Peugeot 2008 vs. Kia Stonic vs. MG ZS — Which is The Best Small Crossover SUV in Pakistan?

Peugeot 2008 has been officially launched in Pakistan, and car enthusiasts have a lot of opinions about its future. While it rivals Toyota C-HR, Honda Vezel, and Nissan Juke in the international markets, it currently has two direct competitors in Pakistan — MG ZS and Kia Stonic.

Pakistanis excitedly welcomed both Stonic and ZS for being slightly more attainable than their larger counterparts, Kia Sportage and MG HS. However, will they be able to maintain their market shares after the launch of the 2008 SUV? Let’s take a detailed look at all three SUVs to find out:

Exterior Styling

Peugeot 2008

Peugeot 2008 is easily one of the best-looking passenger vehicles with its unique and overzealous styling. The large front grille with vertical mini-slats, sporty front bumpers, reptilian-eye headlights, and the ‘Lion’s Claw’-patterned Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) make for a distinct and aggressive front fascia.

Apart from the contrasting color of the D-pillar, 2008 seems a lot less dramatic from the side, with a few unique character lines and the 17-inch rims (in the top-trim only).

The modernness continues at the back with a stylish tailgate, streaked LED taillights on either side, and a distinctive rear bumper.

All the styling elements come together well to create a distinct and modern-looking crossover SUV.

Kia Stonic

Like most of its counterparts, the Stonic’s design is subdued without losing handsomeness. The front fascia features LED headlights with quad-DRLs (in the EX+ only), the signature tiger-nose grille finished in silver, and piano black (matte black in the EX), a smooth and contemporary front bumper, and a sharp bonnet design.

The side profile resembles a standard crossover, with a tall stance, functional roof rails on the top, 15-inch or 16-inch alloy wheels (depending on the variant), body-colored door handles, and the bottom side finished in matte-black garnish that gives the Stonic a rugged look.

The rear looks like that of a shrunken Sportage, with a similar taillight design minus the central red stripe, an identical tailgate design, a spoiler on top, and a matte-black rear bumper with a silver trim-piece in the center.

Overall, the Stonic is a good-looking little crossover SUV that is likely to appeal to younger buyers.

MG ZS

MG has taken a minimalistic approach to style the ZS. It has the same smooth lines and an elegant look as the HS, which Pakistanis have come to love. The front fascia features an imposing front grille, classy headlights, an elegant front bumper, and a smooth sleek bonnet.

The side has a few sharp lines, roof rails on the top, silver anti-bump strips on the bottom of the doors, and a sharp beltline that runs upwards at the back. The silver stripes around the windows and 16-inch alloy wheels give the ZS a premium look.

The rear end looks like that of the Stonic, with a near-identical tailgate and taillight design. Both vehicles also share a similar rear spoiler design and a forward-leaning rear window for a sporty look. Nonetheless, the ZS’s rear bumper design is better-looking than the Stonic’s, which complements its overall subtle styling.

Interior

Peugeot 2008

The interior design of 2008 is just as radical as the exterior. It is intuitive and easy to understand, and the unique shapes and layout of the overall dash, air vents, hexagonal steering wheel, and a crisp driver’s display all make it look incredibly modern. While the interior incorporates nice materials like leather and premium fabric, there are some hard plastic trim pieces around the non-essential touchpoints as well.

Room-wise, 2008 is big enough to comfortably seat a family of five. It also has 434 liters of luggage space that can be extended to well over 1,000 liters with the rear seats folded down.

Overall, Peugeot 2008’s interior outdoes all other SUVs in the same category.

Kia Stonic

Stonic’s interior is simple and functional. The design and layout are quite conventional and easy to get acquainted with. Although the interior is filled with scratchy plastics, Kia is known to have reliable interiors that remain in good shape for a lifetime.

Despite being a small SUV, Stonic has enough room to seat four adult passengers. Three can be seated in the back but only for a short duration.

The little SUV has a relatively small boot space of 352 liters but folding down the rear seats can make for over 1,000 liters of boot space, which is enough to carry large items.

MG ZS

The cockpit looks heavily inspired by European high-end cars as it incorporates nicer materials like leatherette trimmed seats and silver trim pieces spread across the interior. The chromed circular vents, elegant steering wheel design, a smart-looking center control stack, and silver door latches on the inside all give the interior a premium feel.

In terms of cabin space, ZS is big enough to seat four adults comfortably. Three passengers can be squeezed into the rear seat, but not for a long journey.

With a boot space of 359L that can be increased to over 1,000Lwith the rear seats folded down, MG ZS is quite roomy for a small crossover SUV.

Dimensions and Weight

The following are the measurements of both the subcompact crossover SUVs:

Measurements	Kia Stonic	MG ZS	Peugeot 2008
Overall Length	4,140 mm	4,314 mm	4,300 mm
Width	1,760 mm	1,809 mm	1,770 mm
Overall Height	1,500 mm	1,644 mm	1,530 mm
Wheelbase	2,580 mm	2,585 mm	2,605 mm
Ground Clearance	165 mm	164 mm	170 mm
Kerb Weight	1,192 kg	1,255 kg	1,189 KG

Performance

Peugeot 2008

According to the official website, 2008 will be powered by a 1.2L turbocharged 3-cylinder petrol engine that sends 131 horsepower (hp) and 220 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque to the front wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission.

It has a McPherson struts suspension up front and a torsion bar coil spring set up at the back and features four-wheel disc brakes with Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EDB), and Brake Assist (BA) technology.

A road test done by whatcar.com showed that 2008 provides an overall fuel economy of around 13 KM/L.

Kia Stonic

In Pakistan, Stonic is offered with a single powertrain — a naturally aspirated 1.4-L, 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 98 hp and 133 Nm of torque. The power is sent to the front wheels only via a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

For suspension, it is fitted with McPherson struts up front and torsion bar coil-spring suspension at the back. It also has disc brakes (front and rear) with ABS technology.

Based on several road tests done worldwide, the 1.4L variant provides an impressive fuel economy of 14 km/l in the city and 18 km/l on the highway. However, given Pakistan’s dense traffic and quality of fuel, the numbers could be different here.

MG ZS

ZS is offered in Pakistan with a naturally aspirated, 1.5-L, 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 106 hp and 141 Nm of torque and is mated to a 4-speed Aisin automatic transmission that only sends power to the front wheels.

The vehicle’s suspension setup consists of McPherson struts up front and torsion bar coil-spring suspension at the back. It also has disc brakes all-around with ABS, EBD, and BA technology.

The ZS is said to provide 10—12 km/l of fuel average in the city and 13—15 km per liter on the highway, which are decent figures for a crossover SUV.

Features

This comparison is only between the top variants to find out the complete range of features that they offer. The following are their specs and features:

Specs and Features	Peugeot 2008 Allure	Kia Stonic EX+	MG ZS
Safety
Central Power Door Locks	Yes	Yes	Yes
Immobilizer System and Burglar Alarm	Yes	Yes	Yes
Parking Sensors	Yes	Yes	No
Backup Camera	Yes	Yes	Yes
Blind Spot Monitoring	Yes	No	No
Daytime Running Lights	Yes	Yes	Yes
ABS Brakes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hill-start Assist	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cruise Control	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lane Keep Assist	Yes	No	No
Traction Control	Yes	Yes	Yes
Stability Control	Yes	Yes	Yes
Drowsiness Detection	Yes	No	No
Airbags	6	6	6
Convenience
Smart Infotainment System	Yes	Yes	Yes
12 Volt Socket	Yes	Yes	Yes
USB Connectivity	Yes	Yes	Yes
Auto Climate Control	Yes	Yes	Yes
Keyless Entry	Yes	Yes	Yes
Push Start Button	Yes	Yes	Yes
Multiple Drive Modes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sunroof	Yes	Yes	No
Steering Wheel Multimedia-Control Switches	Yes	Yes	Yes
ISO Fix Child Seat Anchors	Yes	Yes	Yes

Price and Verdict

Peugeot 2008 can rightfully claim the title of ‘the best subcompact SUV in Pakistan’. However, in terms of pricing, the Stonic, and the ZS seem like the more sensible options. Their prices are:

• Peugeot 2008
  • Active — Rs. 5,250,000
  • Allure — Rs. 5,850,000
• Kia Stonic
  • EX — Rs. 3,750,000
  • EX+ — Rs. 3,975,000
• MG ZS 1.5 (only one variant) — Rs. 4,399,000

Although 2008 is a subcompact crossover SUV that competes in the same class as MG ZS and Kia Stonic, its price is almost the same as Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, both of which are a class above it. This places the French SUV in a tricky position that only caters to a smaller niche of car buyers. Nonetheless, it has the looks and the pedigree of a well-regarded European brand, which can work to its advantage in Pakistan.