I was seriously impressed by Peugeot E-3008’s range, which is enough for the longest car trips

Peugeot’s current range has something for everyone, including plenty of family-focused options. The lofty Peugeot e-5008 might seat up to seven – plus room for luggage – but it could be overkill for smaller families. Having recently spent time behind the wheel of one, the new Peugeot e-3008 is ideal for transporting yourself, a partner, two children, and all their associated bits and bobs.

Both cars face stiff competition from the likes of the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Renault Scenic and VW ID 4, but the e-3008 has an ace in the hole. While you can buy one with a 73kWh battery that’s good for up to 326 miles, it’s also offered with a far bigger 98kWh pack that promises a whopping 435 miles per charge.

A sloping rear roofline might mean the back end isn’t quite as accommodating as the more cavernous e-5008, but there’s still oodles of space inside, along more all the tech you could really want. That battery means it’s no lightweight, though, so is it any good to drive?

The styling

Peugeot’s design team has really been allowed to flex lately. The line-up is somehow now consistent yet each model looks wholly individual. The e-3008 is a great example of that, especially if you get it in one of the livelier colours (like Obsession Blue) rather than the more sober shades (Artense Grey) that tend to be so popular these days.

The front end is very distinctive, with a nice theme running through the grille, badge and lighting arrangement. The same goes for that back end, which continues Peugeot’s current theme for producing very eye-catching light arrays. That tailgate really does slope too, with an angle that cuts right into the rear pillar line. This is quite a high-riding model, which should mean added ease of use for folks piling family-oriented items into the front and back seats or that high-lift tailgate. The contrasting black trim flourishes along the bottom of the doors and the dark coloured roof finish things of nicely too.

Inside, Peugeot has beefed up its cockpit ideas even further than its earlier electric models – albeit with some tell-tale Stellantis group switchgear. That drive mode selector must’ve paid for itself many times over at this point. The ambience is really quite premium in feel otherwise, despite some plastic trim on display. Even that has been executed quite well, and looks better than it sounds if you scratch your fingernails across it.

Seat coverings, and indeed the seats themselves, are spot-on, with generous levels of comfort and plenty of legroom in the front and in the back. Although yes, that sloping roof does make it less practical for tall adults getting in and out. My Allure trim model didn’t have the panoramic glass roof option, so things felt quite gloomy in the rear.

The practical feel is enhanced still further when it comes to the boot, which is big at 588-litres, but can be made much bigger with some rear seat juggling.

The drive

How often do you want to think about plugging in? The 98kWh battery e-3008 really can rack up the miles before demanding a charge, but to be honest the entry-level model is perfectly adequate for most family excursions. I certainly didn’t need more than the promised 326 miles of range, given my passengers were likely to need a toilet stop before the battery required more juice.

Even EVs with extensive range need to charge at some point, but the e-3008 makes this as painless as possible. 160kW charging lets it get from 20% to 80% in around 20 minutes, which is barely enough time to get everybody to the loo and the shop at a decent motorway services. This car is certainly practical if you’re keen to get on the move again.

Having driven lots of Stellantis group cars, the e-3008’s drive mode setup isn’t anything out of the ordinary – but I found it delivered an enjoyable driving experience in four-wheel-drive, dual motor guise. It’s quick and easy to get the hang of, even if the smaller steering wheel might irritate some drivers who will have to do a bit of column fettling in order to get their view of the dash into some kind of satisfactory setup.

Nevertheless, there are useful tools at the driver’s disposal, with my favourite being the regenerative braking. This can be adjusted using paddles in front of the steering wheel and, with the maximum applied, the braking arrangement adds a lot to the dynamic drive appeal of this car.

Naturally, there’s some weight to the Peugeot e-3008 and, while it never feels exactly cumbersome, this is an SUV that does appear quite hefty when its being worked through corners. The 19in wheels add to the weighty feel, and there is the inevitable discomfort to be had when on rougher surfaces. Something to bear in mind if you live in one of the less good bits of the UK road network. Driven carefully though, and when it’s not pushed, the Peugeot e-3008 is a likeable machine with enough puff to get away nicely at the lights, junctions and roundabouts.

The technology

One of the most notable aspects of recent Peugeots has been the i-Cockpit, which includes the smaller, go-kart style steering wheel. I get on with the latter well, although I know some folks aren’t fans. It’s featured here along with the sizeable Panoramic i-Cockpit instrument and infotainment cluster, which delivers a much more impressive dashboard layout than earlier models.

I found the 21in screen layout quite impressive overall, even though the graphics don’t always look as premium as some of the rivals mentioned above. There wasn’t anything that didn’t work as expected, though, and I was especially impressed with being able to choose lots of mode options for the massage seats in my test car. The functionality did feel a little tricky to work with on the move, however, but that’s par for the course in most cars with so many options buried in the infotainment screen.

Like most people, I’d be inclined to make use of wireless Android Auto or Apple CarPlay if I was going to live with the Peugeot e-3008 for a longer period of time. It just seems much easier to interact with everyday tools, especially sat-nav, even though Peugeot has tried to make life easier for the driver by adding in touchscreen buttons that are on the large side. A smattering of regular buttons might still be the better route for core in-car tasks though.

Peugeot e-3008 verdict

If a chunkier, more upright body shape – and some extra seats – is required, the e-5008 remains the car to consider. However, the e-3008 will be ideally suited to most average families. The Allure model represents the best value, with performance that’s absolutely fine; the GT trim packs in more goodies and there’s a certain allure of the 321bhp and six-second 0-60mph of the all-wheel drive variant, though it gets penalised for the extra fun it offers by chopping the range down to 303 miles.

If you simply want to get to your destination in one go though, try the Long Range edition, which can deliver up to 435 miles. Not many bladders can handle that, mind.

Peugeot e-3008 technical specifications