Peugeot 3008 2017 Review

The arrival of the Peugeot 3008 signals more than yet another medium SUV joining this booming sale segment.

It also heralds the relaunch of the French brand in Australia under new distributor Inchcape, along with its PSA Group compatriot Citroen.

We’ve gone into the implications for cars buyers of all this in various ways, including Inchcape’s plans to take Peugeot more premium by excluding base models from its line-up.

The five-door, five-seat European Car of the Year certainly backs the talk up with a four-model structure that starts at $36,990 plus ORCs (or $39,990 drive-away) for the Active.

That lines it up against the Volkswagen Tiguan Comfortline, a car Peugeot Citroen Australia (PCA) nominates as the 3008’s closest competition, just ahead of the Mazda CX-5.

Not pitching a ‘$29,990’ price leader into the mix seems risky, but PCA’s argument is that base models are declining in popularity, and Peugeot’s emphasis is going to be on value for money rather than the cheapest price.

Something’s missing here
And for the most part that equipment argument stacks up for the 3008… with some sizable qualifications.

The big one, as we have already reported, is that Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) is not available in the Active grade, and is optional on the Allure ($39,490 plus ORCs). Only the GT-Line ($43,490 plus ORCs) and GT ($49,490 plus ORCs) have it as standard.

Every Tiguan and every CX-5 down to the cheapest model have AEB standard. And whether the 3008 is premium or not, it should too.

Apart from AEB, the Active also misses out on other driver assist systems including advanced driver alert, active lane keeping, adaptive cruise control and active blind-spot detection. Again, these are optional on Allure and standard on the two ‘GT’ variants.

The 3008 is also only front-wheel drive. The closest it comes to all-wheel drive is the Advanced Grip Control option, which comprises a tricky traction control tune, off-road tyres and hill-descent control.

Then there’s engines. PCA expects around 85 per cent of sales will be accounted for by the 121kW/240Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine and six-speed auto found in the Active, Allure and GT-Line. The idle-stop function is deleted from this engine for Australia, apparently because of concerns over fuel quality, although Peugeot still claims a 7.0L/100km combined fuel consumption figure.

The top-spec GT comes exclusively with a 133kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel mated with a six-speed auto, retains idle-stop, and averages 4.8L/100km. The diesel’s also the only 3008 with a sizable braked towing capacity at 1700kg. The three petrols have a piddly 600kg rating.

Equipment upside
Let’s talk about what the 3008 has rather than what it misses out on. In safety terms all models get six airbags and a five-star ANCAP rating, speed limit recognition, distance and driver attention alert systems, lane-departure warning, front and rear parking sensors, two ISOFIX child-seat fittings and a reversing camera (360 degrees for all grades bar the Active).

Comfort and convenience highlights for all models include dual-zone climate control, cruise control, 3D navigation, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink, compatible smartphone induction charging, voice recognition, digital radio, and alloy wheels (between 17 and 19-inches diameter).

Ninety-degree and parallel parking assist is standard from Allure up, as is keyless entry and push button start, and driver’s seat lumbar adjust. The two GTs add programmable interior ambience system dubbed i-Cockpit Amplify, auto dipping mirrors, LED headlights and Lion puddle lights.

The GT alone has standard heated and massaging front seats and an eight-way power adjusted driver’s seat.

Stylish inside
The 3008’s exterior makes a good first impression with its angular lines, floating roof and long, wide stance. Combine that with its prominent nose and it should manage to stand out from the crowd without being ostracised.

Inside, the impact is more pronounced. The interior is a brilliantly executed exercise in minimalist modernism.

There is a 12.3-inch digital screen acting as instrument cluster mounted high in front of the driver. In all models that can be rotated through a bunch of different set-ups, just like Volkswagen’s Active Info Display. To use an auto industry cliché, it’s a real surprise and delight to find it in a Peugeot, especially in the cheapest Active.

The 8.0-inch touchscreen on the centre-stack has shaped buttons underneath that cascade over a lip-edge. This is a far more striking presentation than the norm. In fact, buttons are something of a rarity in the 3008. The good news is it makes the whole thing look more elegant, the downer is you have to use the touchscreen to do some things buttons normally would.

Dominating the centre console is a gear lever that could be an avant-garde telephone receiver. It’s a bit form over function and doesn’t let you shift gears manually. That’s the role of flappy paddles on the steering wheel.

The minimalist look is complemented by materials quality that is decent in the Active and elegant once you clamber all the way up to Alcantara-trimmed GT – although no model gets full leather standard. Lots of storage, including a huge lidded centre console bin, adds practicality to the flare.

And this time round Peugeot’s i-Cockpit makes a lot more sense. The cluster is higher so you can have the seat low, the mini two-spoke steering wheel high, and still see the instrument panel. Next time round we’ll get a full-size steering wheel…

Beyond the drivers’ seat there is reasonable space in row two for two adults and massive space in the luggage area, including under the floor where you could fit a full-size wheel and tyre (although such a thing, sadly, is not actually optionally available). Fold the rear seat and space expands from 520 litres to a truly huge 1482. The front passenger seat also folds flat for further flexibility.

On and off the road
For all its interior funkiness and exterior cutting edges, the 3008 is a mechanically familiar package.

It is based on PSA’s EMP2 architecture that also underpins the 308 small car and many other current and future models across the Peugeot, Citroen and DS luxury brand ranges.

The Euro6 THP 165 (horsepower) turbo-petrol engine is seen in various iterations across the Peugeot range, as is the BlueHDi turbo-diesel. Combined with claimed tare weights that vary from 1371 to 1433kg, both four-cylinder engines display an enthusiasm for the task at hand without achieving anything special.

A 0-100km/h claim of 9.9sec for the petrol and 8.9sec for the diesel give you an idea where these two drivetrains are at.

In both cases the availability of peak torque relatively low in the rev ranges (1400rpm for the petrol and 2000 for the diesel) was a big help, delivering decent tip-in throttle response. In ‘Normal’ mode the auto had a bit of a think before changing gears, but switching to Sport or using the flappy paddles alleviated that.

The 3008’s middle-of-the-road drivetrain performance was complemented by its chassis set-up. Rolling on an orthodox combination of a MacPherson strut front and a twist beam rear, it varied moderately in its behaviour depending on which model was sampled.

The Active rode on the least aggressive and most comfortable tyre option, 215/65 R17s, and delivered the most compliant ride and loosest body control. At the other end of the spectrum the GT, rolling on 235/50 R19 rubber, had the brittlest ride.

We were given the opportunity to try Grip Control and its mud and snow tyres and wondered why you’d bother. The tyres affect the ride and increase road noise, while the electronics systems off-road capabilities are obviously limited. You want all-wheel drive capability? Go and buy an all-wheel drive.

No such qualms about the handling delivered by the 3008, which darts quickly about the place, its nimble feel exacerbated by the small steering wheel and quick steering rack. Allied with decent outward vision (except for the small rear window) and a manageable turning circle (10.7m), the 3008 has good credentials for around-town activities.

The Verdict
Which is where many 3008’s will do their best work, as compliant and confident family wagons, overlaying fundamental soundness with some cool interior technology and features.

There are issues, such as the high pricing and equipment shortfalls we’ve detailed. But for Peugeot, the 3008 represents a pretty good way to start rebuilding its brand in Australia.

2017 Peugeot 3008 Active pricing and specifications:
Price: $36,990 (plus ORCs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 121kW/240Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 156g CO2/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

2017 Peugeot 3008 GT pricing and specifications:
Price: $49,490 (plus ORCs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 133kW/400Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 4.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 124g CO2/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP