Peugeot reveals new 3008 SUV

Peugeot has unwrapped its all-new 3008 SUV ahead of its official launch at the Paris motor show this September.

Measuring in at 4450mm long, 1620mm high and 1840mm wide, the new French rival to the Nissan QASHQAI and Mazda CX-5 is 80mm longer, 19mm lower and the same width as the car it replaces, but rides some 50mm higher, helping the new 3008 move away from its old mini-people-mover roots.

Benefitting from a longer wheelbase, Peugeot claims there’s far more legroom, as well as greater headroom and fractionally more elbow room. There’s also a bigger boot that’s claimed to be the largest in the segment.

Despite being bigger and more spacious than the car it replaces, engineers claim to have trimmed more than 100kg from the existing 3008's kerb weight. Most of the weight-saving comes from the EMPII platform it shares with the latest 308 hatch, but Peugeot has also used thermoplastic for the floor and tailgate, while the front wings, suspension arms and even the rear seat frames are all made out of lightweight aluminium.

Inside, the SUV gets the firm’s latest innovative i-Cockpit that was first introduced on the 2008 back in 2013. The latest version sticks with the simple, clean design that raises the instruments higher to ensure drivers can keep their eyes on the road.

Like the 308 hatch, the larger SUV sticks with a small oval-shaped steering wheel that’s said to offer more space for the driver and adds a sense of agility when on the move.

The latest version of i-Cockpit introduces a large 12.3-inch virtual dash that is completely configurable, plus an all-new infotainment system that features Google maps. Handily, unlike previous versions, there’s now a row of toggle switch shortcut buttons to compliment the 8.0-inch touch-screen infotainment system. These help quickly access features like the climate-control, rather than having to scroll through sub-menus.

Practicality is also an important new feature of the 3008 with the new small SUV gaining what the French car-maker is calling a ‘Magic Flat’ function that sees the split rear seating fold flat into the floor. The boot is also configurable while the front passenger seat can fold to help carry longer items.

Speaking of which, opening the boot lid on the new SUV requires nothing more than a simple foot swipe under the bumper to activate the electric tailgate.

Other new features include offering 3008 customers the option of an electric scooter or folding electric bike that Peugeot hopes will encourage owners to park on the outskirts of a city or town. The folding electric scooter, called the e-Kick, is said to have an impressive pure-electric range of around 10km. Mounted in the rear boot in their own docking station, both the scooter and bike are charged while on the move.

Under the bonnet of Peugeot’s 3008 there will be just two petrol engines – the 95kW 1.2-litre PureTech three-cylinder turbo or a more powerful 121kW 1.6-litre turbo that only comes with the firm’s six-speed automatic.

On the diesel side, again, just two engines will be available – a 1.6-litre BlueHDI with either 74kW or 88kW, or a 2.0-litre BlueHDI that comes with 110kW or 132kW.

Unusually, considering its SUV pretensions, all models come with front-wheel drive only, although all-wheel drive is rumoured for introduction later.

In Europe pricing has been set above rivals like the Kia Sportage, so we expect the 3008 to weigh in at around $35,000-$40,000 in Australia.

Set to be unveiled at the Paris motor show this September, first deliveries of the new 3008 begin in Europe early in 2017, with Australian sales to commence later next year.