Peugeot has revamped its 3008, replacing the bland old model with a strikingly handsome new SUV.
It is much better looking than the car it will replace. And it needs to be, given that it’s up against some very nicely styled and capable rivals including the Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Qashqai and the new Kia Sportage.
The new model is the same length as its French cousin the Renault Kadjar. It sits higher off the ground than the existing 3008 but a sleeker cabin means it isn’t any taller.
Some clever work by Peugeot’s design team means it’s bigger inside, with extra knee room and a larger boot. Given that boot size is a strength of today’s 3008, expect the new car to have a huge carrying capacity.
It goes on sale in the UK from October and the first cars will be delivered in January 2017.
Likely to be the best seller in the UK is Peugeot’s 1.6 litre diesel, which offers 118bhp and should return more than 70mpg. Higher-powered versions of that diesel engine are also available, as well as a larger 2.0 litre option.
Petrol buyers can choose from a range of 1.2 litre and 1.6 litre engines.
There is the choice of five and six-speed manual gearboxes, and a six-speed automatic.
In order to appeal to keener drivers, Peugeot is also offering a new Driver Sport Pack for this latest model, which makes the throttle more responsive and adds the option of steering wheel-mounted paddles for the automatic gearbox.
According to Peugeot the new 3008 will be able to cut the mustard off road as well. It gets a hill-descent system, as well as snow, mud and sand modes for the traction control. You can also have all-terrain tyres.
It’s 100kg lighter than the car it replaces, which will boost fuel economy and should also make it a better car to drive.
The interior has been drastically revised as well, with Peugeot introducing its latest “i-Cockpit” system.
Essentially, this means more technology and fewer buttons – and plenty to look at.
There’s an eight inch touchscreen in the centre console as well as a 12.3 inch display in front of the driver, replacing conventional dials.
The new 3008 comes with the latest safety gear including Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring. There’s also a new 360 degree camera to help with parking.
It’s likely to cost from around £20,000 when sales begin early next year. That’s a small premium over today’s car, and makes the 3008 more expensive than rivals like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, which are priced from £18,000 and £18,995 respectively. However, Peugeot will be hoping the space and technology offsets the higher cost.