The Peugeot 5008 is a stylish seven-seater that’s practical and good to drive.

With these qualities, it takes its place among the best family crossovers you can buy.

Peugeot has revamped the 5008 to the point where it shares little in common with its predecessor - and that's a positive thing.

It’s spacious, practical, comfortable and easy-on-the-eye.

The look of the 5008 has been enhanced by a new frameless grille, which flows elegantly into the sharp-looking LED daytime running lights.

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The way in which the grille sheds away horizontally creates an eye-catching effect and broadens the stance of the vehicle visually.

There are also some attractive new side scoops in the bumper while, at the rear, scrolling indicators and smoked lenses have been added.

My test car was powered by the 1.2-litre PureTech engine. I’d wondered if this unit might be a little small for a car of this size, but I soon realised it was up to the task.

With direct fuel injection and the benefit of being turbocharged, the petrol engine puts out an adequate 131hp and a respectable 230Nm on torque.

With a 0-62mph time of 10.2 seconds and a combined fuel economy of between 39 and 46mpg, it strikes the right balance for a family car between performance and economy.

The ride quality is well-judged ride, with suspension that's firm enough to prevent it feeling bouncy, but soft enough to ease out the worst road imperfections.

This version came with a swift-changing eight-speed automatic box and front-wheel drive.

Inside, you're greeted with plush materials, high levels of comfort and plenty of up-to-date tech.

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It's also quiet and refined, with very little road noise and wind noise to disrupt your enjoyment.

The angular and tiered appearance of the dashboard makes the cabin one of the most interesting in this class, with Peugeot’s second-generation i-Cockpit instrument design very much to the fore.

The small leather steering while has been given a new flat top and sits quite low so you look over the top of it at the instrument cluster above.

It's a set-up that takes a bit of getting used to and my initial reaction was to wonder what the steering wheel was doing all the way down there, but it grew on me throughout the week as I started to enjoy not having to look through the steering wheel to see key information displays.

As part of the update, Peugeot has introduced a new 12.3-inch digital dial display that is fitted as standard across the range. It’s crisp, clear and easy to configure to your liking.

Meanwhile, the 10-inch high definition touchscreen is also easy to use.

Space wise, there are three rows of seats and a good sized boot.

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There are some nice extra touches dotted here and there to make the cabin feel that bit more exclusive, including blue ambient lighting for the front door panels, central connecting zone and door panels.

There's satin chrome trim to be found on the dashboard, while the seating has half-leather effect trim.

Another important factor for family buyers is safety - and Peugeot has included plenty of active safety systems on the 5008. Many of those features come as standard, including auto emergency braking.

In conclusion, the all-round strengths of the 5008 place it among the very top contenders in this crowded segment.

The Lowdown

Peugeot 5008 Allure Premium

PRICE: £33,585

ENGINE: 1.2-litre PureTexh 130hp three-cylinder petrol

TRANSMISSION: Eight-speed auto, front wheel drive

ECONOMY: 38.7-46.0mpg on WLTP scale and emissions of 151g/km

PERFORMANCE: 0-62mph in 10.2 seconds. Top speed of 117mph

WARRANTY: 3 years or 60,000 miles