How does it drive and what is interesting about the Peugeot 3008 diesel crossover?
French cars know how to conquer. Not with their motors, not boxes, and not numbers in the performance table. Their forte is their spectacular appearance. The second generation of the Peugeot 3008 crossover was no exception.
For life and release
With squinted LED headlights, a sleek C-pillar that continues to stamp on the sides, lots of chrome, big rims, and taillights reminiscent of lion claw marks, the 3008 knows how to be irresistible. He really stands out from the stream, drawing attention to himself. A real city slicker! For a test drive, I got a rich blue crossover, which suits him very well. Such machines are not for the soulless black.
Inside, everything is also spectacular. The cockpit is turned towards the driver. It seems that you are sitting in some kind of concept and all these buttons in the form of airplane toggle switches are not real.
The interior of the Peugeot 3008 is spacious in all directions for people in front, but in the back, by the standards of the class, it is not so comfortable. With a height of 183 cm, you can sit behind you, but without excess legroom. Armchairs completely in nappa leather. The front seats are equipped with eight-point massage and power adjustment for greater comfort. So that the legs do not become numb during the long road, there are retractable sections that support the hips.
The dashboard is fully electronic – it is a 12.3-inch screen. It can be customized by selecting the necessary information, which will always be in front of your eyes. The eight-inch multimedia touchscreen is responsive and doesn't slow down. Quickly connects to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, becoming an extension of your phone.
Trunk volume – 520 liters. With the sofa folded (it will not be possible to fold it into a flat floor), we get 1482. For the transportation of long items, the front passenger seat is helpfully inserted.
Lion or cat?
Recently, two engines are available: a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline with 150 hp. with. 2-liter diesel similar in power with a torque of 370 Nm. There are no mechanics, only a 6-speed automatic transmission manufactured by Aisin.
The diesel engine on the test car pleased with traction, but it does not set records in the sprint. Let's just say: there is enough power to stay in city traffic and not worry about overtaking on the highway. Liked the management. Precise connection between the steering wheel and the drive wheels gives good steering. The suspension is well tuned: it does not feel small bumps, and on large pits it could not be brought to a “breakdown”. Let's add indicative sound insulation to the pluses: road noise through the wheel arches is almost inaudible, we also did not notice the howling of the wind from the rear-view mirrors, even the loud diesel chirp only sometimes reminded of itself and only during a sharp acceleration.
The vehicle brochure states that the ground clearance is 219 mm, but in fact it is less. From the ground to the protection something about 180 mm. In order to at least somehow differ from a passenger car, the 3008 has an imitation of a cross-axle differential lock. The slipping wheel is braked using the standard brake system. There are also five preset modes of movement: mud, sand, snow, without stabilization and “normal”. In general, the remainder: a modern gentleman's set to drive on a broken primer, but no further.
In the French crossover, a scattering of electronic assistants. Here and autonomous emergency braking, and automatic steering, keeping the car in the lane, and control over the driver so that he is not distracted from the road if he is tired. Optionally, you can order adaptive cruise control. In short, a complete set of options that a modern car needs.
What is the result?
As a result, the 3008th has the right to exist in the realities of our market, but with reservations. The first is the price, the second is the drive. With all the discounts in the basic version of Active, 1,597,000 conditional units are asked for a car. The main competitors VW Tiguan and KIA Sportage are cheaper. They also have all-wheel drive, which the 3008 does not have as a class, but in our country this is important (we do not consider electronic replacement!). On the other hand, a spectacular appearance and a stylish interior captivates – the French do not take this. Probably, the new crossover should become an entrance ticket to the premium world, where there are slightly different values. As it will be in the end – time will tell.
What do you think: does the 3008 have a future on our roads or is it too exotic a beast?
Photos: Nikita Polyakov (@nickopollo)