Road test review: Peugeot 3008 GT HYBRID4

Thursday, 3 June 2021

Take an in-depth look at Peugeot's hybrid system. (Footage supplied)

PEUGEOT 3008 GT HYBRID4
Base price: $89,900
Powertrain and economy: 1.6-litre turbo-petrol inline four plus two electric motors, 220kW/520Nm, 8-speed dual-clutch automatic, AWD, combined economy 1.2L/100km, CO2 28g/km (source: RightCar).

Here it is – the most powerful Peugeot New Zealand has ever seen.

Vital statistics: 4447mm long, 1601mm wide, 1621mm high, 2675mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 395 litres, 19-inch alloy wheels.
We like: Instant electric torque, all-wheel drive (finally), most powerful Peugeot to date.

The differences between the plug-in 3008 and its petrol siblings are subtle, at least until you drive it.

We don't like: Quite expensive, no 3D dash.

We’ve driven the petrol-powered Peugeot 3008 GT, so now it’s time to see if the French SUV benefits from extra electricals. Spoiler: it does, as most do.

This is where the magic happens. I know, it looks like an engine bay. But there are hot-hatch levels of power hiding here.

What sort of electricals are we talking?

Peugeot has given the 3008 some pretty serious weaponry here. Two electric motors are present, one per axle, the rear housing the larger of the pair. They combine with the familiar 1.6-litre petrol engine, which makes 147kW. The front e-motor delivers 81kW and the rear e-motor is rated at 83kW, resulting in total system output figures of 220kW and 520Nm of torque.

The cabin is essentially identical to the combustion-powered model, aside from a few extra screens for the electricals.

* Powerful Peugeot for NZ?

* Sunday Drive: Kia Stinger GT and Peugeot 508 GT

* Road test review: Peugeot 508 GT wagon

There is another plug-in hybrid 3008, but it’s not sold here. That one only uses one electric motor on the front axle.

The larger battery does impact boot space, unfortunately.

The battery is a 13.2kWh unit, enough for a maximum of 60km. It charges at a maximum rate of 7.4kW, enough to fill the cells in 3.5 hours. Plugging it into a socket in your garage means a seven-hour wait for a full charge.

As you may have deduced, this means all-wheel drive is available for the first time on a 3008, fixing one of the longest-standing issues with the model. It also means the plug-in 3008 is the most powerful Peugeot model ever to sell in New Zealand, at least until the 508 PSE arrives (more of an ‘if’ than a ‘when’, sadly…)

The 3008 GT Hybrid4 is undoubtedly a great car. But is the sticker price asking too much?

Wait, really?

Yeah, really. And it feels it, thanks to the instant torque electric motors. The rear motor engages from standstill, with the front one chiming in if you ask for it. There is a small but noticeable changeover when both motors kick in, which feels a bit like a gear change.

All three power sources work together in Sport mode, which also sharpens the throttle response, weights up the steering and changes the gearbox parameters to hold cogs longer.

The 3008 was already quite a good thing on the road as a front-wheel drive petrol car, and adding power to the rear axle only made it better. The Hybrid4 belts off the line, and thrust from the rear means you’re never really lacking in grip. It’ll hit 100kmh in a hair under six seconds, certainly nothing to sniff at, though the engine does get a bit loud along the way.

Peugeot’s eight-speed transmission is generally fine, but it can be caught unawares, taking a second to find the right gear for the job, odd for a dual-clutch. Thanks to the added electrification, there aren’t any of the DCT low-speed lurches, however. Also avoided is the laggy stop-start system that affects the combustion-only models.

So is this 3008 the sporty one, then?

No, thankfully. Not every high-powered range-topper needs to be the last word in sports driving, and Peugeot knows this.

The Hybrid4 retains the soft ride of the regular 3008, which can be a bit wallowy and the standard rubber isn’t entirely up for fast cornering, but it’s lovely for normal day-to-day driving.

You’ve got the same small steering wheel as in the normal 3008 paired with a quick rack, ideal for navigating city streets. It does weight up in sports mode if you prefer a heavier action.

Put simply, the Hybrid4 is exactly what it says on the tin – an electrified 3008.

I should also mention the 3008 GT Hybrid4 gets almost every option ticked by default, aside from a glass sunroof, making it very highly specced.

Okay, so economy is the big headline?

Yeah, well, along with the power. Peugeot claims between 50 and 60km of electric-only range, an achievable figure, along with fuel consumption of 1.2L/100km. Or, in other words, bugger all. Even if you exceed this by a few digits, you’re still looking at an overall range of more than 600km.

Some might scoff at the double-digit electric range but remember, most people drive about 30km each day. That means you can commute to work on electric power and duck into the supermarket on the way home with plenty of charge to spare. Then you just plug it in, like your phone at the end of the day. The smaller battery also reduces the impact on your power bill from noticeable to, well, not. Especially if you can charge up at work.

Unfortunately, the battery does eat into boot space a little. The hybrid can take 395 litres while the combustion 3008s can hold 520 litres. It also adds 340kg to the weight of the car compared to the petrol 3008, for 1815kg total.

Any other cars I should consider?

The pricing of the 3008 Hybrid4 puts it in an interesting position. The better part of $90,000 is a good budget, and other similar plug-in options would include the Volvo XC40 Recharge ($84,900) or the BMW X3 330e ($107,700). For a fully electric, yet considerably smaller option, consider the Mercedes-Benz EQA, which starts at $85,500 in 250 form.

Otherwise, there’s the Kia Niro PHEV and forthcoming Ford Escape PHEV, both starting at the $60k mark, and the Tesla Model Y, though that’s a year or two away yet and we haven’t seen final pricing.