ONCE upon a time, if you were in the market for a capable and comfortable family car and were prepared to pay a bit extra for it, a Peugeot would have easily made the shortlist.
For nearly half a century after the heady days of that 1953 Redex Reliability Trial, which saw the hitherto obscure 203 wow thrilled spectators with its event-winning toughness and durability, through to the elegant 406 of the late 1990s, the French brand that started building cars 135 years ago provided a no-nonsense alternative that would sit somewhere between a Holden and a Mercedes-Benz.
Peugeot, obviously, would be sick to death of such retrospectives, especially when we get to the early 2000s part of shoddy quality, over-wrought styling and suspect reliability. But these things did happen, so much so that at the beginning of this decade the company completely overhauled its engineering and design departments and, essentially, started again. Facing bankruptcy in a fierce world unsympathetic to efforts of the past proved to be an effective motivator…
Now, in 2017, we’ve already seen a renaissance in the fabulous T9-series 308, launched here in late 2014; it hasn’t set the market on fire because there’s a long way to go before Australians trust the marque again, but the all-new 3008 SUV might just finally be the French dart that hits the bullseye. Already a smash hit in Europe, sales have been outstripping supply, to the point where it’s been delayed in Australia. Until now.
Aimed directly at the business end of the huge medium SUV segment against the bestselling Mazda CX-5 and award-winning Volkswagen Tiguan, the Sochaux-built five-seater thrusts the brand precisely where the action is. The thinking is that consumers hungry for such vehicles won’t be able to ignore the strikingly designed high-riding crossover.
Helping things along in no uncertain terms is the newly formed Peugeot Citroen Australia (PCA), which as part of the Inchcape organisation can put the money and resources behind Peugeot in much the same way as they have helped establish Subaru.
Sharing absolutely nothing other than those four numbers with its awkwardly styled people-mover predecessor, the 3008 kicks off with four variants offering a choice of two powertrains, starting with the Active from $36,990. Then there’s the Allure at $39,490, GT Line from $43,490 and the GT at $49,490. As we said, right in the thick of it.
Basing the 3008 on Peugeot/Citroen’s acclaimed new EMP2 lightweight high-strength platform (as per the 308) is another great start. At nearly 4.5 metres long, 1.9m wide, 1.63m high and amid a 2675mm wheelbase, it’s about on a par with the class leaders, and can also fit 591 litres of cargo with all seats erect, rising to 1670L in the (fully flat) load area when the second row is stowed.
Front suspension is MacPherson-like struts, while a torsion beam is found in the rear to help maximise cabin space, according to Peugeot.
Driving the front wheels via a Japanese Aisin-supplied six-speed torque-converter automatic transmission in the Active, Allure and GT Line is a 121kW/240Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, capable of propelling the roomy five-seater SUV from zero to 100km/h in 9.9 seconds on the way to a 201km/h top speed, while consuming 7.0L/100km of premium unleaded while emitting 156g/km of carbon dioxide.
Right now only the flagship GT ushers in a diesel alternative, in the guise of a 133kW/400Nm 2.0-litre/six-speed auto combo, part of a proven engine family that’s seen service in a number of other Peugeots, Fords, Land Rovers and Jaguars for well over a decade. It’s actually quicker than the petrol (by a whole second to 100 and by 6km/h overall), as well as more frugal (4.8L/100km for a 124g/km rating).
For added traction, Peugeot’s Advanced Grip Control traction control system offers Normal, Snow, Mud, Sand and ESP Off modes as well as hill-descent control. But if actual all-wheel-drive is your thing, write to Inchcape, because a plug-in hybrid variant is under consideration for Australia, offering a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine and a pair of electric motors on the rear axle for 220kW of AWD performance – six seconds to 100 is possible too.
The 3008 doesn’t hang around on equipment levels either, with even the base car including six airbags, distance alert, driver fatigue warning, speed-limit recognition, lane departure warning and Isofix child seat anchors, as well as an Audi-esque 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, 8.0-inch capacitive touchscreen, parking sensors, reversing camera, dual-zone climate control, cruise control with speed limiter, satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto/MirrorLink phone connectivity, DAB+ digital radio, voice recognition, a smartphone induction charging plate, auto on/off headlights and wipers and alloy wheels.
Sunroof, leather seats, LED headlights, heated/massaging seats, larger alloys, fancier trim and other goodies also keep the more expensive grades competitive against the competition. However, while Peugeot is playing to win, AEB autonomous emergency braking is only available from the Allure up as part of a safety pack that also brings blind-spot detection and auto high-beam headlights. A fix for this is in the works, apparently.
So that’s where Peugeot is at now. Australians love SUVs and the 3008 is an SUV, with elegant styling and an appealing and spacious interior underpinned by efficient and dynamic engineering.
Better still, the brand has an opportunity to leverage that decades-old reputation and rise up to the exalted position that only those who experienced truly desirable classics like the 404 will understand.
Yes, it is a modern front-drive SUV and yes, it probably won’t end up in sub-Saharan Africa in 40 years time serving as moon-shot mileage taxis like 504s do, but in terms of feeling like a cut-above, the 3008 might be exactly what Peugeot needs in Australia.
Protect your Peugeot. Call Shannons Insurance on 13 46 46 to get a quote today
