When Peugeot launched its slightly sideways take on cars, it added 00 to the names, bringing us the likes of the 1007.
But rather than the “oooh, that’s exciting!” reaction we were supposed to have there was a collective “oh-oh, that looks dodgy” and the car has now died.
It was a great idea, but a huge box city car with one electric sliding door on each side obviously went far beyond what the public was ready for and, relatively speaking, the car bombed.
Peugeot soldiered on with the 4007, a rebadged Mitsubishi 4x4, but has now come back with an 00 of its own, the 3008. This time the 00 signifies a 308 with something extra, but will the public go for it? Judging by the success of its nearest rival, the Nissan Qashqai, it might just be a hit.
Peugeot bills the car as a new concept – and then delivers a comparison list in the press material! Having a list of immediate rivals always raises an eyebrow over the “new” idea.
Where the Peugeot differs from the Qashqai is that Peugeot has not been nearly so brave as Nissan, who brought out their car as a direct replacement for the unloved Almera hatch and its Tino small MPV.
On the other hand, Peugeot has made the 3008 an addition to the 308 line-up, albeit a very different one and, to my mind, a better one, too. It may not have more load space than the 308 SW, the estate version of the range, but it looks miles better than the normal 308 hatch and is even cheaper than the top models, too.
Prices for the 3008 start at £13,495 but top out at £22,945 while the 3008 spans the £16,545 to £21,895 bracket with the 308 SW costing between £16,545 and £22,895.
When looked at in this light, the 3008 immediately makes more sense. It majors on interior space and despite not having a seven seat option like the 308 SW, and less load space in terms of the ultimate boot capacity in litres, it makes a better fist of carrying five adults and has a better ride quality than any of the mainstream 308 models, too.
When I first saw the car I assumed, stupidly as it turned out, that to be a Qashqai rival it would have at least the option of four wheel drive. But the 3008 is front drive only although Peugeot offers something called grip control to bring enhanced “all terrain” capabilities to the car.
This might seem a bit of a cop out at first but Peugeot and Citroen have already offered front wheel drive vans that have increased off road ability through the use of a limited slip front differential and they have been good enough for the Forestry Commission to go down to the woods in them.
Grip control, developed by Bosch, allows different modes to cope with varying conditions including snow, all terrain, and sand settings. It sounds brilliant – it will allow the wheel with most grip to get all the torque, for instance, while allowing the other wheel to spin to clear the tyre treads of mud and slime. Specifying grip control also means the 3008 comes with Michelin Mud and Snow tyres.
Such a feature might appeal to caravan users but the 1,500 kgs maximum towing capacity of the car would be a possible obstacle when you can pull an extra 150 kgs with some versions of the 308SW
The test car was the top of the range Exclusive model with Peugeot’s heavily revised 2.0 HDi engine, which now gives 150 bhp with the six speed manual gearbox or 163 bhp when fitted with an auto. It’s a good and lusty engine that endows the car with ample performance. Better still is the fuel economy as 48 mpg is easily achievable despite the overall bulk of the car.
It may not strike you as a logical buy immediately, but having driven other examples of the 308 range in the last four weeks, they would have to fight to get me to choose one rather than a 3008.
Maurice Hardy
When the Peugeot 3008 first arrived, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. But we took it for a long day out to explore parts of the Cotswolds we had never found before, despite a lifelong connection with the area.
As it turned out, the 3008 was a brilliant choice. There’s sufficient ride height to allow a good view over hedges without driving a car that’s obviously a 4x4 to make us social pariahs.
This car majors on its family appeal and while there are good door bins and a huge cubby in the centre console the glove box is laughably small. Oddments stowage is available in the boot, where the car has a variable height floor that allows some stuff to be secreted away underneath.
Folding the rear seats is easy – stand at the back of the car and flick two handles and the backrests flop down onto the seat bases. But the bases themselves are fixed and you don’t get a flat load floor. The 308 SW has removable seats, a better option if you are a frequent load carrier.
The interior is light and airy even though the very high centre console splits the car in two in the cab area as effectively as the Berlin Wall once did for the German capital. But the standard glass roof on the top models is welcome and the electric blind folds back quickly when you want to look at what’s above the car. Bird watchers averse to cold weather will really appreciate it – they can twitch, but not shiver!
Annette Hardy
Car: Peugeot 3008 Exclusive HDi 150
Does it fit your ego?...
0-62 mph: 9.7 secs
Top speed: 121 mph
Bhp: 150 @ 3750 rpm
Torque: 250 lb ft @ 2000 rpm
...and your wallet?...
Price: £20,895
Urban: 39.8 mpg
Extra urban: 60.1 mpg
Combined: 50.4 mpg
CO2 emissions: 146 g/km
Insurance Group: 9
Best bits: big; bright; cheap to run.
