Peugeot 3008 Hatchback (2013 - ) review

The Peugeot 3008 follows the company’s now well-trodden design ethos, with a huge gaping grille, a distinctive nose, pronounced wheelarch flares and curvy rear lights. Few would call the 3008 pretty, but a facelift in 2014 has brought the car more into line with other members of the Peugeot range, grafting on extra chrome trim around the front grille and foglights. LED daytime-running lights (which are standard across the range) give the 3008 a sharper presence on the road, and top-spec Allure models get extra chrome (on the bumpers and along the sides of the car), as well as tinted rear windows. However, if style is important to you, it’s probably worth ignoring the most basic Access models, as these are the only models to do without alloy wheels and front foglights.

After the relatively distinctive exterior, the cabin is pleasantly conventional, with excellent design and quality. There’s an almost Audi-esque feel to the dash, with solid and well laid out switchgear and a huge centre console that makes controls sit within easy reach. That said, the console is a double-edged sword as, although it makes the driver feel cocooned in the seat, it does reduce interior space. Still, the driving position is fine, with plenty of adjustment and set a little higher than in a conventional hatchback, while the large windows and the full-length sunroof (standard on Allure trim and optional on Active) mean there’s plenty of light and a feeling of space inside.

Space and practicality are areas where the Peugeot 3008 excels. Not only are the head-, leg- and shoulder room first rate, a flat floor in the back means three adults can fit in comfortably. The car’s 512-litre boot compares very well with what you’ll find in its rivals, the split-opening tailgate makes loading simple, and the three-level adjustable boot floor is ingenious and makes organising large loads easy. It’s also easy to drop the 60/40 split rear seat to extend the boot space by using a lever in the boot, and on the top-spec Allure models, you can also fold the back of the front passenger seat forwards so that you can carry longer loads.

Comfortable and easy to drive, the Peugeot 3008 is a very pleasant car. It’s easy to manoeuvre around town, and long distances are swallowed with ease thanks to a cossetting ride and a distinct lack of road noise. There’s lots of grip and minimal body roll, too, as long as you buy a car with Dynamic Roll Control, which is standard with Active and Allure trim, and on models with the 2.0 HDi engine. Without it, the 3008 suffers from more body roll and isn’t as crisp to drive. Even so, drivers shouldn’t expect B-road thrills from any 3008: the car’s light steering simply doesn’t allow for sharp handling. Mind you, the HYbrid4 feels just as good to drive as the rest of the range thanks to its extra components – and weight – being located at the rear of the car.

The 3008 comes with a choice of two petrol and three diesel engines, but if you want a petrol engine, we’d suggest you steer clear of the basic VTi unit: it’s not really strong enough for a car as big as this. Instead, go for the THP unit, which pulls well from low revs and keeps pulling strongly as the revs pile on smoothly. By contrast, even the most basic diesel engine has plenty of power for everyday use, with the strong low-down making for relaxed progress – so much so that it makes the more powerful diesels seem a needless expense. Most interesting is the HYbyid4 model, which combines a 2.0-litre diesel engine with 163bhp and a 37bhp electric motor, making it the world’s first diesel-electric hybrid. Because the electric motor powers the rear wheels, it’s also possible to get the HYbrid4 out of some sticky situations which would leave the regular front-wheel drive 3008 stuck. It’s ideal for that snowy drive or grass car park, while not being a substitute for a genuine off-roader. There’s a choice of Auto, Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV), Four-wheel drive (4WD) and Sport driving modes, and it never feels short of performance.

The Peugeot 3008 is comparable on price with the Nissan Qashqai, making it good value for money. Economy and CO2 emissions are pretty good across the range, but unlike some rivals, none of the mainstream models have CO2 emissions of less than 110g/km. The exception is the Hybrid4, which has CO2 emissions of 88g/km and average economy of more than 80mpg – but it’s considerably more expensive to buy than the regular models in the first place. Insurance groups are low, and depreciation is on par with the Peugeot 308 hatchback – which means a little below average.

Peugeot doesn’t have the best reputation for build quality or reliability, but that’s a little unfair: Warranty Direct’s Reliability Index, which tracks the cost and frequency of repairs under private warranty, rates them as average. The Peugeot 3008 certainly feels well built, but the company’s three-year warranty looks a little mean next to what some rivals – particularly from the likes of Kia and Hyundai – are providing.

No problems here. The Peugeot 3008 scored a maximum five-star score in the Euro NCAP crash test programme. All models have six airbags and the seatbelts feature force limiters to protect the occupants, ESP and hill-hold. The full safety specification is standard across the range, and the only notable option is Grip Control, a sort of advanced traction control system with various settings (including sand, snow and mud) that gives the car better traction in low-grip conditions. It’s available only on diesel models (except the HDi 163) in Active and Allure trims.

All models in the Peugeot 3008 range are well appointed, with even the most basic Access model coming with all-round electric windows, Bluetooth and air-conditioning. However, very few options are available on this trim level, and we think it’s worth spending a little more to get an Active model, which adds alloy wheels, smarter styling, extra storage, cruise control, a rear parking aid and automatic lights and wipers. At the top of the range, Allure models have sat-nav, a reversing camera, dual-zone climate control and a panoramic glass roof.

The Peugeot 3008 makes a very decent family car, and is one of the less SUV-styled crossovers. It’s pretty spacious and has lots of neat, practical touches, as well as being good to drive.