Car Review – New Peugeot 3008 SUV
Powering into the SUV segment, Peugeot has introduced what it claims to be its most advanced vehicle offered by the brand to date, in the form of the new Peugeot 3008 SUV. With a number of accolades, including its European Car of the Year title, the new 3008 is the first model to feature the latest-generation Peugeot iCockpit.
Yesterday (2 August 2017) I left Cape Town’s much welcomed rain and joined Peugeot in Magaliesberg to spend some time driving the new Peugeot 3008. The 3008’s entry-level, the Active, wasn’t available to test on launch, but I did have the opportunity to drive the Allure and GT-Line models on various terrains.
This time round the latest generation Peugeot 3008 is looking pretty hot on the road, with striking exterior styling that has adopted all the characteristics of an SUV. Its rear design is what really grabbed my attention when walking around it, mostly thanks to its ultra modern design which features a black gloss band that incorporates its LED tail lamps.
Overall, I love the sort of personality that exudes from outside of the 3008 – it’s very ‘concept car-ish’. There’s loads of shine and striking outlines that make it stand out and with a wide range of colours to choose from, the 3008 looks good in every one of them! If I was lucky enough to have to choose a colour I’d be torn between Magnetic Blue and Ultimate Red – both colours really enhance the 3008’s already bold and eye-catching exterior.
Step inside and you’re met with Peugeot’s latest i-Cockpit. It’s probably one of the first things you’ll notice when hopping in, which is exactly what Peugeot designers intended, to make the 3008’s cabin surprising, original and trendy. The interior of the 3008 is, dare I say it, going to give its competitors a run for their money. There’s nothing dull or insignificant about being inside while everything seems to wrap around the cabin perfectly to create a sophisticated and premium feel. Loads of soft plastics and materials have been used to create a comfortable and practical interior. Soft plastics, chrome strips here and there and super comfortable seating kept me pretty happy during our test drive. I wasn’t particularly mad about the grey, denim-looking fabric found in places (dashboard and doors), but that’s just a matter of opinion and some will probably love it.
So what does driving the new Peugeot 3008 feel like? If its interior doesn’t charm the pants off you then head off onto the open road and hit the 3008’s Sport button for some excitement. The amplified sound, together with a fun and sportier driving experience, is a nice surprise on the highway, especially when you need to overtake slow-moving vehicles! However when you’re driving without Sports Mode you might find quick acceleration slightly underwhelming as it seems to hesitate for a second before kicking in.
The new Peugeot 3008 SUV comes with a choice of fuel-efficient Euro5 turbo petrol and turbodiesel engines: the 1.6-litre turbo horsepower 120 kW S&S 6-speed Automatic, and the 2.0-litre HDi 110kW S&S 6-speed Automatic. Plus versions (which are only available by order for now) are available on the Allure and GT-Lines.
Also see: Juliet review the Peugeot 2008 GT Line
Once you’re comfortable behind the wheel, the 3008 offers a number of pretty exciting features, thanks to the evolution of the Peugeot iCockpit, which focuses on stimulating all of your body’s senses such as sight, hearing and touch. Ambient lighting and colour screens are there for your visual preferences, musical ambiance for hearing, a multi-point massage embedded in the seats for touch and its excellent sound amplification of the engine for sound (when in Sports Mode).
If you’re anything like me and prefer to keep your car smelling fresh and wonderful, you can change the aroma of the 3008 via the fragrance diffuser. The three options are ‘Cosmic Leather’, ‘Aerodrive’, and ‘Harmony Wood’.
I really enjoyed my time spent driving the new 3008 and while Peugeot hopes that the new model will strongly position its brand in the SUV market, its pricing might have its work cut out for it. That being said, it’s worth considering all that the 3008 has to offer, especially its iCockpit.
Pricing
- Active 1.6 THP R399 900
- Allure 1.6 THP Auto R444 900
- Allure+ 1.6 THP R464 900
- GT Line 1.6 THP Auto R499 900
- GT Line+ 1.6 THP Auto R569 900
Source: Citroen Peugeot South Africa