Peugeot 3008 – What you need to know

Peugeot has struggled to gain a foothold in Australia for many years and the mid-size five-door Peugeot 3008 SUV doesn't exactly spring to mind for buyers in the market, unlike its competitors Mazda CX5, Mitsubishi Outlander and Toyota RAV4.

Four models make up the 3008 range and $37,490 (plus on road costs) will see you behind the wheel of the Peugeot 3008 Active, the entry model in the range, fitted with the following standard equipment:

• Front and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Automatic wipers and headlights
• Eight-inch infotainment mirrorscreen
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Satellite navigation
• Head up digital instruments

Eight colours make up the Peugeot 3008 palette. If you like solid white you won't pay any more, but if a metallic or premium finish is on your list prepare to shell out either $690 or $1050 depending on the colour. Two-tone paint, exclusive to the GT line and GT, costs $1000. The Allure offers 'Claudia' leather trim to replace the cloth for $2500. Nappa leather replaces cloth in the GT line for $3000 and if you scrap the Alcantara trim for Nappa in the 3008 GT it will lighten your wallet by $2500. The Nappa pack comprises adjustable seat cushions, heated driver and front passenger seats, and a massage function for the driver seat, which is electrically-adjustable eight ways, with two-position memory. A sunroof is also available for the 3008 GT line and GT, and will set you back $1500.

Each Peugeot 3008 model comes with the obligatory front, side and curtain airbags, stability control and ABS brakes with emergency brake assist, autonomous emergency braking and brakeforce distribution.

On the driver assistance technology front, all variants get speed limit recognition and recommendation, distance alert, driver attention systems and lane departure warning.

A step up to the 3008 Allure adds advanced driver attention alert, active lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control with a stop function, a more advanced autonomous emergency braking system using radar and cameras, blind spot detection, along with 360 degree reversing and front cameras and city park with 90 degree and parallel capability. If you select the GT line you also get self-levelling headlights.

While all Peugeot 3008 models come with a 12.3-inch head up digital instrument panel and eight-inch infotainment touchscreen, if a choice of two interior ambiences takes your fancy, head over to the 3008 GT line.

Do you have arguments about the car being too hot or cold? Dual-zone climate control can solve this, and it comes standard in all models.

Do electric folding door mirrors with a dipping function when reversing sound appealing? Then skip the 3008 Active and shell out for the 3008 Allure instead. That way you'll also get privacy side and rear glass, along with illuminated vanity mirrors and a hands-free tailgate that will be very welcome when your hands are full.

What about a steering wheel clad in perforated leather? Then the 3008 GT line is for you. Its interior is enhanced with a mistral black roof lining and chrome-trimmed pedals as well as blue ambient interior lighting.

Both the 3008 Active and Allure variants have body-coloured door mirrors, while the 3008 GT line gets back covers and the top dog GT, chrome covers.

Spicing up the exterior is the chrome trim for all models, but if you want the racy-looking bold Peugeot lettering, opt for the 3008 GT line that brings with it twin exhausts, a sport front bumper and two-tone 18-inch alloy wheels.

Seventeen-inch wheels are fitted standard on the 3008 Active, with eighteens specified for the Peugeot 3008 Allure and GT line. Filling the neatly extended wheel arches for a muscly look are 19-inch alloys and wider low profile tyres fitted to the 3008 GT.

Powering the Peugeot 3008 range are turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel engines, each coupled respectively to a different automatic transmission.

The 3008 Active, Allure and GT line are powered by a 1.6-litre 121kW / 240Nm turbocharged petrol engine bolted to a six-speed automatic transmission.

For the range-topping 3008 GT, a 2.0-litre diesel produces 131kW and 400Nm, channelled through an eight-speed automatic.

How much is a Peugeot 3008?
Prices (plus on roads):
Active 1.6-litre turbo petrol six-speed automatic – $37,490
Allure 1.6-litre turbo petrol six-speed automatic – $40,990
GT line 1.6-litre turbo petrol six-speed automatic – $44,990
GT 2.0-litre turbo diesel eight-speed automatic – $51,490

I'd really like the extra oomph and economy of the diesel, but wouldn't pay six and a half grand premium for the privilege, so that rules out the GT.

The Allure offers the best balance of affordability and desirability with the same powertrain as the Active and GT line. The Allure offers sufficient standard fare as well as enough in the way of passive and active safety tech to keep me satisfied.