Peugeot 3008 review

From £34,1806

New crossover draws on mild-hybrid petrol tech as an alternative to the EV version

15 February 2024

With so much fanfare around the new Peugeot e-3008 you’d be forgiven for forgetting there’s a version that’s been made without any E-numbers.

Indeed, given the standard Peugeot 3008 is £11,200 cheaper and almost 550kg lighter, you’d think Peugeot had been hyping up the wrong version. 

But as the new crossover has been designed first and foremost as an EV, this ‘standard’ version of the Peugeot 3008 was always going to get second billing. 

It is a mild hybrid that is powered by Peugeot’s familiar three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine with an electric motor integrated within a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. 

It will reach the UK in September, around six months after the launch of the new Peugeot e-3008, which even after this cheaper model arrives is expected to take the majority of sales.

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DESIGN & STYLING8

Visually, the 3008 and e-3008 are as good as identical. The only changes other than that ‘E’ badge in front of the 3008 on the bootlid are that the wheel arches are slightly less flared on the hybrid, and they don’t get a gloss finish either. Full geek points if you also spot that the tyres are 10mm narrower, too. 

Other than that, the two share all major dimensions; at 4542mm long and 1895mm wide 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. 

We revisited the e-3008 alongside the 3008, and on more broken road surfaces it didn’t ride well at all. One to watch for the UK.
Mark Tisshaw
Editor

The two cars share the same sheet metal, design and dimensions, but underneath there are changes to the new Peugeot’s 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 hunking 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 that explain part of the 3008’s added 100kg-plus heft over many of its rivals. 

The front suspension is largely the same, though the hybrid has a beam axle at the rear instead of the EV's multi-link. The commonality is such that the two cars will run down the same production line in Sochaux, France, and launch at the same time (UK orders now, deliveries in April), before being joined by a third powertrain option - a plug-in hybrid - later this year. 

INTERIOR8

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

On first acquaintance with the e-3008 last year, the 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 didn’t work properly, which meant we had to stop short of putting a star rating on the car given how significant such screens are now in a car’s operation.

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

We’re happy to report all was working as it should this time around in the 3008, and the screen itself is slick and responsive. The graphics are quite busy and the fonts a bit hard to read, yet it’s all made easy to use thanks to 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. 

Comfort levels from the firm but supportive driver’s seat are good, 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 legroom and headroom. The rakish shape doesn’t appear to have impacted usability. 

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE6

The major change over the e-3008 is of course the drivetrain, which is not new for the STLA architecture and was instead dropped into the outgoing 3008 in the middle of last year. It is a hybrid system that features a 22bhp electric motor integrated into a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, driving the front wheels with a 136hp 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine.

The system has no selectable EV mode, as in other hybrid systems like Toyota’s, instead determining on its own when it can run solely on the electric motor under lighter loads. 

A selectable EV mode would be an intriguing addition given the 3008 is at its best when running solely on EV power
Mark Tisshaw
Editor

This hybrid 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 and lacks refinement under medium loads and above.

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, which is almost 100kg more than the previous car. It just always needs more throttle than you think you should be applying, and in doing so you trigger quite the racket that tells you how hard the drivetrain is working. 

RIDE & HANDLING6

The 3008 doesn’t sit at the more dynamic end of the class. The drive is fine, with a ride that doesn’t ever fully isolates you from the road. Nor does it ever really send crunches through your spine or set your head tossing.

Spinning perhaps, in trying to understand how it can ride very well indeed on pavé, but jitters on fairly mundane looking B roads at 50mph. It all lacks a bit of polish and sophistication. 

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, although your ears will tell you all you need to know on what driving mode for the most part.
Mark Tisshaw
Editor

Don’t look for the steering or handling for any involvement either. Like the ride both are fine and simply don’t excite, rather than put you off. At all times, they feel dulled and blunted by the weight of the car while remaining just about precise enough and predictable.

Lithe and fleet of foot it is not, which is a shame when it looks like a car that looks far more dynamic than it actually is.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS7

On our mixed-roads test route, our economy struggled to get near 40mpg. Whatever happened to those days of 50mpg-plus with diesels? The main let-down is the motorway efficiency, which is where it really plummets. It was always going to be thus though 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 is here where it is at its most efficient. 

Just two trim levels are offered on the 3008: standard Allure and top-spec GT. There is a £3500 uplift to the GT over the £34,650 entry price of the Allure. GT is expected to be the most popular trim, with 60% of the sales.

It arrives later than the e-3008 but still, the 3008 will be a niche choice - just 6% of new 3008s this year are expected to be this hybrid.
Mark Tisshaw
Editor

While the 3008 might not be the cheapest car in the class, the value is excellent as the standard kit levels are very good. In the UK, the 21in curved panoramic screen is standard, which is not the case in other markets. Other standard features include striking 19in alloys and the nice ambient lighting that is linked to the driving mode. 

VERDICT

You get the sense that most of the budget and focus went on making the interior as good as it can possibly be and just ensuring that there was nothing overly off-putting or offensive 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 it’s at least a four-star car to sit in.

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.

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