I have driven the Peugeot 3008 SUV GT Line for a week and put it through it’s paces in all types of settings. Sports utility vehicles come in many shapes and sizes, but most never see any other use than the school run or daily commute. That is not my type of driving.

To test a car to it’s full you have to take it where it is designed to go. As the GT Line is the top of the range for the 3008 model line up, it comes with high tech and high specs.
To name a few, Lane Guidance, Speed limit warning, Blind spot detection, Gear change advice, keyless entry and stop start. A couple that intrigued me, were Mud mode and sand mode. Not being near the Sahara or a suitable sand dune, I decided to test the Mud mode and get away from the crowd.
 
Taking the path less chosen, I headed down a Logging road in a £30k car. I was a tad nervous but I needn’t have been. The first stretch of trail was quite hard and flat, and i didn’t even engage Mud Mode. I was having a lot of fun and nerves disappeared as i had to concentrate on the path ahead.

The 3008 handles superbly with the large Continental tyres gripping well and allowing me to steer safely and maintain the direction I wanted to go. A mile or so in to the trail I started to come across more mud, and larger puddles with deep water filled ruts. Slowing down and then stopping, I considered turning round before I got too far away from civilisation and therefore rescue. My test driving instinct took over and I turned the dial in the centre console. From normal driving ti the right and in to Mud Mode, the I-cockpit lit up. ” Adapted Drive: Mud Mode”

I pulled away and the car handled the conditions as if I was driving on Pall Mall. Well maybe not that smooth but grip was maintained throughout and I never had any deviation from my course. It was going so well until turning a corner I met a massive logging lorry coming towards me, like Verstappen heading to the first corner. Brakes work well even with muck, and water as the surface.  (see the footage on Youtube channel MrJezwebb).  I had to perform along and speedy reverse using my eyes and not relying on the excellent reversing display which sits on top of the centre console.
 

Back on tarmac I also had a lot of fun taking the car along winding B roads. I drove it in normal mode and Sport, which is available on the GT and GT Line. Engaging Sport mode, I automatically felt the car stiffen and respond more sharpily, both through the steering wheel and the accelerator. Gear changing is more responsive and the engline note is amplified. This model has 150 BHP, and that power really pushes it along when you put your foot down. Not quick to 60 by sportscar standards, it is still impressive when you floor it and hit 60mph in slightly under ten seconds. If you were in Germany you could continue on to top speed of 129mph, but as I was in rural England on a B road I didn’t quite get to that.
 

The GT Line comes with nice touches inside and out, detailing the model and adding class to the vehicle. I loved the steering wheel shape, it felt so right and allowed such easy turning.
 
 
The one issue I found with the car when on A and B roads was with the Lane guidance technology. When engaged it acts to prevent you crossing lanes in error or without indicating. This is brilliant for Dual carriageways and motorways where you want to stay in lane and continue in one direction. The issue I found is when on and wanting to take bends and overtake, the system tries to steer you back and you feel pulling on oneside of the car through the front tyres. Lesson learnt I disengaged this excellent system when I was on single lane roads.  (See this in more detail on the youtube review).
 
 
 
 
Being an SUV the car has to be Sporty, which it is as you have read, and it has to be practical. This is the utility component of SUV, and the 3008 can certainly be utiliased.

Over the week, I used the GT Line for many tasks. I took my nephews overnight camping and the car held all of our gear. Tent, cooker, rucksacks, and all the food that growing lads need, and that’s a lot.  I then had to take my disabled mother to hospital and before her appointment we had a picnic on the South Downs. The spacious rear takes huge loads and her wheelchair went in without having to adjust seats. I had other passngers in the car or I could have folded the passenger seats completely flat and had a van like capacity.
 
 
 
Whilst filming and photographing the 3008, I filled it with camera kit and people and we all had plenty of room.   The car does have lots of storage areas throughout, with a cavenous centre compartment. Doors have large pockets which can hold large bottles and much more.
Inside the centre console area there is also an area to charge your smart phone, simply by placing it on the charging plate. 8 inch touch screen display connects you to your phone, sat nav and media sources. It also allows you to change the many safety features.

I love the toggle switches designed like piano keys. They allow you to switch between functions.  There are so many features in the i-cockpit it would take up the whole article to cover them.  You can see them working in the film review which as mentioned will be on Youtube MrJezwebb. Links also on website driveandride.org
 
 
 
Summing up I really enjoyed the 3008 GT Line and would recommended it to anyone looking for a car in the same class as a BMW X5, Land Rover Discovery or a much better value option than a Bentley Bentayga. You will get a great handling car with good performance and plenty of technology and specifications. Plenty of space for carrying family, friends and all their bags, ipads and refreshments.  At £30k for this top of the line model it looks a bargain, for what you get. It is also a lot of fun which to me is a very big plus.  Take a test drive you will not be disappointed.
 
words and Pictures by Jeremy Webb
Driveandride.org
@jemweb
 
September 19, 2017Car, drive and ride, driveandride, driveandride.org, jemweb, jeremy webb, mrjezwebb, Peugeot, photography, SUV, wordpress, youtubeEdit