Peugeot 3008 Review

Published on 23 June, 2017

The Peugeot 3008 has left the frumpy MPV segment for the trendy SUV market - and the results are impressive.

Overview

Overview

While there is no doubt the new Peugeot 3008 is now a fantastic looking car, the improvements have been much more than skin deep. The interior is now one of the most stylish and high-tech in the segment, and a revised engine line-up makes it greener and more fuel-efficient than ever before.

The starting price of €26,000 makes it one of the most competitively priced cars in its segment, and puts it head to head with the likes of Seat's Ateca and the Renault Kadjar in terms of value for money. But with that striking new design and the volume of new tech on board – they will by no means be the only ones with cause for concern.

Interior Gallery

Once you get past the handsome exterior, you’ll be just as impressed when you sit inside. The new interior is a huge leap forward for Peugeot cabins. High quality materials surround a classy, modern layout with lots of clean lines and some really premium touches. We particularly liked the MINI-esque toggle controls which you can use to control the 8 inch display, for convenience reasons too as not everybody likes faffing about with a touchscreen (although if you want you can do that too).

It's also got a great feeling of space. The wheelbase has grown to improve on legroom and the taller stance means more headroom for all on board. At 591 litres, the boot is among the largest in the class, and quite a bit bigger than the bestselling Hyundai Tucson (513l).

The new Peugeot 3008 is one of the most advanced models they have produced to date. The most exciting feature is the new ‘i-Cockpit’ system. This includes an 8 inch colour touchscreen display with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, a multi-function steering wheel (in Peugeot’s trademark miniature size), and a digital instrument cluster, which, in a first for the class, will be a standard feature across the range.

There will be a choice of five trim levels to choose from including GT line and GT versions which Peugeot expect to be strong sellers as they move toward a more premium image.

Standard equipment on the entry level Access model comes with the aforementioned i-Cockpit, cruise control and a range of impressive safety features including lane departure warning and speed limit information.

That list gets even more impressive when you move up to the level two Active model which also gets Advanced Emergency Braking, a reversing camera, parking sensors, dual-zone air conditioning and automatic lights and wipers. On the styling front, it gets 17 inch alloys and LED headlights.

Level three Allure models get additional styling upgrades including 18 inch diamond cut alloy wheels, tinted windows and ambient lighting in the cabin. Safety gets stepped up another gear with blind spot detection and active lane keeping.

The Peugeot 3008 achieved the maximum five-star rating on the NCAP safety test.

Peugeot expect 25 per cent of new 3008s to be petrol powered, which is a sharp increase on the last model where that figure was just 10 per cent.

That is representative of a wider trend across the market which is seeing people gradually shift back towards petrol as emissions and fuel economy continue to improve. It also helps that the Peugeot 3008 is offered with an excellent option here, the award-winning 1.2l Puretech 130.

There’s a good choice of diesels too – four in total with power outputs between 100 and 180bhp. The 1.6 HDi 120 is the one we had on test will surely be one of the biggest sellers with its claimed fuel economy of over 70mpg and annual motortax bill of just €190.

Handling-wise, it’s everything you want from an SUV. It’s an easy, predictable drive that’s reasonably engaging – there’s good feedback from the steering, which thanks to the trademark shrunken Peugeot steering wheel, has a nice sporty feel to it.

There’s plenty of pulling power for confident overtaking, very little roll on corners, and thanks to great sound insulation, it's exceptionally quiet in the cabin.

Peugeot's reputation for reliability is ever-improving and they are backing that up with a five year extended warranty.

Its German rivals traditionally hold their value better on the used market but that hasn't done its South Korean rivals any harm. In fact we'd go so far as to say that this car could be the challenge the Tucson has been waiting for.

Facts & Figures

Sinead McCann

Sinéad is our resident car tester who has the unenviable (-ok, slightly enviable) task of reviewing all the latest new cars to hit the market. You can follow her on Twitter @smcani and on Instagram @whatshedrives