Peugeot has done well with its 3008, having sold about 13,000 of them in the last seven years thanks to the car’s crisp lines, practicality and economy. This time things are a little different.
The car has lost its somewhat boxy profile and the emphasis is now on a fastback shape and a fully-electric or mild-hybrid drivetrain choice.
Peugeot's last diesel production, incidentally, will come with the end of the 308 later this year.
There are two versions of the new 3008. The first is a full EV with a 73 kW battery, which Peugeot claims will deliver just over 520 km’s of range. The usual caveats on claimed ranges from car manufacturers do apply here, however. It costs €43,965.
The second version is a 136 horse power mild-hybrid, with a 1.2 three cylinder engine and a small electric motor. My own preference would be for a full hybrid engine that delivers maximum benefits in terms of fuel economy, as the benefits of mild hybrids are marginal. This one starts at €43,995.
Apart from the smart exterior, Peugeot has paid a lot of deserved attention to the interior. The most notable improvements are with the quality of the interior finish - there are lots of areas covered in a faux tweed material that looks a lot better than plastic - and the improvements to the onboard tech.
There’s now a 21" HD touchscreen that sits across the top of the dashboard and offers a crisp display for various functions and necessary information. Peugeot’s small - and controversial - hexagonal wheel that is part of the i-Cockpit philosophy still presents problems for the taller driver because adjusting the wheel can obscure certain parts of the information display.
As with other new cars, you will have to dig into various menus for different functions, including the climate controls. Personally, I think certain controls, like climate, should be easily and readily accessible through the use of buttons to reduce unnecessary distraction while driving.
The EV does have one very useful addition and that’s the use of paddles to offer comprehensive control of regeneration that adds to battery life, although our brief test drive didn’t really allow for any meaningful range test. A heat pump that adds to battery life in colder weather is also standard across the Peugeot EV, which is a very welcome initiative.
Then new car is wider, taller and wider than the one it replaces. A new grille, 19" wheels as standard and LED lights complement the fastback styling well.
A long-range version, which Peugeot says can deliver 680 km's of range, is planned for later, as is a four wheel drive version and a PHEV.
Words by Donal Byrne, video by Leah Carroll
