Review: 2022 Peugeot 3008 facelift - Space, comfort, & style, who says you can't ever have it all?

• Exterior – Rage against conventional
• Interior – Learn it to love it
• Cabin space – (Almost) nothing to hate
• Driving Performance – Hatchback sharpness
• Ride comfort – A balanced drive
• Conclusion – What alternative? It's a proper contender
• See the Peugeot 3008 at WapCar Auto Show Exhibition this weekend

Knowing what works and what doesn't – and addressing the latter – is an all-important skill; we'd argue it's even more so in our cutthroat world of cars. Changing the recipe of a product to better face buyers' needs is commendable, and that's testament in the brilliance of the 2022 .

Exterior – Rage against conventional

1st gen 3008 facelift (top) is quite a rare sight in Malaysia. Not that we're complaining

If you do remember the first-gen 3008, they're probably not all nice reasons: it looked pudgy, and fit neither into any SUV or MPV moulds. Though there was a small following behind it, there's a good chance you may have entirely forgotten about it too, and we won't blame you for that.

Market demands drove Peugeot back to the drawing boards for the second generation, and in 2016, the nameplate now found itself plastered on the boot of a shape that's a little more recognisable.

Distinctive, not distended: wonderfully the opposite of its predecessor

No longer was it a glob of warm pudding; what you have now is a truly striking thing that at least implores more people to come check it out. And last we checked, that's good for business.

18-inch rollers are a bit simple, but gets the job done

LED tail lamps are meant to mimic a lion's claws

In late-2020 the 3008 was facelifted, and a year later that spearheaded the brand's reintroduction into Malaysia, now under the new management of Bermaz Auto Alliance (formerly known as Berjaya Auto Alliance).

What a look. 'Allure' – coincidentally the sole variant offered here – is the right word for it.

Hallelujah for real exhaust exits

People stealing glances at you is something prospective owners should know will happen, or at least that's what my week-long experience tells me.

Maybe it's the colour. Cuprite Brown is a 3008-exclusive shade, and I think it's a better, ballsier choice than traditional black or white. But then again there's so much visual drama around this it's hard to pinpoint what exactly is so attractive.

Not many cars can pull off brown well. If you've got it, flaunt it

A particular favourite is the way the diamond-like grille flows into the scythe-sharp daytime running lights-cum-indicators, and how that neatly flows into the rest of the car…that's design excellence right there.

Interior – Learn it to love it

You want a show-stopping interior then a Peugeot is what you get, plain and simple. They're unmistakeably European in execution (simple things the Japanese would do are unnecessarily complicated here), but oh boy do they make up for it in flair.

Inside, the cabin consists of the brilliant 12.3-inch i-Cockpit digital instrument cluster that has received slightly better graphics and contrast, and the infotainment screen is wider now at 10-inches. The former is lightly customisable, and the added sharpness helps with visibility even under bright lights.

Beyond new seat stitching and the wireless Qi charging tray, most of the interior stays the same as the pre-facelift: there's no new trim materials, and the expansive sunroof remains.

Part and parcel of the Pug Life means you accept that form takes precedence over function sometimes, and usually this requires some form of recalibration from the driver.

Ambient lighting is static (no motions unlike Mercedes-Benz's) but you get to choose from many different colours

The 3008 asks this of you twice: the first is when you set the lozenge-shaped steering wheel to below the instrument cluster – instead of looking through it like you would in most cars. You’ll have to sit up higher than usual to get the best visibility.

This one took some time acclimatising as it felt awkward the first few times. Maybe even a little bit 'tryhard' but once I got used to it it really wasn't that much of a concern anymore. One thing I'd say though: the smaller-radius steering wheel for the sportier, sharper steering effect works well on the 2008, but a bit out of place in the more mature 3008.

Even haptic buttons at the sides would've helped somewhat

The second time is when you need to access everything else over the course of a drive. Putting pizzazz over practicality means controls for climate, entertainment, and car settings are all annoyingly squirrelled into the now-larger infotainment touchscreen.

It's actual job at being an infotainment though is pretty good. Sound quality is par for the course of cars in this price range, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are nice to have, and the in-car microphone is one of the clearest we've tested.

Valuable screen real estate is taken by A/C controls

It’s a good thing the touchscreen doesn’t fumble when a lot is asked of it, but things get messy when you can’t back out of your navigation / aircond settings / music with a simple press of the ‘home’ button.

Because it doesn’t exist.

See the picture above; having digital sliders to control the temperature and fan speed would be a logical consolation, but no…you need to click into it, set whatever you want, then awkwardly stumble out by pressing button combinations even I don't remember now.

Remembering what does what warrants drivers taking their eyes off the road at least for the few times, not ideal

Why can’t the volume knob be replaced for one to control air-cond instead (which will be fiddled with significantly more anyway) instead of being a redundant, third volume control?

As long as you don't expect Japanese ergonomics, you'd do well. This cruise control stalk placed on the bottom left of the steering column may take getting used to at first, but you'll surprisingly warm up to it in no time.

6-way electric adjustment for both front seats, though the driver gets 4-way lumbar adjustment

But that’s just about the only complaints we have about the 3008’s cabin. We like the unobtrusive, high driving position it offers, and we love how the plush semi-bucket leather seats hold us tight in the corners we took a smidge too fast (more on this later…)

Cabin space – (Almost) nothing to hate

Hmm, I wonder what that little box is…

Eugh!

We certainly can't criticise much else, not at all about its cabin expanse. Aside from the faux pas that is having the fuse box in the glove compartment, every other storage space redeems itself in sheer volume.

You get 10 cupholders – 8 of them large enough to gulp 1.5-litre water bottles – and a cavernous centre console that schools other carmakers on how to design them. It's huge!

On the boot floor is a temporary spare tyre

Boot space is a respectable 591 litres, whacking both the CR-V's 522- and CX-5's 445 litres. Folding the second-row seats down boosts that to 1,591 litres.

Space for human beings do not lose out to competitors too. Yours truly is 175 cm tall, and there's three tennis balls of legroom, and one for headroom.

Wide opening angle makes for easy entry and exit

Curved seat backs lend to larger legroom; rear air-cond vents are a nice touch

Three-abreast seating round the back is a cinch, and for the little ones there's ISOFIX tethers too.

Driving Performance – Hatchback sharpness

Mechanically, the 3008 is set up exactly the same as the pre-facelift models so the 1.6-litre Turbo High Pressure (THP, not the newer PureTech engines available elsewhere) lump stays, churning 167 PS and 240 Nm.

Power is fed to the front wheels via a 6-speed Aisin-made torque-converter automatic.

Advanced Grip Control rotary dial allows you to choose between five traction modes including Snow, Mud, and Sand

Characteristics are familiar. In normal mode it's rather sedate, with a slightly muted throttle response and the transmission doesn't kickdown so eagerly. It's just…normal, but thankfully doesn't feel anaemic that you have to keep in Sport mode.

Sport mode meanwhile whips the powertrain alive by sharpening throttle response, adding weight to the steering, and pumping in artificial engine noise. It's a neat party trick, but it is slightly disconcerting as the car gets pretty jumpy then.

The Peugeot 3008 completes the 0-100 km/h test in 10.48 seconds, and takes 42.71 meters to stop from that speed.

We also put the 3008 through our usual fuel consumption cycle, racking up 125 km on the drive. It covered roughly 60 percent of highways and 40 percent in urban traffic.

Out of that we got 9.1-litres/100 km, a little off the claimed 7.0-litre/100 km. But this is despite our harder than average driving.

Ride comfort – A balanced drive

Subcompact SUVs of this category usually are set one of two ways: it’s either manufacturers misinterpret cushiness with an overly soft-sprung ride, or completely go the other direction and introduce gigantic alloy wheels with stiff suspension (supposedly ‘sporty’) that you’ll regret at the first teeth-clattering pothole.

The 3008, though, treads a very welcome line between the two. Soft enough to offer all the comfort a family car should, but with an incisiveness in corners that you don’t exactly need but will relish when you’re driving alone, daydreaming as the star in a Taxi remake.

“Wait what Taxi?” Consider your weekend movie plans sorted…

Mutli-link rear suspension helps things

Anyway, I digress. Pin all the 3008's talents on the magnifique chassis and steering wheel – a little light on feel yes, but with razor sharp reactions – because you have a drive that belies its family-friendly look.

Hunker down a little, drive sedately, and it responds accordingly with a relaxed gait.

Properly quite cabin adds to the comfort too. 66 dB at 110 km/h is par for the course, but subjectively it feels quieter than that.

Conclusion – What alternative? It's a proper contender

It's just a shame that active safety is sorely lacking in a car of this stature, making buyers live with just three basic ADAS features (Blind Spot Monitoring, Active Lane Keeping Assist, and Driver Attention Warning).

For RM 161,616.66, it's only fair to you want more in terms of specs. Then again the deal is pretty sweet on the aftersales front, seeing as each new Peugeot is covered by a 5-year warranty and maintenance package, inclusive of labour, parts, and lubricants.

Short of the lack of active safety, the 3008 feels genuinely useful, plus it's not hamstrung by its additional heft over a regular hatchback. It feels properly new-fangled in here, in fact; its interior and richness of its drive are particular highlights.

Kudos to Peugeot for turning the 3008 recipe around, for proving that SUV owners can have their cake and eat it too. If you intend to add another crossover to our roads, we implore you to look here, because the 2022 Peugeot 3008 is really quite a charmer.

See the Peugeot 3008 at WapCar Auto Show Exhibition this weekend

Now that you've read about it, come experience the Peugeot 3008 for yourself at our inaugural WapCar Auto Show Exhibition this weekend (1- to 3-July 2022) at Pavilion Bukit Jalil.

Plus, booking one can net you gifts ranging from DDPai dashcams, Trapo air purifiers, INFINITY by Harman speakers, IGL Coatings paint protection, Karcher car wash products, DK Schweizer custom leather upholstery, and more.

The event will take place at the piazza area of Pavilion Bukit Jalil. Visitors are encouraged to register online here to redeem a free door gift. The nearest covered parking to the exhibition area is Car Park Entrance C, just before the slip road to exit the main road into Pavilion Bukit Jalil.

Keyword: Review: 2022 Peugeot 3008 facelift - Space, comfort, & style, who says you can't ever have it all?