The new Peugeot 3008 makes a strong first impression. Their design team have excelled in producing a new car/SUV that has bridged the gap between modern and practical and is sure to boost Peugeot sales dramatically in Ireland.
The accolades for the new Peugeot 3008 have come before it – it was named the 2017 Car of the Year on Monday, March 6, in Geneva by a judging panel comprising 58 European journalists.
It’s the first time ever that an SUV has won the prestigious award, giving the 3008 a significant head start in the market.
I drove the car earlier in the year when it was introduced to the Irish market, but I needed to take it for a longer drive to get more acquainted with its abilities. Peugeot provided me with the range topping GT version that’s probably outside the normal expectations of the car. The specification was high, just to show how well you can dress up the car to add a further touch of luxury to its already impressive credentials.
Peugeot have noticed the swing towards petrol power in the new 3008, even though I drove the diesel version. They expect that up to 205 of new 3008 buyers will be opting for the Peugeot’s 1.2-litre PureTech turbo petrol engine compared with the 1.6- or 2.0-litre diesel versions.
Peugeot offers the new 3008 in four trim levels, Access, Allure, GT Line or GT. They claim that over 85% of orders for the car are from the second level Allure trim upwards, as Peugeot aims to lift the image of the brand to a higher and more prestigious level.
The new Peugeot joins a growing C-SUV segment of the car market where there is lots of impressive and longer standing competition. Nissan’s Qashqai is the segment market leader so many buyers will be benchmarking the new 3008 against it and the fast growing Renault Kadjar.
The Peugeot 3008 has performance measures to match with the benefit of new Peugeot styling to give the car a stand-out look. Peugeot’s petrol engine option is another plus at the entry end of the market, while its diesel powered 1.6-litre entry model is also very price competitive.
Against the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel competition, which is the dominant engine size in this segment of the market, this new 3008 scores well with a fuel economy rating of 21km/litre (4.8l/100km or 59mpg).
Real world
I drove the 3008 over a 980km test drive and found that my real world driving economy with the car’s six-speed automatic gearbox was about 30% off the rated figure, that’s a level of economy difference that I’ve come to expect across almost all cars that I drive.
On the inside you’ll simply have to be impressed with the modern layout and design. The new-generation i-Cockpit gives the car a distinctive interior style and feel. I liked the compact Formula car-type steering wheel, the large 12.3” display and central touch screen console which is controlled in an almost mechanical way by what Peugeot call are ergonomic piano keys.
Entry prices for the new Peugeot 3008 are competitive starting at €25,995 for the petrol versions while diesel powered versions come with a starting price of €27,915 for the 1.6-litre engines. That’s a competitive offer relative to the market leaders for a new car design that’s impressively distinctive.
Get close to the new Peugeot 3008 and the design is such a departure from any car that Peugeot has produced before that you will struggle not to be wooed by it. Drive it and you will be convinced.
