► Peugeot’s big selling SUV goes electric
► Two battery options, front or four-wheel drive
► First outing for the STLA Medium platform
Peugeot calls the E-3008 its most ‘significant launch in many years’, and given the scope of change in the automotive segment in recent years, and the company’s rapid expansion of EVs, that makes this new electric SUV quite a big deal.
It has big boots to fill too, Peugeot shifted 1.32m examples of the second-gen 3008 in seven years and it was the car that really signalled this French firm’s push away from the mundane mainstream and into more premium territory.
Peugeot has chucked all the toys at this new SUV, and it’s the first car across all of Stellantis to use its new STLA medium platform, which you’ll see on the new Vauxhall Grandland as well as the replacement for the Citroen C5 Aircross. Given its Stellantis, expect another fifty cars to be based on it too.
One of the main perks of this is that we can have an electric E-3008 for the first time, and – rejoice – finally a Stellantis EV with a range of more than 250 miles. Next year there will even be a 422-mile range version – surely enough for even the most ardent ‘I need to drive to the south of France in 10 minutes’ of people?
At a glance
Pros: Excellent interior, refined, glamorous styling
Cons: Unsettled ride, not very spacious in the rear
What’s new?
Everything. Not only is the platform new, there are also brand-new batteries and electric motors delivering more range and power than what you’ll find in the smaller E-2008 SUV. The interior builds on the outgoing 3008’s dramatic design with BMW-esque curved digital screens that spread across the interior. The tech and design language will also be used on the closely related seven-seat E-5008 SUV later in the year.
It’s got a more rakish look than its predecessor, with details such as a fancy frameless front grille that will be a car valeter’s nightmare and Peugeot’s latest lighting signature. It’s got a more coupe-like profile than before, though its designers prefer it to be called a ‘fastback’.
What are the specs?
At launch there will be a single E-3008 version available. It’s not the one with the headline-grabbing range or strong performance, but rather the more everyday version that’s expected to be by far the best-seller.
The standard car uses a 73kWh battery and a 207bhp front-mounted electric motor. Fairly standard sizes for batteries and motors these days, so there’s nothing spectacular on the spec front here. A battery of this size allows for a claimed 326 miles (expect 260 miles based on our tested 3.7mi/kWh efficiency figure), with 160kW rapid charging speeds allowing for a 20 to 80% top-up in 30 minutes.
Performance-wise, 0-60mph is dispatched in a fairly average 8.8 seconds, and it tops out at 105mph. If you want more more power, you’ll have to wait for a dual-motor, four-wheel-drive model with 320bhp later in 2024. If you want to rattle Tesla owners with the fact your Peugeot SUV can travel further than their Musk-mobile, the 422-mile E-3008 with its gigantic 98kWh battery will come in 2025. It feels like a missed opportunity not to have this available from the start.
It’s worth noting that Peugeot will continue to sell its new 3008 with more conventional powertrain options, there’ll be a 1.2-litre mild-hybrid available imminently and a new plug-in hybrid later in 2024.
What’s it like to drive?
Things get off to a decent start with the 3008. You sit nice and high up (if that’s important) and Peugeot’s often-criticised driving position is improved courtesy of the new interior design. More on that later. It’s remarkably refined too, with little wind or road noise and a near-silent electric motor.
But it doesn’t take long before this goodness is undone. The ride quality on all but the smoothest roads is disappointing. Big standard 19-inch alloys (or 20s on the top-spec GT that most will choose) don’t help, as the 3008 never settles down, constantly jiggling around on the UK’s crumbling roads. Smaller wheels seem to make minimal difference, either. At best it’s annoying and worst downright uncomfortable.
The steering is uniformly light and effortless, which is a step down from recent Peugeots’ quick and surprisingly granular steering. This rack just swings nonchalantly side to side, communicating with all the enthusiasm of a Frenchman you’ve just pestered for directions in English.
The car is also terribly heavy – more than 2.1 tonnes for what isn’t an especially large SUV is not progress. It’s more than 200kg heavier than the new Renault Scenic and Tesla Model Y too, both of which have larger batteries. It feels cumbersome to drive too, with more of a lean than we’d expect through the corners and a feeling that there’s not all that much grip and which could quite easily tip into oversteer. Goodness knows how it’ll perform when Peugeot slaps in that gigantic 98kWh battery.
What’s the interior like?
Where the E-3008 claws back points when it comes to its interior. It’s the first to usher in Peugeot’s new look ‘Panoramic i-Cockpit’, essentially 21 inches of screen curved around the driver. The look is nothing new, BMW does it on pretty much every car it sells these days, but Peugeot’s execution is impressive. Previously, taller drivers especially would struggle with the driving position, the top of the small steering wheel often blocking the view of the dials, but Peugeot largely seems to have fixed this here – a big win.
Both the main infotainment screen and instrument cluster have excellent graphics and feel like they’ve been taken out of a premium product. Peugeot’s configruable touch keys can do whatever shortcuts you’re most likely to use, and strike a good balance between a lack of physical buttons and usability. The quality and overall design throughout is generally excellent as well, with a brilliantly sculpted centre console and woolen dashboard and door cards feeling straight out of a premium product. It’s certainly a lot more interesting than an Audi Q4 e-tron.
But in the name of design, Peugeot seems to have forgotten about the need for its family SUV to be practical. Despite being 10cm longer than its predecessor, rear-seat space is small for a family SUV, with fairly tight headroom (especially with an optional panoramic sunroof fitted) and limited legroom for a taller adult. Many far smaller SUVs manage far more rear space. That said, at 588 litres the boot is an excellent size with dedicated room to keep the charging cables out of the way.
Before you buy
The Peugeot 3008 has been priced more in-line with premium products in recent years and this new model is no exception. The range kicks off from £34,660 for the mild-hybrid, but going electric is far more expensive £45,850 for the Allure trim and £49,650 for the top-spec GT. Choose a few options and it’s possible for this SUV to cost £55,000, a price it just can’t justify. You can pick up a Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y for less.
Other than this, the standard equipment list is impressive, though. Allure models come with the 21-inch panoramic i-Cockpit, 19-inch alloy wheels and keyless entry, with the GT trim adding larger 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control and matrix LED headlights. One option that shouldn’t be is the £700 heat pump – we’d expect it to be included on a family SUV like this.
Verdict
On a purely aesthetic level, the Peugeot 3008 ticks every box. It looks stunning, and genuinely stands out in a market that tend to all look very same-y, while the interior is up there with Audi and BMW levels in look and feel, if not potentially better than the two German firms’ equivalent.
But aside from this, it doesn’t represent a significant leap in Peugeot’s electric journey. Given its importance, it’s a bit disappointing that the E-3008 is off the mark when it comes to the way it drives and its rear-seat space, and doesn’t even have attractive pricing on its side. There are better electric SUVs on the market.