Peugeot's latest 3008 Hybrid 136 e-DSC6 makes the petrol/electric option more palatable for customers wanting this model line. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Review

Peugeot says that the 48V Hybrid engine fitted into this 3008 Hybrid 136 e-DSC6 is a great choice if you're not quite ready for the EV revolution - and there's some truth in that. You can't plug this powerplant in, but it delivers a combination of value, performance and frugality that 3008 fans will like. And it's vastly cheaper than the all-electric E-3008 alternative.

Background

All the headlines with Peugeot's third generation 3008 tend to be of the full-electric E-3008 model, but the version that will actually sell in real numbers is this one, the Hybrid 136 e-DSC6. You can't plug it in, but that makes it lighter and cheaper. And if you still fancied a diesel in a mid-sized lifestyle SUV of this kind, the efficiency stats here might make you think again. It shares its self-charging Hybrid engine with Stellantis Group cousin and close rival Citroen's C5 Aircross Hybrid 136 - which is significantly cheaper thanks to Citroen's new pricing policy. So the 3008 will need it's more arresting looks and more avant-garde cabin. It's reasonable value compared to significant Hybrid rivals from other brands though and Peugeot expects that for the foreseeable future, this will continue to be the 3008 variant of choice for many customers. Let's see why.

Driving Experience

In principle, this is one of those 48V Hybrid systems merely designed to allow the car to run solely on electric power when manoeuvring or under very light throttle loads. In practice though, Peugeot says this 3008 Hybrid 136 e-DSC6 can run without fossil fuel for up to 50% of the time on the kind of low-speed commuting journeys that the majority of owners will typically do. The 48V system is based around a 28bhp electric motor embedded into a purpose-designed dual clutch 6-speed auto gearbox. The main source of forward motion though, is the brand's familiar three cylinder 1.2-litre turbocharged Puretech petrol engine, which contributes to a total output of 134bhp, facilitating a rest to 62mph time of 10.2s en route to 125mph. With just 230Nm of torque available though, towing is unlikely to be this car's forte (the braked towing weight is 1,250kgs). You'll need to make frequent use of this Peugeot's 'Eco' drive mode to get anywhere near the frugality figures the brand claims; unlike in rival Toyota Hybrids, there's no button to force the car into EV mode. There's brake regen harvesting set-up to feed energy back into the 48V system's battery (which sits under the front passenger seat), but there are no selectable options to change the regen level.

Design and Build

If you choose this third generation 3008, it'll probably primarily be because you like the way it looks; the sleek fastback styling, the distinctive slim 3D rear light panel and the unusual 'cat's ear' rear spoiler. This is a bigger 3008 than its predecessor, 54mm wider and around 100mm longer than before, though it's still a little shorter than a rival Volkswagen ID.4. There are few body lines and Range Rover-like hidden waistline seals. And inside? Well Peugeot isn't going to abandon its unusual 'i-Cockpit' dashboard design approach - nor should it - but it can certainly evolve this approach, and has here. The previous dinky little low-set wheel is retained but above it, there's now a gently curving 21-inch screen that doubles as a driver display and an infotainment monitor. It's been mounted so as to seemingly 'float' above the dashboard and stretches from the centre console to the A-pillar. As in the old car, there are configurable 'i-Toggle' haptic buttons, but Peugeot has doubled their number to ten. These can be set to deal with basic things like cabin temperature or fan speed; or maybe more eclectic things like reserving one to call a particular person on your phone. It all feels quite high end - the fascia is wrapped in grey textile, beautifully back-lit and highlighted by curved metallic inserts. As for the back seat, well the fastback roofline obviously doesn't help headroom, but this MK3 model's 64mm increase in wheelbase length should mean there's a little more leg space. Out back, there's a 588-litre boot extendable to 1,663-litres.

Market and Model

The Hybrid 136 e-DSC6 model is available with both of the main 3008 trim levels - 'Allure' and 'GT'. Prices start from just under £35,000, which means a saving of just over £11,000 over the all-electric E-3008 model. You'll need about £3,500 to graduate from 'Allure' to 'GT' trim. Peugeot expects a 60:40 sales split between these two trim options. 'Allure' trim includes 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, cruise control, body-coloured accents for the front grille and keyless entry. Plus ambient lighting linked to the drive modes, a wireless smartphone charging pad and wireless 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. 'GT' spec upgrades you to 20-inch wheels and adds a contrasting black roof and rear spoiler, as well as a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, pixel LED headlights with adaptive high beams, adaptive cruise control with stop and go functions, a hands-free opening tailgate and front parking sensors. Each spec level can be specified with a choice of three different options packs. As for safety, all models get 'Front Collision Warning' autonomous braking, plus 'Lane Keeping Assist' with road edge detection. But you'll need to avoid base trim to get 'High Beam Assist' and 'Blind Spot Monitoring'. All the really choice features are reserved for top 'GT' trim, which comes with 'Lane Positioning Assist', a more advanced emergency braking system and 'Adaptive Cruise Control with stop & go'.

Cost of Ownership

Peugeot reckons that this Hybrid 136 e-DSC6 model's 48V mild hybrid petrol engine technology reduces fuel consumption by 15%, with these savings mostly being achieved during urban driving, where as we told you in our 'Driving' section, the brand claims the car can run on just electric power for up to 50% of the time. Motorway efficiency remains unchanged. 3008 models equipped with the 48V Hybrid powertrain have a specific display embedded into the 'i-Cockpit' instrument screen. The digital display shows 100% electric driving (speedometer in blue), the flow of energy in the system, the battery charge level, its operating status via a power meter (Charge, Eco, Power) and the percentage of distance travelled in electric mode at any one time or at the end of the journey. Expect 52.5mpg on the combined cycle and up to 122g/km of CO2. Servicing as usual on a 3008 model is needed every year or every 12,500 miles and the cost of garage visits should be affordable too, though Peugeot's fixed-price maintenance package (there's a choice of three, four or five-year plans) is a touch more expensive than rival schemes. Insurance is 22E for the 'Allure' and 24E for the 'GT'.

Summary

We wondered when Peugeot was eventually going to replace its venerable long-running 1.2-litre three cylinder Puretech petrol unit. In the event, for the time being anyway, all it's actually done is to add a Hybrid system to it, built into a new 6-speed auto gearbox. The brand reckons that's all that was needed and in this form, the 3008 is certainly a very complete package. We're impressed by the efficiency on offer here and the smarter looks of this third generation model are a definite step forward, as is the cabin media tech. It's just a question of whether you can get on with the unusual i-Cockpit dashboard design. We would though, find it difficult to ignore the fact that the identically-engineered Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid 136 is so much cheaper. If you're smitten by a 3008 though, this is probably the one to choose.