Road Test: Peugeot 3008 2.0 HDi Allure
| by Tristan Wiggill
Peugeot 3008 2.0 HDi Allure
Peugeot updated its crossover 3008 range early this year and aBr was lucky enough to sample the vehicle in
top-of-the-range Allure trim recently.
Satellite navigation is standard fitment,
with information displayed on a screen
in the centre of the dash as well as in the
instrument cluster. The centre console
is laden with electronic switches and
gadgetry that controls everything from
pre-determined following distances
(distance alert) to lane-keeping assistance.
Quirks
Engine
This particular model boasts Peugeot’s
very refined 2.0-litre diesel engine, which
is mated to a smooth-shifting six-speed
auto ‘box. I’ve always believed an engine
that produces lots of torque (340Nm in this
case) at very low revs, is best paired with
an automatic shifter, if for nothing else than
for the simplicity of operation. With 340 Nm
available from just 2000 r/min, accelerating
the 3008 is an almost effortless pursuit.
Interior
The cabin is spacious in every sense of
the word, with the panoramic roof and
automatic handbrake exemplifying the sense
of openness even further. For versatility,
the leather seats (the front two of which are
also heated) can be folded in a number of
configurations, and the boot measures a
voluminous 434 litres when the seats are
upright.
The 3008 also offers a plethora of useful
and convenient storage compartments.
A large, cooled compartment with a
13,5-litre capacity in the centre armrest is
a welcome feature, especially on extended
trips, while each front door is fitted with a
7,0-litre storage tray.
The glove compartment accounts for
a further 4,1 litres, while a lockable
binnacle below the steering column
adds another 3,7-litres of storage.
At the rear, two underfloor, lidded
spaces can swallow more than
3,0-litres each, while the rear door
trays boost the storage space tally by
another 2,5 litres each. The innovative
boot features a so-called Multiflex
design with a cargo floor that can be
positioned at three different levels,
thereby dividing the boot space into
upper and lower sections.
Total cargo space is 512 litres under
the parcel shelf. By folding down the
rear seats, the 3008 is transformed
into a cavernous cargo carrier with
a load capacity of up to 1 604 litres
which will accommodate objects up
to 2,62 metres long.
As to be expected, both active and
passive safety features abound, with
six airbags, inertia reel seatbelts and
head restraints for all seating positions,
and deformable, energy-absorbing
crumple zones in the case of a
collision, combining to achieve a fivestar EuroNCAP crash safety rating.
| Wheels in Action
103
may 2014
French cars wouldn’t be French if they
didn’t have a few quirks and in this regard,
the 3008 is no exception. One oddity is that
there are no audio controls for the radio on
the strangely barren steering wheel, which
means you have to find the button (instead
of a more familiar dial) on the button-laden
centre console. Secondly, the standard
Heads-Up display, which is rendered on a
pop-up plastic screen in front of the driver,
is positioned in such a way that I couldn’t
read what it was displaying, no matter how I
arranged the seating position.
Verdict
The Peugeot 3008 is a rather quirkylooking MPV that boasts a lot of tech
and gadgetry. It’s typically French,
boasting refinement and panache in
equal measure. It currently doesn’t
face a tremendous amount of direct
competition, with the Nissan Qashqai,
due for imminent replacement, its
closest rival. That said, the two are quite
different in terms of standard equipment
levels – the Peugeot adds niceties like
heated leather seats, LED taillights, a
five-year maintenance plan, navigation,
park distance control, Xenon headlights
and Hill Start Assist to the mix.
The 3008 fills a niche in the upmarket
family-car segment. While it won’t be
to everyone’s taste (macho guys and
adventurists need not apply), those
looking for a soft-roading, spacious,
modern crossover with all the safety
and electronic goodies one could ever
need, should definitely consider it.