Peugeot’s classy new 3008 is absolutely rammed with technology – but still not quite enough for my demanding daughter.
Her journey in the cosseted, double stitched, leather-trimmed front passenger seat had been going well until I pushed the massage function button on the driver’s seat and an eight-inch touchscreen lit up with a display offering five different types of massage at different intensities.
“Wow,” she said. “Has my seat got that as well?”
“Err, I don’t think so,” came my rather sheepish reply and off she went on a rant about drivers being spoiled and passengers being treated as second-class citizens.
That is a little harsh, I mused as I enjoyed the ‘cat’s paw’ setting giving me a series of random pokes across my shoulders and back.
OK it’s far from essential equipment, but it underlines the leap upmarket made by the muscular looking 3008, whose interior has moved it into a different league.
Earlier this year the car was named 2017 Car of the Year, the fifth Peugeot to take the title and the first sports utility vehicle to win the accolade in its history.
Part of the reason for its success is the glorious i-Cockpit dashboard which takes the car up a level in sophistication. In front of the driver is a chunky, compact multi-function steering wheel, a 12.3-in digital instrument display that can be personalised at the touch of a button and an eight-inch touchscreen accompanied by a row of satin chrome piano key toggles.
All this blends to create a superbly relaxed driving position, fingertip control of easy-to-access technology and a truly engaging drive – a remarkable achievement for such a large and versatile vehicle.
This is a big, solid, superbly built car in which you can happily swish along for hours without fatigue setting in, though the safety systems will chip in with a gentle reminder or two if you try to push on for too long without taking a break.
Safety plays a key part in the 3008 and the systems on the GT test model are as advanced as any you will find on some of the most expensive cars on the road. So you have adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and a system that gently nudges you back into lane if you inadvertently drift across a white line, not to mention automatic dipping LED headlights, an electrically-operated tailgate and collision warning.
So with all that technology packed inside, Peugeot might just have to consider making massage seats available for everyone on board – you can never have too much of a good thing.
Auto facts
Model: Peugeot 3008 GT BlueHDi 180
Price: £33,155
Insurance group: 24E (1-50)
Fuel consumption (combined): 58.9mpg
Top speed: 131mph
Length: 444.7cm/175in
Width: 209.8cm/82.5in
Luggage capacity: 20.8cu ft
Fuel tank capacity: 11.6 gallons/53 litres
CO2 emissions: 124g/km
Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles
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