Peugeot 3008: Plugged into your driving needs

Selling a car to your brother – or in my case, selling the idea of a car – is a process filled with potential disaster. Selling it to him in order for him to buy one for his wife is an even more perilous exercise.

When it happens that the end result is entirely successful and satisfactory, all is good; but in the event the car turns out to be a dog for any given reason, it is ironic your head is the one on the block and not the duffer who sold it to them or even the damnable people who made it.

Such was the case three or so years ago when the sister-in-law decided she wanted to trade in her venerable Alfa Romeo Giulietta, but had no clue what she wanted to replace it with. Upon being told that she wanted to go down the SUV route, I had no hesitancy in recommending the – then – new Peugeot 3008. The one with the 1.2 litre petrol engine.

Being the sensible lady she is, she went and tried all the competition as well, but eventually came back and declared that the 3008 was the one for her. And so off she went and bought one and has been delighted with it ever since. Phew.

I first tested the second generation 3008 back in 2017 (the car was then the holder of the prestigious European Car Of The Year award) and professed it to be the best thing Peugeot had done since the heyday of the original 205 and the 205 GTi back in the ‘80’s.

I said at the time it was a portent of what was coming down the road from Peugeot and I think that sentiment has been rubberstamped by models such as the 5008, the new 208, the new 508 (in both fastback and SW formats), the new 308 and the new 2008, which have come along since then.

The 3008 then – the second generation one, it is important to emphasise, because the first generation one was an ugly dog – kick-started a period of design redemption chez Peugeot. 

However, as the nature of the automotive beast is focused on constant evolution, the trick for the French company was repeating it.

Much like the band who score a hit first off with their debut record, industry legend makes the next one “the difficult second album.” So it can be too with cars; just because you get one right doesn’t mean the next one will be great too.

And, despite the little matter of the in-house distraction of a massive merger with Fiat/Chrysler, the Peugeot people kept their eye on the ball here and the facelifted version of the 3008 which arrived in this country earlier this year was immediately lauded as being an ever sharper looker than its predecessor and a better drive too.

Times being what they are and with electrification being at the front of every designer and engineer, Peugeot also had to get to the point where the 3008 could be plugged in. Instead of going down the pure electric route – like it had done so successfully with the e-208 – it went down the plug-in hybrid road instead. And it is this new model that we test here this week.

The last 3008 was a big car and about as svelte as Giant Haystacks, but an emphasis on sharp design detailing – inside and out – made the car a winner in the looks department alone. This time around Peugeot has given it a new frameless grille and the by now brand trademark ‘sabre tooth’ LED daytime running lights and new LED headlight clusters add further sophistication to proceedings.

At the rear there are also new light clusters which mirror the elegance of the front end look and the combination of these changes make the car look more premium than before.

On the inside the décor has been beefed up what with ambient lighting, new upholstery choices and decorative trims, but the essential classiness of the design – exemplified by the fantastic ‘piano key’ switchgear, the digital instrumentation binnacle and the unique ‘i-cockpit’ with its tiny steering wheel, stand the 3008 out by comparison with any opposition.

The GT-trim version we tried came as standard with a new 10” infotainment screen which is now much more driver-friendly because it is brighter, clearer and more high definition than previously. Initially it appears to be much more intricate to use, but as the major functions are accessible via those piano keys, it is a lot more simple than you might have feared.

Under the hood is a standard 1,598cc four pot engine producing 180 bhp and it is mated with an 11.6 kWh electric motor (driving the front wheels only) with 100 bhp. The combination of the two gives a total system output of 225 bhp, a 0-100 km/h time of 8.8 seconds and a top speed of 140 km/h. The latter is achievable in Sport mode, while top speed in electric-only drive is 84 km/h.

Peugeot quote a consumption rate of 1.4 l/100 km (a staggering 200 mpg) and a total electric range of between 50 and 60 km. You will have to work very hard to get anywhere near achieving either.

People convinced by the PHEV schtick will give themselves a laudatory clap on the back when they see such figures, but the sad reality of these vehicles will soon dawn on them as they try and make them real.

Sure, if you keep the batteries topped up constantly and stick to very short journeys and you might never hear the petrol engine in action, but that’s not the reality of modern life for many people. The fact you can charge the batteries via the engine is a bonus, but does impact on fuel consumption.

In any event, if you get to see an average consumption rate of 5.6 l/100 km (50 mpg) you will be doing well. That’s not an impossible target and does stand this 3008 in reasonably good stead.

On the road, I didn’t feel the handling was as sharp as I remembered in the 1.2 petrol version and perhaps the additional weight of the batteries contributed to that. But it is worth remembering anyway that the 3008 is a purveyor of comfortable motoring rather than a sports car.

Having added all that up. I came to the conclusion that – especially on the basis of cost – that if you want a 3008, you be far better off looking further down the range, even as far as that entry level 1.2 petrol turbo (with 130 bhp), which has very decent consumption levels and you won’t get flahed on tax either.

A lady who is looking to change her elderly Qashqai and who spotted the 3008 outside my front door, called to ask my opinion of it and to see if she could take a closer look. She could and she did and was quite enthralled with it. She wanted to know if I thought the hybrid was a decent option.

Nora – the lady in question – might have been taken aback by my assertion of the dubious value of PHEVs and the recommendation of the 1.2 petrol instead – “Is that not too small for a car this size?” – but was assuaged by my assurance it would do a great job for her. I think she may even buy one.

In hindsight, I should simply have given Nora my sister-in-law’s number and let her do the sales pitch.