A automobile for all seasons: RAY MASSEY takes a 600-mile round trip in Peugeot’s electrified 3008 GT plug-in hybrid SUV
- It’s nippy and grippy on country lanes and has loads of mid-range oomph
- The 4-wheel drive mode proved invaluable through the big freeze
Given the recent weather — from the large freeze’s icy arctic blasts to the gentle winter sunshine — I actually needed a automobile for all weathers.
I discovered that versatility on a 600-mile round trip in Peugeot’s range-topping electrified 3008 GT Premium Hybrid4 300 e-EAT8 compact SUV crossover — which gave me loads of opportunity to get a great feel, regardless of the weather or the road conditions. Not low-cost at £50,930 (including £1,000 extras). But smart and classy.
And if you happen to’re listening to Middlesbrough-born crooner Chris Rea on the smart infotainment system, it truly is pretty good when driving home for Christmas.
Versatile: Peugeot’s recent SUV crossover is reliable and cozy
Here’s why. It is a plug-in hybrid so, after a charge, I got between 34 and 40 miles of electric-only range, plus great fuel economy when in mixed hybrid mode.
There’s also loads of poke from the 300hp combination of a 1.6 litre 200hp petrol engine and a 110hp (81kW) electric motor linked to an 8-speed automatic gearbox, giving 0 to 62mph acceleration of 6.1 seconds as much as a top speed of 149 mph in sport mode, and even 84mph in pure electric mode, and frugal hybrid fuel economy.
It’s nippy and grippy on country lanes, it has loads of mid-range oomph and is sufficiently comfortable with sporty seats and a great satnav. There’s also a decent-sized boot.
Charging takes around 4 hours from a domestic wall box
Plenty of kit and, thankfully, easy control buttons and toggles. Remember those?
It’s nippy and grippy on country lanes, it has loads of mid-range oomph and is sufficiently comfortable with sporty seats and a great satnav
Not low-cost at £50,930 (including £1,000 extras), but smart and classy
The 4-wheel drive mode proved invaluable through the big freeze, once I needed to scrape the frost off the windscreens and windows and navigate glacially slippery and infrequently ungritted roads.
I began off my epic drive feeling like country singer Johnny Money — ‘the person in black’ — as my Nera Black crossover also had the chic £400 ‘black pack’ option.
By the point I’d finished, I’d kicked up a lot splash from salted A-roads that the automobile looked more grey and white.
Charging takes around 4 hours from a domestic wall box. Plenty of kit and, thankfully, easy control buttons and toggles. Remember those?
Merry Christmas.
Will it slot in my garage? Peugeot 3008 GT Premium HYBRID4 300 e-EAT8
Style: compact SUV crossover
Price: £49,930
Price as driven (with extras): £50,930
Length: 4447mm
Width: 1841mm
Height: 1624mm
Wheelbase: 2675mm
Kerb weight: 1840kg
Gross weight: 2330kg
Engine: 1.6 litre 200hp petrol engine
Electric motor: 110hp (81kW)
Total power (with leakage): 300hp
Battery: 13.2kWh
Transmission: 8-spead automatic gear-box
Drive modes: Electric, Hybrid and Sport
Drive: Front wheel drive
0 to 62mph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed: 149mph (Sport mode)
Top speed in electric mode: 84mph in pure electric mode
Fuel economy: 166.2 to 235.4mpg
CO2 emissions: 28 to 39g/km
Fuel tank: 43 litres
Wheels: 19-inch San Francisco diamond-cut black alloys
Boot space
Rear seats up: 395 litres
Rear seats down: 1357 litres
Charging time
Domestic 7.4kWh wall box: 3 hours 50 mins
Extras on my automobile
Metallic paint: £600
‘Black pack’: £400
Less driving over Christmas a false economy
One in five drivers plans to make use of their cars less this Christmas and Recent Yr to get monetary savings resulting from inflation — with greater than a 3rd (38 per cent) nervous about soaring driving costs akin to fuel.
But it surely may prove false economy warns automobile accessory chain Halfords, which says motorists risk a flat battery when trying to begin engines in January in the event that they leave cars undriven over the festive season.
False economy: Halfords says motorists risk a flat battery when trying to begin engines in January in the event that they leave cars undriven over the festive season
Nearly 1 / 4 (24 per cent) plan to travel lower than usual and one in five say they are going to leave their automobile completely dormant over the festive break.
On this case, Halfords recommends regular battery checks. Its research also revealed that greater than 4 in ten don’t own a spare automobile battery, nearly 1 / 4 (24 per cent) admit they do not know methods to change one and a fifth have never checked their battery.
Citroen commissioned for Asterix’s recent set of wheels
Driving force: Citroen has been commissioned to create Asterix a recent set of wheels based on the legendary 2CV
Arguably France’s biggest hero, Asterix the Gaul is a much-loved cartoon and massive screen character amongst children of all ages and nationalities.
And for his latest film outing — Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom — Citroen has been commissioned to create for him a recent set of wheels based on the legendary 2CV.
Its design team sketched and built the 2CV chariot in lower than three months — in comparison with the standard 12 months it takes to create an idea vehicle.
Advertised as being ‘made in Gaul’ and pulled by two horses, the 2CV chariot has a solid oak chassis, wheels product of recycled shields incorporating Citroën’s iconic chevrons, suspension from an inflated boar-gut stomach and headlights using fireflies.
Set in China but with traditional Roman foes, the film shall be released over here on Netflix in spring.
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