Stirred, but not shaken by 008

Sep 28 2009 Patrick James

PEUGEOT's naming convention for its cars is neat and logical, from the tiny 107 city car, through to the 807 people carrier.

But in recent years it has also introduced the 00 range which the company says signifies something out of the ordinary.

The 3008 definitely fits the bill in this case as it joins the 308 hatch, 308 SW and 308CC siblings.

The newcomer drops into the crossover section of the market, a kind of a hybrid between a muscular and rugged SUV, a roomy and versatile MPV and a tried and trusted family hatchback.

It is taking on established favourites like Nissan's Qashqai, VW's Tiguan, Ford's C-Max and the Citroen C4 Picasso. Tough opponents indeed, but the new Peugeot bring plenty of new innovations to the party including optional Grip Control, which varies the power to the car's front wheels and gives limited off-road capability.

It is taller and wider than the 308 and has a chunky, rugged look to it.

The signature large grille, lion badge and large headlamps dominate the front and wide wheel arches and a high waistline accentuate the rugged look.

Versatility is obvious, but perhaps best of all is the interior, which is something of a mini masterpiece.

For a car that starts at a fiver under £16,000, you could be forgiven for thinking you were sitting in a car of twice that price, such is the quality of the interior and the level of standard equipment.

From the leather-bound, flat-bottomed steering wheel, to the array of toggle switches and the wrap round central console that houses the stylish gearstick, the car exudes quality. It feels well-built with soft-touch plastics and thick carpets. The only quibble I have is with the miniscule radio controls. Otherwise, the switchgear is modern, logically placed and substantial.

Interior space is excellent with good headroom, great all round vision and an airy feel to the cabin.

Storage space is excellent with plenty of cubby holes and the large boot has a clever three-level parcel shelf to help accommodate different sized loads.

The 60/40 split rear seats can be dropped at the touched of a button increasing the 512 litres of space to a cavernous 1,604 litres. However unlike many MPVs the rear seats are not removable and this may be addressed when the larger seven-seat 5008 comes onto the market later this year.

Another excellent feature is the split rear tailgate which allows the bottom half to be dropped to the horizontal position to ease loading or could even act as a picnic table.

Under the bonnet the car offers lean and green engines, with 120bhp and 150bhp turbo versions of the 1.6 petrol engine plus 110bhp 1.6 and two litre diesels, the latter with 150bhp or 163bhp for the automatic.

The petrol engine, developed in collaboration with BMW, is an impressive piece of engineering offering plenty of pulling power with excellent economy of around 38mpg and low CO2 emissions. It could make the choice between petrol and diesel a tricky one when weighing up the prices.

Despite its tall profile, there's little evidence of body roll when cornering and the ride is comfortable rather than sporty. It deals well with rutted roads and despite the large door mirrors, wind noise is all but absent, although tyre noise can be intrusive on some surfaces.

Despite looking like a four-wheel drive vehicle, the 3008 is front wheel drive, but offers the innovative Grip Control, which, depending on conditions, sends traction in varying amounts to both or just one of the driven wheels.

There are five different settings including standard; snow; off road which tackles mud and wet grass and traction control off.

The settings optimise the drive to cope with the prevailing conditions. Not as effective as a four by four, but less environmentally damaging and probably enough to deal with most road and less challenging off-road conditions.

It does require special mud/snow tyres and will set you back and extra £450, but if you are the type that pulls a boat or a caravan that goes off-road, the extra cost might just be worthwhile.

It is no gimmick, the 1.6-litre petrol model managed to tow a glider into the air on a damp field using the Grip Control's variable traction which was impressive indeed.

The 3008 comes in three trim levels, Active, Sport and Exclusive at prices from £15,995 to £21,895. All are lavishly equipped and carry high levels of safety equipment including six airbags, ABS and traction control.

There's no doubt the 3008 has plenty to offer.