Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Prices: £28,495
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder
Gearbox: 6-speed automatic, 4-wheel drive
Power/torque: 163 bhp / 37 bhp (electric motor)
0-62 mph: 8.5 seconds
Top Speed: 118 miles per hour
Economy: 70.4 miles per gallon
Emissions: 104g per kilometre
Equipment: GPS, electric windows, 17-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, cruise control, and dual-zone climate control
On Sale: March

The pioneering diesel-electric crossover finally hits British roads, so what is the verdict?

Our Rating: 6.0 / 10

The Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 appears to have it all, at least in terms of numbers, with 4-wheel drive, a bhp rating of 200, fuel economy of more than 70 miles per gallon and CO2 emissions of as low as just 99g per kilometre. The figure that is perhaps the most important of them all, however, the massive starting price of £26,995, is the one that is the least impressive. Can it really justify that cost?

The models are all powered with the same combination of a 2.0-litre diesel engine with a bhp rating of 163 and an electric motor with a bhp rating of 37. CO2 emissions, however, appear to vary all across the range, with the HYbrid 104g model tested here emitting 105g per kilometre, as the name implies. There is a 99g per kilometre CO2 emissions version available as well, with the only discernible difference on the exterior of the vehicle being the 16-inch alloy wheels, as opposed to the 17-inch ones on this car. The smaller rims likewise have an effect on fuel economy, managing to boost it from 70.4 miles per gallon to 74.3 miles per gallon.

The electric motor is able to proper the 3008 for almost three miles just on battery power alone, and is able to do the great majority of the work when in stop-start traffic. The transition proves to be seamless when the engine does kick in however, although the engine note is rough enough for it to be a good deal more noticeable than would be the case with a petrol-electric model.

The HYbrid 4 is able to demonstrate an impressive turn of speed when it needs to, while the diesel engine and the electric motor are able to work together to enable it to go from 0-62 miles per hour in 8.5 seconds.

The 6-speed auto thankfully undergoes a transformation in this new 2008, being unresponsive and jerky elsewhere in the range, but working well here because the electric motor is able to deliver power to the wheels amid gear changes.

With the batteries and the hi-tech power train on board, the HYbrid has an additional 100 kilograms of weight than a regular diesel 3008, and that inevitably has an effect on how it drives. The suspension is firmer and road bumps send a greater thud into the cabin that is the case when in a standard car. The 3008 is not the most agile car under normal circumstances, but the additional weight means that is more cumbersome than ever through corners.

Otherwise, however, the vehicle’s practical design and layout remains pretty much exactly the same, with enough space in the rear for adults and a boot with a maximum capacity of as much as 1501-litres, which is only 103-litres less than in a more conventionally powered 3008.

Without a doubt, the HYbrid4 is unique in its class, though whether it is really worth the extra cost is going to be something which buyers will have to think very hard about, the top-spec model tested here being £28,495 - £4500 over the price of even the priciest 3008 diesel.