Peugeot’s soft-roader is a French beauty but you’ll pay for the privilege
PVALUE
F eugeot sales have been on the road to nowhere for 10 years, so the latest rescue plan, which involves a change of distributor, price cuts and the launch of the new 3008 SUV, needs to work. The 3008 recently won European Car of the Year for 2017. Impressed? Don’t be. The 307 hatch won the same gong in 2002, and it was a lemon.
A reputation for grief is one reason buyers have shunned Peugeot. On Planet Google, where you can get the mail on reliability issues direct from owners, there is nowhere a car company can hide its inconvenient truths.
Peugeot claims the new 3008 “has moved itself above” mainstream SUV rivals such as VW’s Tiguan, Mazda’s CX-5, Subaru’s Forester and Honda’s new CR-V, but they’re dreaming.
Start money – $36,990 for the base model 3008 Active – is about $5000 over the odds for this class. The $43,490 sticker on the GT Line variant we’ve tested is similarly fanciful.
The 3008 is front-wheel drive only, whereas rivals at this price offer all-wheel drivetrains. Peugeot’s “Grip Control” system, complete with a Land Rover-style rotary dial on the centre console with Normal, Snow, Mud and Sand modes, is nothing more than adjustable traction control on the front wheels and a set of faux all-terrain tyres. Mud and Sand? Please, don’t go there.
All models get Peugeot’s i-Cockpit, comprising a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a chunky little F1-look leather-wrapped steering wheel and a hi-res eight-inch touchscreen atop the dash. Mirrorlink, Apple Carplay and Android Auto, wireless charging for compatible phones, digital radio and voice control are included, with main menus accessed via a row of piano key-style switches below the touchscreen.
It’s all very techno-wow, beautiful to look at and reasonably intuitive to use. However, AM reception is weak, voice control is hit and miss and the navigation system won’t accept voice destination entry in Australia. When I tried, it offered to take me to 11 Regent St, London. I like to test cars over a decent distance, but that’s a bit excessive. And Afghanistan’s in the way.
Fussy French car touches include “Relax” and “Boost” modes in a “Multi-Sensory Ambience” system, with adjustable lighting – the blue is very Paris by night.
GT Line also includes keyless entry and starting, automatic parking, self-levelling LED $43,490 plus on roads (overpriced) 7.3L/100km (average)
COMFORT
$1787 for 3 years (expensive) Space saver (bad) 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo, 121kW/ 240Nm (average) 590L (spacious) headlights, three 12-volt and one 220-volt outlet, dual-zone aircon and stylish 18-inch alloys.
Softly-sprung, the 3008 offers a quiet, supple ride in town and on the highway. On rough country roads, it can be fussy and unsettled.
The heavily-bolstered, firm driver’s seat has only basic manual adjustments. You look over the wheel at the instrument panel and for an unobstructed view of the digital dials you must position the wheel quite low and the seat high. It feels weird at first, but the elevated instruments are directly in your line of sight, like a head-up display, so as a safety feature it works.
Storage includes a cavernous box in the high, wide centre console. The glovebox lid in the test car didn’t fit properly, and some interior trim was misaligned.
In the back, a low, firm bench, high window sills and tinted glass means kids will feel like they’re sitting in a cave. Legroom is adequates.
SAFETY
Peugeot has short-changed the lower spec 3008 Active and Allure by omitting lane keeping, adaptive cruise, automatic emergency braking and blind spot monitoring. They are included on GT Line, along with automatic high beam and 360-degree cameras, plus range-wide lane departure warning, distance alert, parking sensors and speed limit recognition.
DRIVING
The 3008’s 1.6-litre turbo four is refined and tractable but lethargic, especially below 3000rpm. Sport mode improves responsiveness. In town it’s got a slightly above average thirst – 10-12L/100km, running on premium. It’s much more impressive on the highway – long-legged, refined and frugal, returning 6-7L/100km.
The six-speed auto has a chunky, pistol grip lever with a heavy action. On the move it operates unobtrusively, though occasionally slowly, and the test car would sometimes judder when put into Park. Paddles are standard. In tight corners the 3008 feels loose and unwieldy, with excessive body roll exacerbated by steering that’s either overassisted, in Normal mode, or heavy and numb in Sport mode.
HEART SAYS
It’s beautiful, it’s expensive and it’s desirable.
HEAD SAYS
It’s possibly temperamental, it’s too expensive and it doesn’t drive as well as it looks.
ALTERNATIVES
The class leader. Stronger performance and better economy from a 132kW 2.0-litre with AWD, better handling, comfort and bigger boot.
A long wheelbase, rebadged Tiguan, with the same drivetrain. Good on dirt roads too. As a bonus, you get a huge boot with two extra seats that fold into the floor.
Runs a 177kW 2.0-litre turbo with AWD, so the 3008 won’t see which way it went. Safe, comfortable, spacious and high resale values. In this ultra-competitive class, the 3008 GT Line is overpriced. It looks like a million dollars, but drives like $30,000. Shop around for any discounts on offer.