Peugeot 3008
FIRST DRIVE Frumpy MPV has been reborn as a cool SUV, and we deliver our verdict on the road
PEOPLE around the world are changing the way they buy cars. With the rise of SUVS and the decline of MPVS, it’s clear to see why the Peugeot 3008 has made the transition from an Mpv-like crossover to a truly stylish car in the SUV vein.
It really is a significant change, and the 3008 is undeniably cooler than it’s ever been before. The raised ride height, chunky bodywork and bold grille all give it a trendy look, while highlights such as the lion’s claw tail-lamps, steep windscreen and hidden C-pillar allow it to stand out in a crowded class.
It’s a similar story inside, with the 3008 benefiting from a new interior. The dash wraps around the driver from the centre console and incorporates Peugeot’s latest infotainment system. The small steering wheel and high-set instrument cluster we’ve already seen in the rest of the French brand’s range feature here, too.
The difference with the 3008, though, is that it gets Peugeot’s second-generation i-cockpit display, which incorporates a 12.3-inch screen behind the wheel. As with Audi’s Virtual Cockpit, the set-up allows you to change the layout of the dials, decide what is displayed, and even show sat-nav directions directly in front of you.
It’s an excellent system, plus you can easily see over the top of the steering wheel with this layout. In fact, there’s little to fault inside the 3008; it’s one of the best-looking cabins in its class. Sure, the air-con controls are on the touchscreen display, which makes them hard to use on the move, and the materials lower down aren’t as plush, but those are minor quibbles.
The materials you actually touch are of a high quality and the metal accents provide a really upmarket ambience. It doesn’t feel as spacious up front as a Nissan Qashqai or SEAT Ateca, but it’s much more stylish than either of those rivals. There’s plenty of room when you hop in the back of the 3008, though. It’s slightly longer than a Qashqai, so you get lots of rear legroom. The 520-litre boot dwarfs the 430-litre load area in the Nissan, too.
The driving position is a bit too upright, and the seats aren’t the most comfortable we’ve sat in, but the Peugeot helps negate those problems with a well judged ride. On our Italian test route, it felt smooth, and big potholes didn’t upset the composed ride too much. It also resisted body roll well through corners. We’ll have to try the car in the UK to be sure, but first impressions are good.
The small steering wheel means the 3008 feels lively in corners. It provides little in the way of feedback, however, and in sport mode the extra weighting only makes it more numb. There’s lots of grip, though, and overall the 3008 is fun, if not hugely engaging. Still, the same could be said of many of its rivals.
Our test car featured the 1.6-litre Bluehdi diesel engine with 118bhp, which we’re told will be a big seller in the UK. It’s easy to see why, because the numbers stack up well: claimed fuel economy of 70.6mpg and CO2 emissions of 104g/km don’t quite match the Qashqai 1.5 dci’s 74.3mpg and 99g/km, but they’re not far off – and the 3008 does have more power. It’s not the punchiest diesel out there, but there’s enough grunt to lug around the Peugeot’s 1,300kg kerbweight, which is kept low by the new EMP2 platform that underpins the car. Mid-range torque is strong, with effortless acceleration.
The manual gearbox is a decent match for this engine, too. It has a light shift, although the small button you need to hold to get it into reverse is a bit of a pain, and the action isn’t as smooth as in an Ateca.
Accelerate hard and you’ll definitely hear the harsh roar, but it’s not likely to annoy you because once you’re on the move you can hardly hear it. Wind whistle is well isolated, too, although road noise does push its way in at higher speed.
An entry-level 3008 will cost from £21,795, but prices for the rest of the range have yet to be announced. This 1.6-litre diesel is likely to cost around £25,000, and while that’s more than an equivalent Qashqai, if Peugeot can get the kit list right then it’ll still be a great buy.
“Small steering wheel means it feels lively in corners, and it’s fun, if not hugely engaging”