Peugeot 3008 Allure Automatic Frogs legs and snails be damned!..This Pug is very palatable.

Distinctive styling marks out the Peugeot 3008

AS most of us are only too well aware, perceptions have much to do with how the SA motor industry is driven and that means that really good cars are consigned to the side lines while some rather ordinary ones march out of showroom floors in their hundreds.

In my book, Peugeot is a brand that’s got on the wrong side of the perception barometer and it matters little, it seems, how good the product is. That needle sticks on the low pressure side notwithstanding that in the 3008, Peugeot has a vehicle that should get the barometer needle permanently stationed on the fair weather side.

The 3008 I refer to is a little hard to define in terms of categorising but let’s just say it’s best-described as a Crossover, being something of an amalgamation of hatchback and station wagon. In terms of styling appeal, it might just be accused of being a little ornate here and there, partly as a result of the deployment of rather a lot of heavy chrome inlays which nonetheless were marginally disguised against the beautifully-applied metallic white paintwork of the test unit.

There’s also quite a bit of black deployed externally. Some is of the gloss variety in the shape of a hefty inlay at the base of the rear window and some is of the matt variety in the form of bold vents in a nose which also incorporates chrome-ringed foglamps awaiting their fate in the face of a barrage of flying stones.

Whatever the detail, this Pug’s overall shape is boldly presented without fear of being confused with any other brand such that it assumes, to a large degree, an air of importance that could well place it one segment above where it actually sits. What is also does is demonstrate the simply massive strides made by Peugeot in sorting out assembly quality.

I readily admit that I have a near-fetish about panel alignment and panel gaps and in this respect, the undisputed leader in my book in terms of precision of assembly is, and has been for years, VW/Audi. Well this giant conglomerate must now share the podium with Peugeot as the precision and tightness of the panel gaps is right up with the best. That means the doors open and close flawlessly and this precision of fit, along with the use of multiple rubber seals that include a lower lip to keep dirt off the sills, ensures that wind noise is very well suppressed and that clothing remains clean when passengers alight.

Rear seat passengers enjoy plenty of space, particularly in terms of head and foot room

The afore-mentioned white paintwork is also flawlessly applied and endowed with a gloss that puts many an expensive car to shame, so it’s time to put any perceptions of indifferent French workmanship firmly to bed.

Open one of those perfectly aligned doors and the interior execution quickly affirms that this Gallic attention to detail remains fully intact. Bear in mind that this Allure model is not a range-topper, as evidenced in part by the use of cloth seating panels, and you’ll still have no cause to not feel pampered. For the record, the full range consists of a mix of Active, Allure and GT Line combinations.

The level of equipment is terrific for the outlay and for the class, and so is the widespread deployment of soft-touch surfaces. Those seats are large, well-bolstered, decently supportive and beautifully tailored right down to how the backrests are finished on the rearward side. And front seat occupants enjoy adjustable lumbar support and height adjustment as well as precise rake adjustment afforded by a rotary controller.

High quality, tweed-like cloth blends with what I’m assuming is artificial leather to provide front pews that are barely bettered in the industry for comfortable posture while pax in the back enjoy surprisingly generous head and foot room in particular, albeit that the 60:40 folding backrest doesn’t offer quite the degree of support its shapely presentation might suggest. Luggage space works out to 591L/1670L in a beautifully-finished compartment that sadly sports plastic sides, but which hides a full-sized alloy spare.

Up front, there’s a cockpit-like cosiness imparted by the generously-padded dash and substantial centre console, all of which is enhanced by the brilliant, standard-fit “virtual” 12.3-inch instrument display (dubbed i-Cockpit) and large centre-mounted touch-screen that houses innumerable functions, not least sat nav that can be extended to the driver display as well.

The range of functions that can be called up matches anything in the upper echelons as does the quality of the graphics. Only the rev counter, which in its more conventional “analogue” display form works anti-clockwise, seems out of kilter, but one Gallic glitch is allowable! Add in two-zone climate control, Bluetooth, blind-spot detection, ambient lighting, keyless go with remote entry, hill assist, electric windows, folding mirrors, cruise control, an array of interior lights and loads of connectivity, including power connections front and rear, air bags everywhere and so on and you’ll have no cause for complaint ……. except for two issues.

The cabin is well kitted out with oddments spaces which include a dual-lidded centre armrest and reasonably commodious cubby hole which are superbly trimmed with high grade flock. Sadly, Peugeot saw fit to leave the generous door pockets devoid of any trim materials so keys and the like skate around the hard, plastic containers with abandon. A strange omission, especially given the high- quality trimming of the roof lining and windscreen pillars, for example.

Distinctive styling marks out the Peugeot 3008

It’s those pillars though that attract negative comment number two. They are quite steeply angled and hefty, and in partnership with the bulky wing mirrors, they contrive to block front three quarter visibility to an alarming degree, so extra care needs to be taken when entering roads at a right angle.  Rearwards visibility, by contrast, is way better than most.

It should be apparent by now that the cabin of the 3008 is a jolly nice place in which to spend considerable time – please go to www.peugeot.co.za for a comprehensive run-down on model configurations – but the burning question is whether or not the Pug is a nice device to drive.

Again, the answer is: “Mais oui!” despite the fact that it only has 1.6 litres to push along all those nice fittings and fixtures. Peugeot is no stranger to the art of turbocharging and this widely-used mill relies on artificial puff to endow it with more shove than might be reasonably expected.

The figures tell you power peaks at 121kW while torque peaks at 240Nm, an output achieved at a mere 1 400rpm. The manner in which a motor delivers is often more important than figures themselves and, In everyday use, this motor has just enough muscle throughout the rev range to make for easy progress with enough all-out poke to hit 100 in around 8.9 seconds and to reach 201m/h.  Out on the motorway, that turbo muscle ensures that revs are kept at a very relaxed level so progress is pleasantly quiet, but should the need exist to get moving, there are enough resources under the bonnet to ensure that overtaking is not a hardship.

Overall fuel consumption, negatively influenced by a high proportion of urban driving, worked out to a mildly disappointing 8.9l/100km but an unscientific test suggests that motorway cruising should offer a more parsimonious figure around 7.0l/100km.

The motor is coupled to an excellent 6-speed auto that offers a Sport override switch and paddle shifters, so the driver never need feel that electronics are doing all the decision-making.  Leave the box to its own devices though and the shifts are smooth, decisive and entirely responsive to the position of the throttle pedal. Importantly, slip is entirely under control so there’s none of that annoying revving accompanied by no speed increase. Sport mode, as you’d expect, sharpens up responses in all quarters including throttle response.

As for ride, the Pug engineers have done a fine job in balancing comfort with acceptable poise. This model rides on smart duo-tone alloys shod with conservatively profiled 225/55R18 rubber and the result is a pleasant experience in a laden or unladen state.  Sure, this Pug rolls a tad more than a more sportily-configured hatchback for example, but it offers a lovely degree of pliancy and a fluidity that’s consistent across virtually all surfaces.

Extraneous noises are all very well suppressed which ensures that refinement levels are top class.

Cockpit-style layout and virtual instruments are a highlight

The steering, naturally, is power-assisted and while the helm does perhaps telegraph a mildly rubbery feel at lower speeds, it is completely unobtrusive and pleasantly direct such that not even the fussiest driver could feel anything other than satisfied. What is more debatable is Peugeot’s use of a tiny, low-mounted but fully-adjustable steering wheel which forces viewing of the instruments over the top of the squared-off rim. The result is that the wheel feels as though it’s resting in the lap but this quirk is hardly an issue with familiarity.

Finally, the all-disc braking system, aided and abetted by a host of electronic aids, works a treat at higher speeds and clearly has loads of stopping power in reserve, but maybe there’s a tad too much assistance at low speed which requires some pedal feathering to avoid jerky stops.

After a week with the 3008 Allure auto, I have to say I was enthralled, and totally bewildered as to why car buyers aren’t setting up shop outside dealerships to take ownership of what is a thoroughly pleasing all-rounder. It’s as practical as anyone could wish for, it’s beautifully constructed, it’s exceptionally comfortable, it’s very well equipped even in non-range-topping Allure trim, and it drives with a level of composure few class rivals can match.

It’s time to ditch those misdirected perceptions and find out just why I dub this multi-award-winning model as a “Purrgeot.” This phonetic spelling not only telegraphs happiness; it also tells the uninformed how to pronounce the word Peugeot.