Peugeot 3008

This is my second attempt at writing the first report on Auto Express’s new Peugeot 3008.

I started off heaping praise on the practical French model, highlighting its neat features, from the cunning cool box in the centre console to the hill  start-friendly electric handbrake. The whole design is very clever and well thought out. In fact, after 5,424 miles, I was struggling to find anything negative to say.

For instance, the folding rear seats are a joy to use. Simply pull two small levers and the bench stows completely flat in seconds. This kit is essential when you are a busy family man, and you mix cycling and driving to work. Better still, there’s a Range Rover-style split tailgate, which takes the strain out of sliding in my road bike.

It also works as a perch for my kids, as I remove their muddy boots and damp clothes after an afternoon down the allotment, or a walk through wet woodland. Then all of our mud-spattered gear can be bagged up and stored out of sight, under the clever adjustable boot floor. The driving position is just as admirable, and the 3008 has the premium feel of a model costing much more. The fact it’s also comfortable, fun to drive and economical is merely
the icing on the cake.

I had to throw the first draft of my report in the bin last week, though. After visiting friends, I emerged from their house to discover that one of the Peugeot’s tyres was flat.

Once the initial irritation had died away, you’d think this would cause no real problem. Simply go to the boot and retrieve the spare.

But no. It turned out this 3008 didn’t come with an extra wheel. As with many modern cars, our Peugeot had a self-sealing tyre repair kit with an air compressor, in an effort to save weight and costs. There wasn’t even a jack!

Nevertheless, I knuckled down, convinced I’d be on my way in a matter of moments. Three and a half hours later, I was still stranded. Despite following the straightforward instructions, the sealant hadn’t sealed, while the lack of a jack meant I couldn’t just remove the wheel, borrow my mate’s car and nip to the tyre centre. Instead, I had to call Peugeot Assistance. After I’d waited for an hour and 40 minutes, an AA van arrived. The patrolman and I grumbled about the lack of space savers and jacks in new cars, then he removed the wheel and we set off to get it fixed.

In their defence, Peugeot Assistance and the AA man were helpful and courteous. But there is no getting away from the fact the whole sorry episode could have been avoided if there had been a spare wheel. It didn’t improve my mood to learn that all new 3008s now come with a space saver as standard!

Still, now the car is back on the road, my enthusiasm has returned, and I’d recommend this versatile Peugeot to anyone with a family. Before taking the plunge, just make sure there’s a spare wheel in the boot!

Extra Info

On fleet since: N
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