468pm (3yrs, 10k miles, £8,000 deposit)
WLTP range (test car): 308 miles
Real world range (est): 190 - 260 miles
Max charging: 160kW
Power: 210hp
0–62mph: 9.7sec
Boot capacity: 259 – 916 – 2,232 litres (no frunk)
Max towing capacity: 1,000kg
Real-world range and charging
Right, let’s start with the range and charging, shall we? The Peugeot gets the smaller battery and slower charging, so it’s definitely at a disadvantage. With the 73kWh NMC battery it’s capable of up to 309 miles WLTP range, although the spec of our test car drops that to 308 miles. Mind you, you can step up to the 98kWh battery for a WLTP range of 412 miles, which is mighty impressive for such a great value EV.
With charging of up to 160kW, you’ll get a 100 mile top-up in around 15 minutes in the Peugeot (in ideal conditions and with a powerful enough charger, of course).
The Mercedes GLB Electric? Well, it does make the Peugeot look a bit lacklustre on the charging front. Mercedes has given its electric, seven-seat SUV 800V charging for rapid charging of up to 320kW, which would be good for a 100 mile top-up in as little as five minutes. The range of 380 miles that Mercedes has squeezed from the 85kWh usable NMC battery is also substantially better than the Peugeot’s (albeit the Peugeot wins for range if you go for the bigger battery).
Both cars get standard heat pumps for better winter efficiency, and the Mercedes also gets a clever two-speed gearbox to improve the touring range when you’re up to motorway speeds.
As for real-world range, well, in the Peugeot we only saw around 230 miles to a charge even in quite warm weather, which is a bit disappointing. The Mercedes is a bit more efficient in real world use, and managed around 300 miles – although we’d estimate that the range will drop to closer to 250 miles in winter.
Interior and infotainment
The GLB gets Mercedes' new style of dashboard design, which we've already seen on the CLA and GLC – and we still haven't got used to it. It's flat, very glossy and is home to a lot of screen real estate; basic models get a large central screen that's home to the infotainment system and another screen for the driver's display, while higher-spec models get the triple-screen Superscreen setup which replaces the star-pattern panel on the passenger side with, you guessed it, another screen.
Once you've got over the shock, the infotainment system itself works very well – the screen is crystal clear and the functionality is very good. There's even augmented navigation available, too.
For the most part, interior quality is very good and is in keeping with the GLB's premium image. But you don't have to look too far to spot some decidedly low-rent materials, such as the plastic around the central air vents and lower down on the doors. The touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel are a bit hit and miss, too – they look good but can be tricky to operate on the move.
The E-5008's interior couldn't be any more different. While the Peugeot is older than the brand new Merc, the E-5008 still looks great and modern. The 21-inch screen, which is standard on all trims, sits on top of the dash and has an elegant curve to it – it looks like a smart TV in a warehouse apartment. The use of materials and different textiles just adds to this lounge-like feel, and these, along with the plastics used, all feel plush and solid.
The high-mounted centre console divides the driver from the passenger – there's no floating console or flat floor like you find in some SUVs. This arrangement gives some excellent storage but also makes the driver area feel a little cosy. And the E-5008 probably is the best example of the advantages of Peugeot's famous small steering wheel – it's easier to get in and out of the driver's seat than the GLB, and helps give the car a sporty feel when driving.
The infotainment system is starting to feel its age, though. The menus are a little confusing to use, and the fonts and graphics look a little low-rent compared to the Merc's slick system. Having said that, the 'i-Toggle' screen , which is mounted on the central part of the fascia, gives useful shortcuts to the menus. These shortcut icons can be configured if you wish, and give access to an array of functions, from sat-nav, climate control and turning off the ADAS systems.
Space and practicality
When it comes to practicality, both of these seven-seat SUVs impress, but they go about it in different ways.
The Mercedes GLB feels noticeably roomier than the old EQB thanks to a longer wheelbase, with plenty of legroom in the second row and more space for those in the back. The middle row slides by 140mm, making it easy to balance passenger and luggage space, while even tall adults will find room behind a lofty driving position.
The third row is more usable than before, although it's still best suited to children or shorter adults. At times, the GLB really does feel like a roomy five-seater SUV with two occasional seats.
Boot space ranges from 145 litres with all seven seats in use to 540 litres in five-seat mode, while a handy 127-litre frunk is perfect for storing charging cables. The frunk is operated with a conventional level in the footwell – the GLB doesn't get the new GLC's clever bonnet badge that operates as a button to release the frunk.
The E-5008 is the champion here. Its huge 916-litre boot in five-seat mode dwarfs the Mercedes, while even with all seven seats up there's a useful 259 litres available. Thoughtful touches such as underfloor storage, a neatly stowable parcel shelf and a completely flat load floor make it exceptionally family-friendly.
The second row slides and folds in multiple configurations, while the third row is genuinely roomy by class standards, offering more space than the Mercedes and enough comfort for adults on shorter journeys. Batch, at 5ft 11in (1.8 metres) had more than enough space, even if the seats are a bit flat. Sadly, unlike the Mercedes, there are no proper cupholders – the E-5008 does have them but they are completely unusable.
Which one is best to drive?
Neither of these cars have handling at the top of their priorities list, as they are more concerned about ferrying seven people in comfort.
It's a very closely run thing when it comes to ride comfort, but the Mercedes just beats the Peugeot. The German SUV feels a little more tied down through corners, too, with the Peugeot rolling more in the bends. But both steer well and have pretty natural feeling brake pedals.
The Mercedes is by far and away the quicker car. It reaches 62mph from rest in 7.4 seconds while the Peugeot is more than two seconds slower. The E-5008 is quicker if you choose the 325bhp dual-motor model, managing the 0-62mph sprint in under seven seconds.
While speed isn't always an important factor with a family SUV, it is bearing in mind. Overall, the Mercedes does a better job of combining comfort and speed than the Peugeot.
Which one is best value?
Well, this is where the Peugeot really shines. Not only is the list price lower, but it’s also way cheaper on monthly PCP and on leasing.
The E-5008 in our test was the GT in 73kWh single-motor guise with a price tag of (at the time of filming) £42,195, while the Mercedes, in as-tested form, was over £14,500 more expensive. The thing is, the Peugeot doesn’t seem a £14,000 cheaper car, as it has just-as (if not more) plush-feeling interior than the Mercedes, and is roomier.
We would expect leasing prices to lower for the GLB as time passes, but the E-5008 will almost certainly beat the Merc on this front too. The GLB may be faster, nicer to drive and have better tech on board, but it’s something you really have to fork out for.
Which one is better, then – the Mercedes GLB Electric or the Peugeot E-5008?
If you'd asked us would we ever be comparing a Peugeot to a Mercedes then we would have laughed very, very hard. But that's where we are, and our verdict is probably even more surprising.
The fact that we are even carrying out this test is not just a reflection of how few electric seven-seater SUVs there are on the market, but also how Peugeot has upped its game over the years. While it's true that the E-5008 (and its sister the E-3008) has a platform, batteries and charging credentials that are a little lacing in 2026, it makes up for this in being well packaged, attractively styled and reasonably priced.
Some people will only ever crave the pomp and allure of the three-pointed star, and we can understand that. But in the areas that probably matter the most to family buyers, the Peugeot beats the Mercedes hands down or, at the very least, matches it.
.jpg?width=600&height=600)
