Item: Peugeot 3008
Rating: 3.5

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The third-generation Peugeot 3008 feels like telling statement of upwardly mobile intent from its manufacturer, already having impressed us for its style, quality and sophistication - and as a near-£50,000 all-electric e-3008 at that. Which bodes well for the rest of this review: because, having already proved that such exotic prices aren't, at least in some ways, out of its reach, we now turn to the more affordable derivatives.

The regular combustion-engined versions of this car (which do without the e- prefixes of their zero-emissions siblings) carry the kind of prices you might find easier to stomach of a mid-sized French car. There is a plug-in hybrid due for introduction to the UK market shortly, available from a little over £40,000; and a mild hybrid, which we're dealing with here, that can be secured for less than £35k.

The mild hybrid is powered by Peugeot’s familiar three-cylinder, 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine with an electric motor integrated within a six-speed 'e-DSC6' dual-clutch automatic gearbox. It's pretty modestly powerful compared with its rangemates, at 134bhp; but for retail buyers who like the idea of a compact SUV that's well-priced, real-world economical and easy to use, it might have even more appeal than its more hyped and widely electrified equivalents.

Verdict

Model tested:

Rating: 7

Peugeot 3008

Plenty of style inside and out, with some cabin sophistication too - but the drive lacks both pep and stand-out efficiency

Good

Fantastic interior design and quality

Clever i-Toggle shortcuts

Excellent standard kit

Bad

Mild hybrid powertrain has limited out-of-town performance

Real-world efficiency is only average

DESIGN & STYLING

Pros

Sharp and eye-catching exterior styling

Sleek roofline doesn’t hurt head room

Range covers most requirements

Cons

Chassis architecture is over-engineered and heavy

Mild hybrid is short on power

Visually, the 3008 and e-3008 are as good as identical. The only changes other than an ‘e' badge in front of '3008' on the bootlid are that the wheel arches are slightly less flared and don’t get a gloss finish on the hybrid. Full geek points if you also spot that the tyres are 10mm narrower too (and can be swapped out for all-season tyres with Peugeot's £300 Advanced Grip Control option).

The two cars share the same sheet metal, design and dimensions (4542mm long and 1895mm wide), so the 3008 sits in the heart of the still-booming C-SUV segment and goes up against the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai Tucson.

Underneath, though, there are changes to the STLA Medium architecture (something that will be rolled out across every Stellantis brand’s mid-size models), not least as the hybrid version does without the hulking great 98kWh battery pack that the e-3008 is able to accommodate. The crash structures are the same, and it’s the need to carry these beefed-up safety requirements for crash protection of the battery, which transfer in the hybrid version's shared platform, that explain part of the 3008 Hybrid’s added 100kg-plus heft over many of its rivals.

The front suspension is largely the same, although the hybrid has a beam axle at the rear instead of the EV's multi-link arrangement. The mild hybrid is rated for 134bhp of peak power (leaving it down on power compared with key rivals such as the Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai Tuscon), while the forthcoming plug-in hybrid will turn to Stellantis's familiar 1.6-litre turbo PHEV powertrain, 192bhp, and electric range of 52 miles, for a 2024-25 benefit-in-kind company car tax rate of eight per cent.

INTERIOR

Pros

Modern, refreshing material choices

i-Toggle shortcuts make the tech easy to use

Clever use of ambient lighting

Cons

Font of instrument and intotainment graphics can be hard to read

Small steering wheel still won’t appeal to all

Rake of bootlid precludes the bulkiest cargo

This interior is the outstanding feature of the new 3008. The materials look and feel enticing, even in the entry-level Allure specification of our test car. Peugeot has successfully lifted its standards above its mainstream rivals in interior design and perceived quality while not sacrificing usability.

The car's wraparound 21in curved screen (it’s actually two screens: a driver display and a infotainment touchscreen integrated into one unit) that sits atop the dashboard is slick and responsive. The graphics are quite busy and the fonts are a bit hard to read, but it’s all made easy to use by a series of ‘i-Toggles’ that sit below the screen and provide customisable shortcuts on a granular level, from heated seats to calling your favourite auntie.

The boot isn’t the biggest in the class, at 520 litres, but it is a wide space and the floor is flat.
Mark Tisshaw
Editor

Importantly, they're also right where they need to be in order to make sense of the car's wider ergonomic layout. Peugeot's iCockpit control layout has troubled us to various extents in previous iterations; but the 3008's high scuttle makes room to fit the car's displays and instruments in behind the steering wheel without displacing it downwards, and are entirely visible. The 3008's smallish steering wheel still takes a little getting used to, but its placement is nowhere near as problematic as on older Peugeots.

Comfort levels from the firm but supportive driver’s seat are good, as it adjustability; and there’s a general sense of airiness in the cabin, again helped by that material choice.

Those in the back won’t find the biggest car in the class, but even adults will be happy with the leg room and head room. The rakish shape doesn’t appear to have impacted passenger space, although it does eat into loading space in the boot, with bulkier items more tricky to find space for.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

Pros

Good low-speed refinement

Still a clear improvement on the unassisted three-cylinder

Cons

Lacks power

Noisy under big throttle loads

The 3008 Hybrid's 1.2-litre mild hybrid powertrain featured briefly in the last-generation 3008. It's a hybrid system that features a 22bhp electric motor integrated into a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, driving the front wheels, and primarily draws power from a 134bhp, 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbo petrol engine.

The system has no selectable EV mode (in contrast to other hybrid systems, like Toyota’s), instead determining on its own when it can run solely on the electric motor under lighter loads; and that's mostly at low speeds.

A selectable EV mode would be an intriguing addition, given the 3008 is at its best when running solely on electric power; but you wouldn't get much more than a couple of hundred yards before the battery was drained.
Mark Tisshaw
Editor

This drivetrain wasn’t an instant hit when we drove it in the outgoing 3008, and so it proves again in this application in the new model. A couple of key issues are prevalent: it feels underpowered at times, and lacks refinement when working hard - which it needs to do fairly regularly.

The lack of power was an issue in the older car and thus it remains, even more so with an extra 0.2sec on the 0-62mph time. That’s down to the weight of the third-generation 3008, which is almost 100kg more than before.

Around town, the hybrid system works quite well, being quiet and smooth, and requiring no particular allowance or thought to drive it well. In urban traffic, the combustion engine starts and stops quietly, and there are no funny, lumpy drivability quirks to the power delivery.

But out of town, the powertrain tends to need more throttle than you think you should be applying to make only averagely brisk progress; and in providing it, you trigger plenty of revving that tells you how hard the engine is working.

RIDE & HANDLING

Pros

Good low-speed ride

Predictable handling

Cons

Weight blunts any handling dynamism

High-speed ride can be a bit jittery on bigger wheels and 'summer' tyres

peugeot 3008 review 2024 05 tracking rear

The 3008 sits at the less dynamic end of the compact SUV class. The drive is fine; comfortable and light-through-the-controls for the most part, but with surprisingly little interest in engaging you at the wheel.

The ride is most comfortable. It isolates you fairly well from the road, with the odd lapse; but nor does it ever really send crunches through your spine or set your head tossing. Good ride comfort is certainly a little bit dependent on fitted wheel and tyre. We tested a car on bigger wheels and standard 'summer' rubber and were a little underwhelmed with the car's ride refinement, but back in the UK, on Peugeot's Advanced Grip Control all-season tyres, isolation was reasonably consistent.

You can tell what mode the drivetrain is operating in by the speed on the driver’s display being shown in blue for EV mode and white with the petrol engine on. At low speeds, it can be useful - but out of town, you won't really need a reminder that the combustion engine is working.
Mark Tisshaw
Editor

Don’t look to the steering or handling for any involvement, though. Like the ride, both are fine and predictable; they don't risk offending, but miss any opportunity to involve you in the process.

At all times, the car conducts itself in a way that feels a little dulled and blunted by its weighy, though it remains just about precise enough not to attract particular criticism.

Lithe and fleet of foot the 3008 is not - which is a shame when it looks so dynamic.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

Pros

Good standard kit

21in curved panoramic display on all versions

Sub-£35k entry prices feel a bit more sensible

Cons

Motorway efficiency in particular is poor

We've seen mixed results from the 3008 Hybrid on real-world efficiency. On our European first test, it struggled to get much beyond 40mpg; but back in the UK, in mixed urban and out-of-town use, it returned a result in the high-40s; far from particularly impressive, but not awful either.

The main letdown is the motorway efficiency, which is where the MPG really plummets. But it was always going to be thus with such a drivetrain, which is much more geared up for low-speed running, when it can spend a good amount of time running on electric power. It's here where it's at its most efficient.

The hybrid may be a niche choice; it took just 6% of 3008 sales in the outgoing year of the last-gen model. It just depends how well EV adoption goes in the UK, and how many retail buyers can be tempted to pay more for an electric option.
Mark Tisshaw
Editor

Just two trim levels are offered on the 3008: Allure and GT. There's a £3500 uplift to the GT over the £34,650 entry price of the Allure. Yet GT is expected to be the most popular trim, taking 60% of sales.

While the 3008 may not be the cheapest car in its class, its value is excellent, as the standard kit levels are very good.

In the UK, the 21in curved panoramic screen is standard, which isn't the case in other markets. Other standard features include striking 19in alloy wheels and the nice ambient lighting that's linked to the driving modes.

VERDICT

Verdict

Model tested:

Rating: 7

Peugeot 3008

Plenty of style inside and out, with some cabin sophistication too - but the drive lacks both pep and stand-out efficiency

Good

Fantastic interior design and quality

Clever i-Toggle shortcuts

Excellent standard kit

Bad

Mild hybrid powertrain has limited out-of-town performance

Real-world efficiency is only average

The Peugeot 3008 Hybrid will be an important part of the sales equation if this car is going to drive its maker forwards in the way Peugeot hopes. Retail buyers remain reticent about higher-priced electric options; but this hybrid delivers all of this car's static appeal and interior quality for a price that people won't struggle to justify.

The car's cabin is inviting, solidly finished, and uses both materials and technology well. It's decently spacious also, although not the kind of car you'll gravitate towards if you want the most practical option you can afford.

It's not quite as impressive a car to drive, though, with a hybrid powertrain that works well enough around town and on short-hop journeys, but that struggles a little, for both performance and real-world efficiency, out of town and on the motorway. Ride and handling are weighted towards comfort, and mostly hit the intended compromise - but this car certainly won't engage its driver much.

You get the sense that most of Peugeot's budget and focus went on making the 3008's interior as good as it could possibly be, and just ensuring that there was nothing overly offputting about the way it drives.

That’s always going to limit its appeal on these pages; but sit in a 3008 and you can appreciate where its appeal lies. It’s no more than a three-star car to drive, but a four-star car to sit in and inhabit.

TECHNICAL SPECS

Model tested:

Peugeot 3008 Hybrid 136 e-DSC6 Allure

Price:

£34,650

Engine:

3 cyls in line, 1199cc, turbo petrol; plus 22bhp electric motor

Transmission:

6-spd dual-clutch automatic

Driveline layout:

Front-transverse-engined, front-wheel drive

Model tested

Peugeot 3008 Hybrid 136 e-DSC6 Allure

Price

£34,650

Engine

3 cyls in line, 1199cc, turbo petrol; plus 22bhp electric motor

View all specs and rivals

Transmission

6-spd dual-clutch automatic

Driveline layout

Front-transverse-engined, front-wheel drive

Power

134bhp at 5500rpm

Torque

170lb ft at 1750rpm

0-62mph

10.2sec

Top speed

125mph

Kerb weight (DIN)

1573kg

Fuel economy

44.6-52.5mpg

CO2

122-143 g/km

BIK tax band

29%

Rivals Nissan Qashqai Hyundai Tucson Mazda CX-5

Power

134bhp at 5500rpm

Torque

170lb ft at 1750rpm

0-62mph

10.2sec

Top speed

125mph

Kerb weight (DIN)

1573kg

Fuel economy

44.6-52.5mpg

CO2

122-143 g/km

BIK tax band

29%

Rivals Nissan Qashqai Hyundai Tucson Mazda CX-5

Matt Saunders

Title: Road test editor

As Autocar’s chief car tester and reviewer, it’s Matt’s job to ensure the quality, objectivity, relevance and rigour of the entirety of Autocar’s reviews output, as well contributing a great many detailed road tests, group tests and drive reviews himself.

Matt has been an Autocar staffer since the autumn of 2003, and has been lucky enough to work alongside some of the magazine’s best-known writers and contributors over that time. He served as staff writer, features editor, assistant editor and digital editor, before joining the road test desk in 2011.

Since then he’s driven, measured, lap-timed, figured, and reported on cars as varied as the Bugatti Veyron, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Tesla Roadster, Ariel Hipercar, Tata Nano, McLaren Senna, Renault Twizy and Toyota Mirai. Among his wider personal highlights of the job have been covering Sebastien Loeb’s record-breaking run at Pikes Peak in 2013; doing 190mph on derestricted German autobahn in a Brabus Rocket; and driving McLaren’s legendary ‘XP5’ F1 prototype. His own car is a trusty Mazda CX-5.

Mark Tisshaw

Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?, Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.