An SUV that looks as good as it drives
Julie Marshall spends an enjoyable weekend with the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4
Fortuitously, our test drive of the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 coincided nicely with a planned weekend away in Stratfordupon-Avon.
Travelling in style was assured as the 3008 Hybrid4 is a rather nice looking car which is very well equipped with dual-zone climate control, automatic tailgate, a full complement of active and passive safety systems, automatic lights and windscreen wipers. But what really endeared it to me is the miserly 31 grammes per kilometre of CO2 it emits.
The emissions may be low but the horsepower is not. The two electric motors combined with the 1.6-litre petrol engine come together to deliver an impressive 296 bhp, a 0-62mph time of 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 149mph (84mph in electric mode). All this and four-wheel drive too.
Mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox, the 3008 Hybrid4 is lovely to drive and that burst of acceleration when you plant down your right foot is thrilling.
The suspension delivers a ride that is a nice balance between comfort and stiffness and there’s none of the wallowing you can often get from a family SUV; the extra weight from the battery and the two motors giving a low-down centre of gravity.
The car starts off in electric mode and then cleverly works out for itself what power supply is best to continue with.
If used for short commuter journeys, the fully charged electric motor will keep you going for around 36 miles, with the petrol engine kicking in seamlessly once you go over that distance.
Should you venture away from the tarmac, the fourwheel drive system is pretty decent and incorporates hill descent control, just like a ‘proper’ off-roader.
As with most cars in the PSA stable digital is king and one you get used to them the controls are quite intuitive to master - aided with a few toggle switches for the important functions.
Having said that our satellite navigation system failed spectacularly on our homeward journey and showed us driving through a field when we were in fact on the M6 (an electronic gremlin in the works no doubt).
A ny o n e b u y i n g a n a l l - electric or a plug-in hybrid vehicle will almost certainly be advised to invest in home charger which, in the case of the 3008 Hybrid4 reduces the time from round eight hours to less than two hours
As with most things these days you can download an app to your smartphone to control such as charging times to take advantage of an Economy 7 tariff if you are signed up to one.
The 3008 is roomy for both passengers and luggage and even with the battery in the Hybrid4 there is still 395 litres of boot space.
It may be a cheap car to run but as the Hybrid4 comes only in GT spec, it makes for an on the road price of £46,750. Add in the pearlescent paint, the 7.4kw onboard charger and a 230v socket and our test car came in at £47,745. There’s a new model on its way - in showrooms early in 2021.