Peugeot 3008
French contender shares much with the Grandland X but offers a more stylish, appealing all-round package
GIVEN how much the two cars share, the Peugeot 3008 is a natural rival for the Vauxhall. We’ve chosen the 1.2 Puretech 130 model in Allure trim (GT Line is pictured), which is slightly cheaper at £24,565, but do you get more for less here?
DESIGN & ENGINEERING
WHILE the Grandland X might have benefited from a transfer of tech following PSA Peugeot-citroen’s buyout of the Opel/ Vauxhall brands, the EMP2 platform was originally developed with Peugeot’s 3008 family SUV in mind. The Peugeot shares the same suspension set-up, but it actually feels a little softer and more compliant than the Vauxhall, as we’ll come on to later.
The engineering underneath might be similar then, but there’s a big difference when it comes to design. The 3008 evolved the 308 hatch’s styling and repositioned this car as a full-on SUV, with sharp looks and a slick cabin. Inside, the materials used are of higher quality than the Vauxhall and Toyota, and while the C-HR comes close to the Peugeot for visual interest, the Grandland’s drab cabin is no match. Neither feels as light and airy as the Peugeot, either.
Using the second-generation i-cockpit helps to boost the 3008’s individual feel inside, with a small wheel that you look over to read the digital dash. Even if it won’t suit every driver, there’s no question it works better here than the previous i-cockpit set-up, while it adds to the 3008’s personality.
This is augmented by the fabric inserts on the dash and doors, while the high-quality switchgear and interesting design help, too. It’s backed up by a strong level of kit in Allure trim: sat-nav, DAB, Bluetooth, parking sensors, a reversing camera and cruise control are all standard, matching up to the Vauxhall’s and Toyota’s respective kit list.
DRIVING
THE Peugeot is the best balance between performance and comfort. It was actually the fastest car in this test, helped by a combination of decent power and torque, plus the lowest kerbweight.
This resulted in a 10.6-second 0-60mph sprint time, while it had an advantage over its rivals in-gear, highlighting the Peugeot’s extra flexibility around town, as well as for overtaking.
Despite this, it’s still nicely refined. As with the Grandland X, there’s a typical three-cylinder grumble from under the bonnet, but it’s fairly well suppressed and rather than being intrusive actually gives the French model a little character.
It’s backed up by the softer chassis set-up, which means the 3008 rolls over lumps in the road with a nice degree of fluidity. Only big bumps and potholes upset the chassis, sending a shudder through the car and some kickback through the steering. However, the same is true of the Vauxhall, while neither it nor the Toyota is as composed at normal speeds.
The 3008 is fairly agile and it doesn’t take much steering input to make the car change direction due to that small wheel. However, the softer set-up, which delivers a decent level of comfort most of the time, is a little more out of its depth when it comes to agility. In the corners there’s not as much support as in, say, a Skoda Karoq, while the dampers don’t have the same absorbent quality when they’re loaded up in a bend. It’s still a more dynamic car than the Vauxhall, but the Toyota feels better tied down and offers a nicer gearchange when on a twisty road. Still, given the brief for a family SUV, the 3008 is nicely judged.
PRACTICALITY
IT’LL also be easier to live with thanks to the largest boot capacity on test, at 591 litres. There’s no power tailgate (that’s a pricey £750 option which allows opening by the swish of your foot under the bumper), but the load bay is big and a regular shape.
The same is true inside, even though the dash is quite large. It cocoons occupants in their own zones, but there’s plenty of room and good storage, with trays, bins and cup-holders for trinkets and bottles.
It’s also roomier in the rear than you’d imagine given the 3008’s looks. Chunky front seats mean it’s more difficult to tuck your feet under them when sat in the back, but leg and headroom are still good.
OWNERSHIP
PEUGEOT finished 13th in our Driver Power 2017 manufacturer survey, only two places behind Toyota. The gap to the Japanese brand was the same when it came to how the makers’ official dealerships were rated, with Peugeot taking ninth and Toyota seventh.
Allure trim comes loaded with safety kit, including autonomous braking, blind spot detection, lane keep assist, attention alert and auto high beam for the headlights. On top of this, six airbags, parking sensors and a reversing camera add to the level of safety on offer and make the car easier to manoeuvre.
RUNNING COSTS
THE Peugeot was the most economical model on test, returning 43.7mpg, which means fuel bills of around £1,509 per year. It also has much stronger predicted residual values than the Vauxhall, according to our experts.
The 3008 will hold on to 46.1 per cent of its purchase price, while the Vauxhall will retain only 41.6 per cent. It means the 3008 will lose £13,241 over three years/36,000 miles compared with £14,371 for the Grandland X.
However, the Toyota trumps both of them. With predicted residuals of 51.6 per cent, it should only lose around £11,640 over the same period.