If you think of Peugeot in terms of the old 3008 model, then think again. The new Peugeot 3008 SUV is just sophisticated as it
is classy and affordable.

But, can it turn heads? Or, does it live up to its widespread reputation?

We understand that for an automobile to be declared the Car of the Year really means a lot, especially if it is not a German machine.

In simple terms, it means the car must have out-competed others of the same category in the industry. So, how does Peugeot 3008 SUV fair among the best?
Let us find out.

The Old Peugeot Versus The New

First, it is reasonable to say that, in comparison to the old Peugeot 3008, the new 3008 SUV is gold.

If you remember correctly, the former received lukewarm market reviews and never impressed many customers that much. It was dull, less sporty and a bit of low-class if you may.

The new one; however, is highly improved and meets all the driving challenges out there in the real world. It is not just a second-generation but also uses EMP2, something that it shares with 308 and 308W that also used the same system.

In terms of length, it is 4,447m long. It exceeds its predecessor in both length and wheelbase by 800mm and 62mm respectively.

A Real SUV?

Even though it does not have an option for a four-wheel drive system currently, the car is superb since it still meets the
recommended properties of an SUV. Its 2200mm ground clearance is not that bad and the grip control is just enough for any difficult terrain.

The Hill Assist Control and all-season tyres will enable you to crawl down slopes with ease while worrying less about grip in any weather situation.

Interior Design Improvements

Moreover, if you are concerned about space and interior design, then you should look no further. The new Peugeot 3008 SUV is
daintier and roomy. Its interior design does not just take the Jaguar F-Pace for a joke but makes it look cheap as well.

The nastier plastics are not just a few, but are nicely hidden away giving the car a simple but uncluttered cabin
and clean look. So, does the car live up to its acclaimed reputation of class and aesthetics? Our answer so far is a yes.

Having said all that, there are some things that can be improved. Honestly, the gear stick is a bit chunky although the distance
between the respective gears is good enough.

You may mistake it for an automatic, and it is not a good thing to assume things in the auto world. This may be annoying
to passengers who are used to highly polished and well-designed cars such as Seat Ateca, Qashqai or any other latest models of SUVs out there.

Even worse, the gears stick as six-speed manual as it is, is somehow annoyingly notchy.
Operate it keenly and you will realize that even a moderate clutch control is jumpy at times especially from second to third.

How about safety?

The break system also has some squeaky syndrome and although the screech subsides quickly, the passengers’ fears are not aliened.

Furthermore, the slow engine performance compounds the problem even further. 10.8 seconds for a 0 to 62km jump in today’s SUV is an
underperformance.

Something should be done to this 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine given that such kind of acceleration is not just annoyingly slow
but may make overtaking impossible due passenger panic.

Concisely though, we can say that in spite of a few technical hitches here and there, which are common with every car, Peugeot 3008
SUV still deserves a car of the year 2017 award.

It is classy and roomy, and above all, affordable.