Peugeot 3008 2021 Review

The 2021 Peugeot 3008 arrives in showrooms with a slightly higher price tag, now starting at $44,990 plus on-roads costs for the Allure (+$1000) and topping out at $54,990 plus ORCs for the new flagship GT Sport, which we have tested here on launch.

In between, there’s the GT model starting at $47,990 plus ORCs for the petrol, or $50,990 plus ORCs for the diesel version. The previous GT-Line grade has disappeared.

With all models driving the front wheels only, the Allure and GT petrol use a carryover 121kW/240Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine paired to a six-speed automatic, while the mid-spec GT retains an oil-burning option in the form of the familiar 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel (131kW/400Nm). The latter is mated to an eight-speed auto.

The range-topping GT Sport is petrol-only and uses a higher-output version of the 1.6-litre ‘Puretech’ turbo-four, producing 133kW/250Nm and driving through an eight-speed auto.

From the outside, the refreshed 3008 looks neat, with a wider grille that complements its more premium-looking front-end design, while the rear-end has new tail-lights with dynamic indicators.

Inside, the cabin receives more technology and comfort features.

Standard equipment across the 2021 Peugeot 3008 range includes a 12.3-inch i-Cockpit display and a larger 10.0-inch central touch-screen with navigation, digital radio and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity.

There’s also Peugeot’s Safety Plus suite of driver assist systems, which brings autonomous emergency braking (AEB) now with low-light cyclist and pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, auto high beam, driver attention alert, blind spot monitoring and speed sign recognition.

Every 3008 comes with keyless entry and push-button start, dual-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera, electric parking brake, park assist and three driving modes (Eco/Normal/Sport).

All models are covered by Peugeot’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years’ roadside assistance and a Service Price Promise that also lasts for five years.

Now with more gear than ever, the 2021 Peugeot 3008 should appeal to more buyers in the top-selling mid-size SUV category, where the French brand remains a minnow against the likes of the market-leading Toyota RAV4 and other dominant players such as the Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson and Nissan X-TRAIL.

The range-topping new GT Sport model gets plenty of equipment to help it stand out, including 19-inch Washington alloy wheels (up from 18-inch on other models), hands-free tailgate, a premium FOCAL audio system, heated front seats and an electrically-operated driver’s seat with massage function.

The latter is a nice touch that’s executed well and offers multiple settings, although it is rather loud when operating on its most aggressive ‘high’ setting.

Thankfully, the GT Sport’s FOCAL sound system is there to drown out some of the whirring noises.

The flagship model also has a ‘Black Pack’ that applies dark treatment to a variety of elements across the vehicle. These include a dark chrome grille and matching Peugeot badge, satin black badging and a gloss black finish on the roof trim, front guard, spoiler, lower door trim and rear bumper sill. The roof rails are also finished in satin black.

The GT Sport and the mid-spec GT both now offer a new Fog Mode, a system that replaces conventional fog lights to allow the LED headlights to operate the low beams at a reduced intensity when the rear fog lights are activated. Put simply, you still get fog lights, sort of…

Notably, the Peugeot 3008’s lighting stands out in poor conditions, with both the headlights and tail-lights providing plenty of visibility in rain and mist.

Something that stood out on test was the fact that the indicators regularly switch off prematurely, often turning themselves off before you’ve completed your turn. Annoying.

Sadly, the facelifted 3008 doesn’t come with the same 3D i-Cockpit found in the all-new Peugeot 2008 small SUV.

That said, the cluster offers plenty of customisation and viewing options, some of which include conventional dials (tacho and speedo), navigation and even a minimal screen option with a large digital speed read-out as the main feature, among others.

With the media launch for the 2021 Peugeot 3008 falling victim to heavy rain, many sections of our test loop were riddled with large puddles and potholes, which made it difficult to gauge its everyday dynamics but gave us a good insight into its performance in difficult conditions.

Not every pothole could be missed and there was plenty of standing water on the road to combat, meaning we spent a good portion of time getting an idea of how the mid-size SUV handles wet weather.

Taking everything in its stride, the 3008 GT Sport felt poised and confident the entire time. Not even large potholes or rain puddles unsettled the vehicle, which provided impressive levels of grip and had a surefooted feel to it.

Steering is firmly weighted and precise, but the tiller itself is busy, surrounded by large shift paddles, a chunky indicator and wiper stalk on either side and a separate cruise control stalk, which is frustrating to operate because you simply can’t see it. Those shift paddles also aren’t the most responsive in manual mode.

Fitted standard with the most powerful engine in the 3008 line-up, the GT Sport’s 133kW 1.6-litre turbo feels strong, while the eight-speed automatic it’s matched with shifts smoothly.

The engine is quiet, too, even under heavy acceleration, although it’d be interesting to see if it feels just as peppy with a full load of passengers and luggage on board.

Peugeot’s claimed combined-cycle fuel consumption figure for the GT Sport is 5.6L/100km. This compares to the GT diesel at 5.0L/100km, while the less-powerful 1.6-litre petrol in the Allure and GT petrol – which is the only powertrain to miss out on a fuel-saving idle-stop feature – returns 7.3L and 7.0L respectively.

Noise levels inside the cabin are good on smooth surfaces, but tyre noise seems to increase quite a lot on coarse-chip surfaces – something admittedly difficult to gauge in torrential rain.

The 2021 Peugeot 3008 GT Sport is easy to settle in to. From the driving position, there’s plenty of adjustment with the steering wheel and electric seat.

In typical Peugeot i-Cockpit fashion, the driver is cocooned and presented with a compact steering wheel that feels good under hand, and the large, easy-to-read instrument cluster is a welcome sight.

If you don’t like driving with the steering in a lower position, you may have trouble finding a comfortable set-up, as the wheel will block sections of the cluster information if positioned too high – something that won’t suit every driver.

The dash and door trims in the GT Sport are finished with panels of lime wood, which sound nice enough but have a wallpapery look and feel.

The GT Sport’s special full-grain Nappa leather-appointed seats also don’t feel as plush to touch as one might expect, although they’re reasonably comfortable and have a quirky pattern stitched into them.

Compared to rivals, the 3008’s rear seat doesn’t feel as roomy. Headroom is good, and inclusions such as map pockets, two USB-A points, a 12-volt socket, ISOFIX points for the outboard seats, door pockets, a fold-down centre armrest and air-vents make for a relatively good space in which to travel.

However, there’s next to no room for feet under the front seats and legroom isn’t great, especially with taller people sitting up front. It feels better suited to children, and more under-thigh seat support would be nice.

Chunky front seats also hinder vision for rear passengers, and aside from the door pockets, a tiny tray below the centre air-vents is the only other place to store items, although it doesn’t hold much more than a macaron, so is a bit useless.

Boot capacity is a decent 591 litres with the rear seats in place, or 1670L with them folded. A space-saver spare tyre is standard.

The 2021 Peugeot 3008 presents well, bringing a more upmarket feel than the model it replaces – and the new top-spec GT Sport grade carries an impressive list of standard equipment.

To its credit, the Peugeot 3008 GT Sport is a good package that brings a unique French offering to the mid-size SUV category.

But with a cabin that’s not as spacious as rivals and a price tag that’ll end up closer to the $60K mark once on-road costs are factored in, the 3008 GT Sport leaves itself open to more compelling alternatives and looks destined to remain a niche player in the market.

How much does the 2021 Peugeot 3008 GT Sport cost?
Price: $54,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 133kW/250Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 128g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2016)

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