The French are back with the Peugeot 3008 2019

The world of compact crossovers is so competitive and busy that it’s almost impossible for most people to keep a track of the movements within the segment. There’s at least one (usually more) offering from each major carmaker from America, Europe, Japan, Korea, and China to cater the demand from this segment. One such key player cashing in on this demand is the French carmaker Peugeot with their 3008. The first generation avatar of the Peugeot 3008 made its debut in 2009, and as expected, it was pretty well-received. The 3008’s platform is shared with many other Peugeot and Citroen vehicles, as it was co-developed by the two French companies.

The first iteration of the Peugeot 3008 remained in production for almost eight years, and was only succeeded by the second-generation model in 2016. This second generation 3008 features a brand-new design, better technology, and did even better than its predecessor. Since 2016, however, then, Peugeot hasn’t tinkered much with the 3008 and thus, it remains vastly the same car for 2019MY as well. In the UAE, the 2019 Peugeot 3008 goes up against the Volkswagen Tiguan, Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage, and Ford Escape.

Exterior

The 2019 Peugeot 3008 definitely has a unique and eye-catching exterior styling, compared to most of its rivals. Most importantly, the new 3008’s design is a vast improvement over its predecessor, which clearly didn’t look too nice. The front fascia of the 2019 Peugeot 3008 features a muscular hood, wide chrome-covered grille, stylish LED headlights with neat LED daytime-running lights, aggressively-sculpted bumper with distinctive foglight housing, large air intakes, and a faux skid plate.

The urbane and flowing design along the 3008’s sides looks cool and chic. This design is further complimented by the heightened ground clearance, suave 19-inch alloy wheels, black plastic cladding, and a blacked-out C-pillar that contributes to the trendy ‘floating roof’ effect. The back of the 3008 features sophisticated 3D-design LED taillights, a prominent roof-mounted spoiler, and a black rear bumper with a chrome strip and fake exhausts. The 2019 Peugeot 3008 measures 4.447 meters in length, 1.841 meters in width, 1.615 meters in height, and boasts a wheelbase of 2.675 meters. The five-seat configuration of the 3008 means its deep boot can hold up to 520 liters of luggage.

Interior

Among all of its closest rivals, it’s the interior design of the 2019 Peugeot 3008 that truly stands out. The styling is not only looks ultra-modern and contemporary, but it’s also very different and unique to Peugeot – especially the petite steering wheel. This cabin also makes good use of soft-touch plastics, metal accents, and good quality switchgear. Overall, there’s sufficient space for five adults and practicality is good as well.

The 2019 Peugeot 3008 comes with automatic LED headlights, power tailgate, panoramic glass roof, leather upholstery, digital driver’s display, paddle shifters, parking sensors with rear camera, head-up display, ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, a 10-speaker premium sound rig, and a touch-infotainment system with navigation. Some of the 3008’s safety tech includes 6 airbags, hill assist, and electronic stability and traction program.

Engine and performance

Under the svelte hood of the 2019 Peugeot 3008 is a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-banger that makes 165 hp and 240 Nm of twist. Driving the front wheels through a 6-speed automatic transmission, this engine can propel the 3008 to 205 km/h, and from 0-100 km/h in 9.0 seconds. Fuel consumption is low at just 6.0 L/100 km.

Verdict

The 2019 Peugeot 3008 range is priced between AED 95,000 and AED 123,900 for the base and full-option trims, respectively. Meanwhile, insurance premiums start from AED 2,138 and AED 2,788.