The test car that I had for the week was the GT Line or level four specification, just one step below the top of the ladder. This gave this car all the creature comforts that anyone could need. From the outside the 3008 is quirky looking, with its accented pieces in black and the striking 18in alloys(pictured inset). It is a good looking car in what is a quite bland SUV market which is populated with the Kia Sportage and the Hyundai Tucson. Sitting into the driver’s seat, the sporty looking and small diameter steering wheel didn’t seem to fit the SUV style of car that it was fitted to with its flattened top and bottom It reminded me more of the steering wheel of a go-kart than a family car. All the switch gear is well positioned and I particularly liked the toggle-type switches below the centre console screen. This 8in screen was the nerve centre for the communication, entertainment and navigation when connected though either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. It was one of the better touch screen displays out there but with one small gripe, the home button was situated in the top left of the screen and was a bit of a stretch to get to from the driving position. I presume that this is a consequence of the fact that it would have been designed for a left hand drive originally. While flicking through the menus I noticed that there was an option to choose different scents for your car and the one of your choice would occasionally be released into the car. This is a new trick from Peugeot and though not exciting, it’s certainly different.

On the road

This 3008 came with the 120bhp diesel engine and the torque converter six-speed manual gearbox. The power from the diesel engine was impressive and made the SUV seem nippy, if not quick. The gearbox was very smooth in normal mode and aggressive enough when asked to be a little sporty. That steering wheel made more sense on the move as the Peugeot SUV showed some real driving prowess as you would expect from one of, if not the best hot hatch builders over the last 30 years. The family-sized car handled very well with very precise and sharp steering when asked to turn in at a brisk pace. The 3008 had plenty of room in it.

My usual test is to put the driver seat where my six foot plus frame is happy driving and then hop in the backseat and see if I would be comfy in the back. I found myself more than comfortable in the back of the 3008.

The boot space is bigger than I expected considering the room in the passenger area, and was more than capable of holding a full family shop for the week with lots of room for a bag of nuts if required.

The 3008 does not come with four-wheel drive but Peugeot can supply it with Grip Control, which they claim can help if you need to make an off-road excursion but it is not a match for having drive going to all four wheels.