These are the first pictures of the Peugeot 3008 crossover, just released by the French manufacturer. It looks almost identical to the Prologue Hybrid 4 concept unveiled at the 2008 Paris motor show and, significantly, the production 3008 will be Peugeot’s first hybrid vehicle. It also features a head-up display and a Land Rover Terrain Response-rivalling Grip Control system.
A Peugeot 3008 hybrid? Tell me more.
Peugeot is promising (although only by 2011) a hybrid version of the 3008, with the normal engine up front driving the front wheels and a rear-mounted electric motor to power the rear wheels, making the 3008 hybrid a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Peugeot promises a reduction in CO2 emissions of about 35%, yet there is no mechanical connection between the front engine and rear motor so passenger space shouldn’t be affected. Regular versions of the 3008 remain front-wheel drive, with no plans for a four-wheel drive version.
Peugeot has yet to confirm whether the 3008 hybrid will be petrol or diesel, though an oil-burner is more likely. The Paris Prologue concept car featured a 2.0-litre diesel with 163bhp and 221lb ft, mated to an electric motor with 37bhp and 148lb ft, and claimed to do 68.9mpg while only puffing out 109g/km CO2. But a sleek petrol hybrid saloon was also shown.
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What about the rest of the 3008?
It’s supposed to be a spacious crossover, a mix between a hatchback and MPV, mirroring a Nissan Qashqai for size. The 3008 looks sleeker than most current Peugeots thanks to narrow, swept-back headlights. There’s still the big egg-crate Peugeot front grille but we rather like the bulbous wheelarches and boomerang rear lights. To make sure it’s practical, there’s a split tailgate (the lower flap can support 200kg) and a whopping 512-litre boot.
Delve inside the cabin of the 3008 and the dashboard looks pretty good too. There are still lots of little buttons for the stereo system, but the 3008 has a cool row of toggle switches, a pop-up sat-nav and head-up display. There’s also an Air Quality Sensor, an electric handbrake, and top-spec versions get Dynamic Roll Control. There’s also Grip Control, a five-mode traction control system.
And the engines?
The line-up for the 3008 is as follows:
• 1.6-litre diesel – 110bhp with electronic six-speed manual
• 2.0-litre diesel – 150bhp with six-speed manual
• 2.0-litre diesel – 163bhp with six-speed automatic
• 1.6-litre petrol – 120bhp with five-speed manual
• 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol – 150bhp with six-speed manual
We’ll see the Peugeot 3008 make its official debut at the 2009 Geneva motor show, before going on sale in the UK towards the end of 2009 with prices starting at around £14,000. It’s one of the most promising Peugeots we can remember in years.
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