Peugeot‘s best-selling car in Australia is getting a pair of plug-in hybrid options.
UPDATE, 27/01/2021 12:20pm – Peugeot has announced a new trim level will join the updated 3008 line. We’ve included the details below.
The facelifted 3008 SUV will be available with two plug-in hybrid powertrains in Australia, offering a choice of front-wheel drive (165kW) or all-wheel drive (220kW). The former has 56km of electric-only range, the latter 59km on the tough WLTP drive test.
Petrol and diesel models will be touching down locally in the first quarter of 2021, with the plug-in hybrid options to follow before the middle of the year as a step on the road to pure-electric power. The PHEV options were available on the pre-facelift model in Europe, but not Australia.
When they touch down, the 3008 PHEVs will go head-to-head with the Ford Escape PHEV and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.
Peugeot has expanded the range of active safety features on offer in its Mazda CX-5 rival, adding a night vision camera to the options list.
The autonomous emergency braking system detects pedestrians and cyclists between 5 and 140km/h, there’s lane-keeping and steering assist, adaptive cruise with stop/go, and a more advanced traffic sign recognition system.
Australian pricing, specification, and engine details haven’t been confirmed for the new 3008, so which features will be offered locally isn’t yet clear.
The 2021 3008 takes an evolutionary approach compared to the car it replaces, with mildly tweaked looks and a new 10-inch touchscreen inside.
Peugeot hasn’t fitted conventional climate controls, meaning owners will still need to go menu diving if they want to change the blower speed, but the screen is now high-definition.
The unorthodox small steering wheel, high-set instruments, and pared-back centre console are carried over, but the graphics on the 12.3-inch digital driver display are new for 2021.
A new range of dashboard trim options, along with new colours for the interior leather, have been added for 2021 as well.
Outside, the new grille bleeds into the headlights, which have been redesigned to more closely mimic those of the 508 fastback and wagon. The signature of the claw-shaped taillights has also been updated, and Peugeot has added a black pack option in Europe.
The 2021 3008 will also be available in a new GT Sport trim level, which adds an exterior ‘black pack’ that includes exclusive 19-inch alloy wheels with a ‘Black Mist’ varnish.
Standard equipment on the GT Sport includes a 10-speaker Focal sound system, while Nappa leather upholstery is also available.
The updated 3008 will be joined by an updated version of the larger 5008, also due in the first quarter of 2021. The seven-seat 5008 won’t be available in plug-in hybrid or all-wheel drive variants, however.
The 3008 is a critical car for Peugeot in Australia. It competes in one of the most hotly-contested segments in the country, and accounted for 44 per cent of the brand’s total volume in 2019.
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