This picture shows a first look at the Peugeot 2008 supermini crossover, which shares a platform and engines with the 208 but offers a higher driving position.

Extending the trend for crossovers in the C-segment like Peugeot’s 3008, the 2008 aims to lead the market with a car the length of a supermini but almost the height of a compact SUV. It will be 4.16m long; about 20cm longer than the 208 but still in supermini territory.

Few real details have been released with the pictures, but the engine choices will include at least one sub-100g/km option for road tax-free motoring. The new three-cylinder petrol engines debuted in the 208 will also see service.

Alloy wheels will be up to 17 inches in size, while the firm mentions ‘mud and snow’ tyres being available.

The headlights are designed to try to capture the look of a cat’s pupil. Peugeot’s lion badge has long since inspired its designers to use feline influences. There are daytime running lights as standard.

Other style influences allegedly come from the RCZ coupe in the shape of a flowing roof line. The 2008 can’t copy the RCZ’s ‘double bubble’ roof due to the expense of such a design, but it does take some inspiration from its sporty cousin.

It is the first Peugeot to be designed across multiple market zones to cut costs, and near-identical cars will be built in France, China and Brazil to cope with demand on their respective continents.

The 2008 will make its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, before the order books open in June and the car arrives in showrooms later in the summer.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.