The Peugeot 3008 remains the reference in the SUV segment, especially with its new 180 hp petrol engine coupled to the EAT8 automatic transmission. Its price starts at 36 250 €.
With the entry into force of the WLTP standard, which is much stricter on pollutant emissions , Peugeot was quick to overhaul its 1.6-liter 1.6-liter supercharged petrol engine with 165 hp, in service on the 3008 , to give birth to a 180 HP Pure Tech inaugurated elsewhere on the new 508 .
This mechanism is only associated with the Aisin EAT8 automatic gearbox of Japanese origin. The latter transforms the temperament of the brand’s flagship SUV to the lion, which had only six gears with the same box, and gives it the tax advantage of a penalty reduced to just € 90.
A well calibrated EAT8 gearbox
To soften the bill of the 3008 penalty driven by the 165 hp THP, the reports of the box EAT6 were long, especially the last two. The arrival of the EAT8 changes everything with tighter ratios exploiting the best performance of the engine whose best performance is reached at 5,500 rpm against 6,000 rev / min at the former.
However, the red zone remains at 6,500 rpm, limit where the reports go up a notch, even in manual mode, once the orders taken by the fixed pallets behind the steering wheel.
Thus, knowing the theoretical speeds at 1,000 rpm, the comparison is easy to make for each report, namely 52, 89, 135, 181, 246 and 312 km / h for the 165 hp and 43, 74, 113, 150, 180, 220, 273 and 328 km/h for the 180 hp.
A real driving pleasure
Figures that justify the almost second gained at 0 to 100 km/h (8 ” against 8”9) and a top speed of 221 km/h more easily reached than the 208 km/h of the old model.
However, the 180 hp Pure Tech hardly evolves in terms of torque and it’s a bit of a small gap, with a gain of 10 Nm, or 250 Nm from 1,650 rpm, against 240 Nm, but from 1,400 tr / min. Compared with the 400 Nm at 2,000 rpm of the 180 hp diesel whose power cap on the other hand at 3,750 rpm. But it’s another philosophy of displacement that has nothing to do with the pleasure of driving. A pleasure precisely found with this new mechanical assembly proposed on the 3008.
Finally, another satisfaction comes from the consumption which theoretically earns nearly a litre and that translates into 7.8 litres per 100 km on a city-road route done in a tonic way.
Generous equipment
The Peugeot 3008 is appreciated for its handling, the comfort of its suspensions and the famous e-cockpit, standard on all models with its configurable digital instrumentation as the small steering wheel with its two flats. The arrival of Pure Tech 180 hp adds an extra tone including activating the Sport mode.
The GT Line trial version (€ 38,350) represents the top of the range with a very complete equipment that includes full LED projectors and the passage of automatic high beam, connected navigation with voice recognition and a whole battery of driving aids like the 360 ° vision on the central screen, very useful to perform a reverse. Finally, to improve traction on slippery or unstable floors, the Grip Control system is optional at 450 €.
