Peugeot’s latest 3008 mid-sized SUV is not just stylish, it’s a veritable work of automotive art.
Finished in gleaming Obsession Blue (looks green guys) the styling is just a preamble to what you will find inside. The long, curved free-standing infotainment screen reminds us of a computer monitor, but that’s okay because in reality that is of course what it is.
A centre console, shaped like a hockey stick, angles away from the driver, topped by a string of quick access buttons that remain just within reach.
The surface of the dash and console are covered by a denim-like material that feels cheaper than it looks, backlit by eerie green ambient lighting. Behind the screen a dished, carbon-fibre-ish looking piece of trim extends from one side of the dash to the other before spilling onto the doors.
Peugeot describes the 3008 as a “vision of the future”, a combination of “high-performance hybrid technology and exceptional design”.
Yeah, okay. You have our attention, but what does it drive like and what kind of money are you asking for this masterpiece of automotive design?
STYLING
The 3008 Hybrid comes in two grades, Allure priced from $52,990 and GT Premium priced from $64,990 — plus on-road costs. They will soon be joined by a third grade, GT, priced somewhere in between — but yet to be confirmed.
Peugeot previously offered a plug-in hybrid version of the car, but it has been dropped, presumably because no one bought it — little wonder at a price of $82,915 (that’s before on-roads). C’est beaucoup!
The 3008 is a self-charging hybrid like a Toyota that offers a combination of convenience and low fuel consumption.
The design incorporates Peugeot’s signature three-claw lights, with a redesigned face and new Peugeot badge plus a modernised “floating” spoiler.
Standard kit includes cloth trim and two-zone climate air, LED headlights, auto lights and wipers, auto dimming rear view mirror, proximity locking and unlocking, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go function.
GT Premium adds perforated Nappa Leather, clean air quality system, 10-way power adjust front seats, including bolsters and squab, heated steering wheel, massage and driver-seat memory, heated and cooling for front seats and heated rear window seats.
It also gets two-tone paint, diamond black roof, panoramic split-opening sunroof, hands-free electric tailgate, adaptive LED pixel headlights, and rear 3D-effect full LED tail lights.
Strangely, there’s no rear windscreen wiper. We’re guessing the roof-mounted spoiler is supposed to funnel air over the window to keep it clear.
The 3008 is covered by a 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty.
INFOTAINMENT
Infotainment includes Bluetooth (connect up to two phones simultaneously), natural voice recognition, AM and FM/DAB+ digital radio, built-in navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
Six-speaker sound is standard, while the GT Premium steps up to a premium 10-speaker Focal system with an eight-channel, 690 watt amplifier.
There’s also wireless phone charging, almost hidden under the dash, two USB-C sockets front and another two in the rear, along with three 12 volt sockets (one in the boot).
The car supports over-the-air updates as well as remote access via the Peugeot app.
SAFETY
3008 is yet to be rated for safety but comes with a string of driver assistance systems. This includes six airbags, 360 degree cameras and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with low light pedestrian and cyclist detection.
There’s also Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Multi-Collision Braking, Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, Rear cross traffic alert, Long Range Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) with unmarked road edge detection.
The outer rear seats offer two ISOFix mounting points and three top tether anchor points.
ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS
The mild hybrid is based on a tiny turbocharged 1.2-litre three cylinder petrol- engine, paired with an all-new six speed dual clutch auto with gear change paddles.
The system produces 100kW of power at 5500 rpm and 230Nm of torque from 1750 rpm.
The electric motor produces 15.6kW and 51Nm at 4265 rpm, supported by a 0.876 kWh lithium-ion battery. Combined output is 107kW. Combined torque is not stated.
DRIVING
At 4542mm the 3008 is 95mm longer, 54mm wider and 42mm taller than its predecessor. That means more room inside, but remember this is the 3008, not the larger 5008 — and it is tighter inside than it looks.
Rear legroom is limited and the front seats, although they offer plenty of adjustment, are quite small and may not suit fat-bottomed Aussies.
There’s 520 litres of cargo space with the rear seats upright, expanding to 1480 litres with them folded.
A puncture repair kit is provided in lieu of a spare wheel.
The cabin layout is stunning. The free-standing infotainment screen is a work of art, with a cohesive integrated feel.
The curvature brings the left hand side of the screen closer to the driver and makes it easier to read, especially the map.
A much smaller secondary screen provides shortcut buttons Android Auto (CarPlay to presumably), Phone, Navigation, Climate, Media and Home.
Disappointingly, the climate controls are integrated into the touchscreen, which is frustrating if you’re on the move and want to change the fan speed or temperature quickly.
Built on the all new STLA Medium platform, Peugeot says the 3008 Hybrid marks a new era for the brand, integrating advanced hybrid technology, sophisticated materials, and an entirely revamped i-Cockpit that enhances the driver’s experience.
To recap, iCockpit was used to describe Peugeot’s combination of small, dinner plate sized steering and high-mounted instrument panel that it claimed negated the need for head-up display.
The familiar dinner plate-sized steering wheel has been redesigned, but the line of sight feels lower and the wheel cannot be positioned as high as before, preventing it from obscuring the instrument screen.
We prefer the wheel to be higher.
The 3008 is the first vehicle to gain the new MHEV powertrain in Australia and has been pushed out ahead of petrol and all-electric versions.
Looks like Peugeot is trying to do a Toyota which has gone completely hybrid and is reaping the rewards of this strategy.
With drive to the front wheels and three drive modes, it features auto engine stop-start and steering wheel-mounted paddles for changing gears sequentially.
3008 is a self-charging hybrid, designed to recharge while decelerating and can operate more than 50 per cent of the time in electric only mode.
Suspension is pseudo Mac strut front and a twist beam axle at the rear.
Nineteen-inch wheels are shod with 225/55 profile rubber.
The dash from 0-100km/h takes 10.2 seconds and it has a top speed of 201km/h.
With a 55-litre tank, fuel consumption is a claimed 4.9L/100km and CO2 emissions are 111g/km, and it takes premium 95 unleaded. We were getting 6.7L/100km after 540km of mixed driving.
Starting the car requires the start button to be pressed down for several seconds. On many occasions we lifted off too soon, only to find the car was still in accessory mode.
Also, the gear change toggle, mounted high on the dash, to the left of the wheel, is not backlit and this can be disorientating at night.
Throttle response could be smoother and it is easy to press accelerator and brake at the same time without meaning to, with unexpected results. Maybe an accident?
Having said that, it gets along surprisingly well for such a small setup.
Steering is, if anything, overly responsive while the ride is surprisingly smooth, even on back roads. The car can be thrown with gusto into corners, remaining composed with little body roll.
But the brakes are jerky and the car is difficult to control at low speed, for example when parking.
Annoyingly, putting the car into Park does not engage the parking brake. And, get this, on one occasion the powered tailgate refused to close.
There was nothing obstructing it but we finally had to reach up and forcibly reef down the door before we could move off.
In case you’re wondering, with a GVM of 2100kg the hybrid has a maximum braked towing capacity of 1200kg.
SUMMING UP
The big problem with the 3008 is the price. It’s just too damned expensive, particularly compared with Chinese offerings.
Peugeot has never really been seen as a competitor for the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes, but rather as an alternative to the mainstream brands — Ford and Holden.
Buyers were prepared to pay a bit more for something that was a bit special, but not a lot more, and the 3008 has become a big ask at more than $70,000 by the time you put it on the road.
For a lot less you can get into a fully electric Chinese EV and just quietly some of these are starting to look pretty good.
That leaves Peugeot between a rock and a hard place.
RATINGS:
Looks: 8
Performance: 7
Safety: 7
Thirst: 7.5
Practicality: 7
Comfort: 7
Tech: 7.5
Value: 6
Overall: 7.1
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
Allure Hybrid, $52,990
GT Premium Hybrid, $64,990
Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact
your local Peugeot dealer for drive-away prices.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Peugeot 3008 GT Premium Hybrid, 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol, six-speed automatic, FWD
PERFORMANCE:
Capacity: 1.2 litre
Configuration: Turbocharged, 3-cylinders in-line
Maximum power: 107 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum torque: Not stated
Fuel Type: Petrol 95 RON
Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01): 4.9 L/100km
CO2 Emissions: 111 g/km
DRIVELINE:
6-sp dual clutch automatic, front-wheel drive
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4542 mm
Wheelbase: 2730 mm
Width: 2108 mm
Height: 1665 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity: 55 litres
Turning circle: 10.6 metres
Kerb Mass: 1540 kg
BRAKES:
Front: Disc
Rear: Disc
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Five years / unlimited kilometres
