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The Peugeot 3008 GT-Line 1.6 THP is filled with French flair. This feature rich SUV is a joy in the hands. Quite literally. The small steering wheel has a hint of faceted octagonal shape to it. It looks almost digital computer game shape but the deal is this -ergonomics. The steering wheel is immediately remarkably comfortable as is the entire driver cockpit layout. The firm leather seats are distinctly comfortable.
When I was offered the opportunity to test drive the Peugeot 3008 I was very excited.I love SUV’s.
My first connection with Peugeot was at the SA Masters Cup surfing championships 2007 at St Michaels on Sea where Peugeot sponsored the event and I garnered my debut Springbok colours I put on my 2007 Peugeot Masters tee shirt and took the car for a drive. Mind you, top end as this car is, perhaps it should be driven in a collar shirt, not a tee. Peugeot attaches to the thoughts of green and gold for me, so I love the brand.
This 3008 has plenty of Brian Habanna kick in the pants, jump up and go. While the engine is a fuel efficient 1600, it is turbo fed and behaves and feels a bit more like erstwhile SA Rugby strong man John Smit. The vehicle has rugged but attractive looks about it. The true test for me was entering Hemingways Hill from Abbotsford heading towards KWT. I can only compare the 3008 with those vehicles that I know - my 2L Kia Sportage is normally aspirated and does huff and puff a little up the hill. The 3008 entered Hemingways Hill and when I put my foot on the gas it jumped up and did Usain Bolt up the hill in a blink. Very quickly I had to tap off because 90kmph was coming up to 130kmph fast.
The car has location intelligence. (Peugeot have a patented feature “i-cockpit”) On the speedo, the dash lights up to tell me the speed limit is 120kmph in the area. It would appear the vehicle can read google maps, understand Hemingways Hill and where we are and give me speed limit information. Useful when you enter a 60kmph zone and do not want to shell out traffic fines.
The automatic gearbox is seamless in transition, smooth as silk and if there is any power lost in forfeiting manual transitions, I did not notice it. There is more than plenty of power available and I did not find the need to engage the sport button selection.
I have never really understood the motoring term oversteer or understeer but I can say the Peugeot 3008 has a solid footprint. You just feel a whole lot more on rails. I live in Gonubie with concrete roads and traffic circles and the Peugeot feels more dependable, firm, reliable and nippy in the esses.
Whoever invented split seats deserves a special place in heaven, right next to the man who invented dental floss. The Peugeot 3008 has plenty of boot space. You could sleep in it if you wanted to. The sudden exclusion of my left leg was a little tricky for me, getting used to no clutch and shift but I soon enjoyed the change and relaxed into it. With the intelligent dash feeding me information like speed limit and the radar giving proximity warning and the much enjoyable rear view camera giving an on dash monitor view of the universe behind me I was just worried a script might come up on screen that read “warning, idiot at the wheel” but the french engineers are much too kind for that.
The Peugeot 3008 is a beautiful drive. Sublime. Or as the French might say Syblim.
Regards,
Nick Pike
