Meet the enchanting new Peugeot
Hybrid cars have been on sale in Europe for a while now. Toyota, Honda, VW and even Porsche all sell hybrid versions of their cars that improve on fuel economy by supplementing their petrol engines with electric motors. Until now, such cars have made the most sense for North America or other regions that don’t buy diesels. In Europe, however, hybrids have remained a nice idea that often makes little financial sense because the mpg of diesel cars are usually close to their hybrid equivalents. Hybrid models are almost always more expensive too because their additional components add cost and weight. The result is that for all but the most committed eco-focused early adopters, they haven’t been that attractive to buy.
But in March, Peugeot will sell its new 3008 Hybrid4 crossover, the world’s first diesel-electric car, created with European buyers in mind. It uses a diesel engine – not a petrol one – so theoretically it should be even more frugal. Fuel economy has the potential to reach as low as 74mpg and the car – when running on low resistance tyres – can emit just 99g/km of CO2. Otherwise it can still reach a very clean CO2 figure of 104g/km. It also offers four-wheel-drive – a first in this segment.
Design-wise the car has the same characterful looks familiar to the 3008, albeit with the addition of some subtle badging. It’s not the prettiest crossover there but just about manages to look like a sporty MPV. If the outside is modest then the interior isn’t. Inside the cabin is comfortable, spacious and sporty and has a near-premium feel thanks to soft touch and leather and chrome-like trim. The driving position is high up and all-round visibility is good. The car also benefits from a magnificent panoramic glass top that runs the length of the roof. Switchgear is simply laid out and the dash instruments and head-up display are easy to read. Just keep the needle within the Eco zone to maximise economy.
The car has a maximum power output of 200 bhp, 163 bhp from the 2.0 litre HDi diesel engine, mounted at the front axle, and 37 bhp from the electric motor, mounted at the rear. That is a lot of power, particularly when you consider the economy and emissions figures the car delivers. The car has four different operating modes: ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle), Four-wheel drive, Auto and Sport. Operation is via a rotary dial on the centre console. In ZEV mode the car drives silently in electric-only mode for about two miles. In four-wheel drive mode the diesel engine drives the front wheels while the electric motor drives the rear ones. This means the car has a soft-road, four-wheel drive ability at low speeds. In Sport mode all of the engine’s power becomes available and the car hangs on to gear changes for sportier driving with power directed to all four of the wheels depending on requirements.
On the road the car feels fast but the handling is more MPV than sports car. I found the road and tyre noise to be noticeably loud too. Gear-shifting, even when using the paddle shifters, was disappointing. The gear changes of the semi-automatic six-speed EGC gearbox can lag annoyingly, though lifting off the accelerator does help. This is a gearbox that has been set up for fuel economy rather than performance and it shows.
Soft-roading on some muddy tracks in 4WD mode the car proved itself surprisingly adept. Sure, it’s for occasional track use rather than serious off-roading but anyone that has experienced the rough winters over the last couple of years may like the extra security of being able to get up slippery tracks or drives.
Engineering-wise, the 3008 Hybrid4 is a very clever car. It offers a lot or power and sport-like driving, yet returns excellent emissions and economy. Add to that some off-road potential and the 3008 Hybrid4 is a very unusual – enchanting even – car.
THE FACTS: PEUGEOT 3008 HYBRID4
PRICE: £26,995
0-62MPH: 8.5SEC
TOP SPEED: 118MPH
CO2 G/KM: 99G/KM
MPG COMBINED: 74.4MPG
THE VERDICT:
DESIGN ****
PERFORMANCE ****
PRACTICALITY ****
VALUE FOR MONEY ***