Peugeot‘s new 3008 would be a psychiatrist’s nightmare. Rather than merely being a combination of two different styles of vehicle, the 3008 claims to have three personalities – that of a hatchback, an MPV and a small off-roader.
The result is a car that performs well in the hatchback and MPV categories and visually falls between the two camps without really fitting into either. As for the other category, anyone after a tough, small 4×4 is realistically not going to choose the 3008 because its only format is two-wheel drive until the hybrid version arrives in 2011, and it’s unlikely that will be a serious off-roader.
Thankfully the 3008 avoids looking like a beefed-up 308 hatchback, while equally mercifully it doesn’t take on the boxy style of a mini people-carrier. However, some of the angles are a bit awkward, especially the rear’s black bumper.
Inside is much better looking, and is fantastically practical. There is an absolute abundance of cubby holes, with a second glovebox under the steering wheel and one of the biggest central storage boxes in any car.
The boot is impressive in size as well at 512 litres, putting the 3008 on a par with the bigger Nissan Qashqai+2 rather than just the smaller five-seat version. It also has an adjustable boot floor. Thanks to the clever use of a leverage point on the side of the boot, the floor can be raised or lowered with one hand to create a deeper boot or an additional shelf. The only let down in this area of the car was the cheap feeling plastics.
As well as being impressively practical, the 3008 drives surprisingly well. It’s a tall car, and feels large from its high driving position, but it manages to not suffer from much body roll. Despite this, it still rides smoothly, even over the potholed roadworks of the international launch.
The multi-sided personality makes picking direct rivals difficult. Nissan’s Qashqai is the only real competitor, with the next nearest being the MPVs of the sector. But because of the 3008’s more diminutive stature, it easily comes out on top in the fuel consumption stakes. The Peugeot’s claimed 55.3mpg from the 110PS 1.6-litre diesel comfortably beats the Qashqai’s 49.6mpg. It even outdoes the Citroen C4 Picasso, which currently gets 51.4mpg from the same engine.
No costs are available for the Peugeot yet, but while prices are predicted to be lower than the estate 308SW, RVs are expected to be stronger. Running costs will also be boosted by emissions of just 137g/km. The range should get even better over the next few months and years, with both hybrid and stop-start technology on the way to make the case even more compelling for the 3008.
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