AN EVEN GREATER EIGHT (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_peugeot3008hybrid_2020

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 84

Back in 2020 with its P84-series MK2 3008, Peugeot wanted to be a key player in the plug-in hybrid part of the mid-sized SUV segment with this car, the 3008 Hybrid. It looks smart, certainly makes the efficiency numbers and will work well as a package for a family buyer wanting a degree of EV tech but not quite ready to take the plunge into full-battery motoring. But though the plug-in technology on offer here is pretty cutting-edge, it's also pretty heavy and pricey.

Modelsword count: 8

5dr SUV (1.6 petrol PHEV) [Allure, GT-Line, GT]

Historyword count: 188

Plug-in Hybrid technology may turn out to be one of the more short-lived of the motor industry's propulsion options. The first plug-in hybrids didn't arrive until around 2015 and by 2020 there was already talk of future legislation banning them by 2035 (though in a post-Covid world, who knows how far that deadline might be extended?). What we do know is that right here and now, plug-ins (or PHEVs) are often the undecided green motorist's preference. The fully electrified commuting mileage, the absence of range anxiety and low taxation of PHEVs are all tempting. But the elephant in the room remains the high cost of this technology, which reflects in the price of all current contenders, including the one we look at here, the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid. Can it stack up as a used buy? In P84 form, this car sold until Spring 2024. Don't confuse this 1.6-litre PHEV 3008 with the very different 1.2-litre self charging 3008 Hybrid P84 model introduced in 2023 for a short spell until the end of MK2 model 3008 production. It's the longer-lasting 2020-2023-era PHEV P84 3008 variant we look at here.

What You Getword count: 331

As usual with plug-in models, visual differentiations from the standard variants are few. In this case, that means special dichroic badging which you'll find on the front wings, an extra filler flap and a cyan light that shines from the interior mirror when the car is in all-electric motion. Inside, the hybrid model changes are subtle in the very high quality cabin. There's a little 'lightning bolt' piano key button just below the centre-dash infotainment screen which accesses various hybrid-specific functions. There's an extra 'Energy' display option for the instrument binnacle screen; and the auto gearbox lever gains an extra 'B' option so that regenerative braking force can be altered. That's about it. As ever with a MK2 3008, the interior feels of much higher quality than you'd expect from a volume brand, aided in sophistication by a digital instrument binnacle screen and a huge display for the central monitor. As usual with a modern Peugeot, there's an 'i-Cockpit' dash layout you'll have to get used to that leaves you looking over the (smaller) steering wheel at the instrument binnacle, rather than conventionally through it. A word about those instrument gauges: they represent another of this cabin's defining talking points, conventional dials completely replaced by a fully configurable and customisable 12.3-inch colour screen. Just about everything else you'll need to know can be found on what looks like a tablet PC attached to the fascia, a multifunction colour touchscreen that's 10-inches in size. What about the rear seat? Well because this design was created from the outset to accommodate battery power, there's no compromise in rear seat accommodation and a couple of adults will be quite comfortable. Boot space is, perhaps inevitably, compromised considerably by the battery placement (down to 395-litres from 520-litre normally). The fuel tank size is 10-litres smaller too. In compensation, this Peugeot offers an extra 25-litre under-floor stowage area for storing the cables. And a ski hatch so you can push through longer items into the cabin.

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