Review of the Peugeot 3008 2021: GT Line
Content
- Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10
- Is there anything interesting about its design? 9/10
- How practical is the interior space? 7/10
- What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 7/10
- How much fuel does it consume? 7/10
- What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 7/10
- How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10
- What is it like to drive? 8/10
- Verdict
Peugeot’s stylish 3008 has been a firm design favourite of mine for as long as it has been around. When I first saw it at the Paris Motor Show a few years back, I was convinced Peugeot would pull a Subaru on us and make a butt-ugly production version.
Turns out I was looking at the production car.
There’s a facelift on the way, but I still maintain the 3008 is one of the most underrated mid-size SUVs on the market. That’s partly Peugeot’s fault for putting too high a sticker price on it but it’s also down to Australians falling out of love with French cars in a precipitous manner.
| Peugeot 3008 2021: GT line | |
|---|---|
| Safety Rating | |
| engine's type | 1.6 L turbo |
| fuel type | Premium unleaded gasoline |
| Fuel efficiency | 7l / 100km |
| Landing | 5 Places |
| Price from | $35,800 |
Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10
The 3008 asks a lot of you — $47,990, as it turns out, which is a lot of money for a mid-size SUV. Heck, it’s a lot of money for a larger SUV. The similarly stylish but much bigger Kia Sorento comes with a lot of gear for the same money.
You do alright for your money, though, the standard equipment list including, 19-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, interior ambient lighting, front and reversing cameras, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, digital dashboard, auto parking, sat nav, auto LED headlights with auto high beam, partial leather seats, leather wheel, power tailgate, power lots of other things, a space-saver spare and a wireless charging pad for your phone.
The stereo is controlled from a center screen with slow hardware and shortcut buttons on either side, plus a lovely set of alloy keys underneath.
It’s still dodgy to use and one exercise in futility is trying to quickly choose the strength of the massage function (I know, dahling). The system has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but still does that thing where you sometimes have to disconnect the USB and reconnect to make CarPlay work.
Is there anything interesting about its design? 9/10
Apart from the slightly off-kilter headlights, Peugeot’s design team hardly put a foot wrong on the 3008. The mildness of the forthcoming facelift (which addresses my only complaint) leads me to believe that Peugeot thinks so too.
It's a bold design, but not wacky, and it has great consistency in its lines that makes the car feel like it's been carved from a single block. It's a dumb way to say it just works.
Peugeot’s design team hardly put a foot wrong on the 3008.
Inside, which again, is barely touched for next year’s model, is still one of the all-time great interiors. The ‘i-Cockpit’ driving position is definitely an A/B proposition. Anderson likes it, Berry hates it, as we discussed in a recent podcast.
Anderson is, of course, on the right side of history and, for this particular set-up, the right side of six-foot tall (below, if you’re unfamiliar with either of us). The digital dash is a bit on the clunky side on start-up and when you’re switching between the display modes, but then settles into a smooth presentation.
The digital instrument cluster is a bit clunky at startup.
The expensive optional Nappa leather interior is absolutely lovely but you’re gonna want it for the $3000 impost.
How practical is the interior space? 7/10
The interior is pleasant to look at and competitively spacious for its class. It lacks a few useful extras, like USB ports, which really should be everywhere for the money, but I guess you can't have everything.
The front seats really are very comfortable.
The front seats are really very comfortable, and with the trouser massage function and heating in winter, you are well taken care of. They look pretty colorful, but not whimsical or uncomfortable at all, at least not for me.
The rear seats are well-shaped for two, the middle seat may not be to anyone’s taste for longer journeys.
The rear seats are well-shaped for two.
The number of cupholders is four (unusual for a Frenchman), with the same cupholders. Several slots and niches, as well as a medium-sized cantilever basket, take care of loose items.
The trunk, which can be accessed via the power tailgate, can hold up to 591 liters, and when you fold the seats 60/40 you have 1670 liters.
That’s not bad for a car this size. The cargo space is also very wide and flat, with straight sides to the aperture, so you can get a lot in there.
What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 7/10
The 3008 comes with a Peugeot 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that delivers 121kW and 240Nm, which is good if not outstanding.
All 3008s are front-wheel drive, with the petrol Allure and GT-Line getting the power down with the aid of a six-speed auto.
The 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder produces 121kW/240Nm.
You’ll see 100km/h in a scooch under 10 seconds, which isn’t quick. If you want a fast 3008, there isn’t one, but given the car’s looks, there should be.
How much fuel does it consume? 7/10
The 53 litre fuel tank drains premium unleaded at the rate of 7.0L/100km on the combined cycle. Well, that’s what the sticker says.
A week in my hands delivered a solid (specified) 8.7L/100km, which is not a bad ride, if not outstanding. This corresponds to 600 km of run between fillings under normal conditions.
What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 7/10
The 3008 arrives with six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, speed limit recognition, forward collision warning, forward AEB (low and high speed), drive attention detection, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and blind spot detection. The only piece missing is reverse cross-traffic alert.
You also get three top tether points and two child ISOFIX anchorages.
The 3008 achieved a maximum of five ANCAP stars when tested in August 2017.
Warranty and safety rating
Basic Warranty
5 years / unlimited mileage
guarantee
ANCAP Safety Rating
How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10
Peugeot offers a five-year unlimited mileage warranty, which puts some of the much more expensive European competitors to shame. You also get five years of roadside assistance as part of the deal.
The assured price servicing program runs for up to nine years and 180,000km which is unusually generous.
The servicing itself is hardly a bargain. Every 12 months/20,000km you’ll be up for between $474 and $802, with prices published up to the fifth visit.
Five years of servicing will cost you a stout $3026 or roughly $600 per year. I’m not gonna lie, that’s a lot, and lands another punch on the 3008’s value proposition.
What is it like to drive? 8/10
I had a lot of experience with the 3008. In addition to the past weeks on GT-Lines and Allure, I drove a diesel GT for six months. It's by no means a perfect car, but it's a pleasure to drive.
The centerpiece of the already mentioned i-Cockpit is a small, and I mean totally restless, late 90s, little racer boy.
The idea, if you're new to this layout, is that the instrument panel is higher in your line of sight, giving you a kind of pseudo-head-up display. I like it a lot, but it takes a while to get used to having the steering wheel set fairly low, though I'd say it's much less of a compromise in Peugeot's SUVs than it is in its hatchbacks and sedans.
The 3008 isn't perfect, but it's a pleasure to drive.
Light steering combined with a small handlebar makes the 3008 quite nimble. Body roll is well controlled, but never at the expense of an almost unflappable ride.
The grippy Continental tyres stay quiet underneath you unless you’re really going for it, but that’s when the weight of the car taps you on the shoulder and says calm down, tiger.
During normal everyday driving, everything is calm. I've spent a lot of time thinking about whether a more powerful diesel is worth the extra bucks, and I'm pretty sure it probably isn't.
The 1.6 petrol engine is so smooth and quiet and doesn't have significant oil burner turbo lag that it's worth the torque deficit and faster overtaking.
Verdict
There aren’t many SUVs that look this good (a neighbour asked if it was a Range Rover), drive this well, and have a genuine feel-good vibe to them. Every surface, every crease, every material choice inside and out is finely judged and it really feels like a work of automotive art. It doesn’t seem to suffer from French foibles and as it stands today is a terrific car with a few rough edges like, the media system.
If that doesn’t bother you and you like the way it looks as is, get on it. It’s not cheap, and it’s not perfect, but you’re not buying a 3008 with your head, you’re buying it with your eyes and your heart.
