Nearly new buying guide: Peugeot 3008

Handsome? Check. Well equipped? Check. Good to drive? Check. And all at a knockdown price

This quirky crossover is ageing well and makes a great used buy

In the case of the Peugeot 3008, the wisdom of buying used or, more specifically, nearly new, is clear. For example, the on-road price of a new 3008 1.5 BlueHDi 130 S&S GT Line Premium is £33,210. Of course, no one pays full price and, sure enough, dealers are happy to slice £2700 off that figure, taking it to £30,510. And that’s before they reach into their back pocket for things like a deposit contribution and a subsidised service plan. So not bad.

But that pales into insignificance beside the saving you can make buying nearly new. How about £8715 off the full price or around £6000 off the discounted one? The car we’re thinking of, which costs £24,495, has done 7500 miles, but it’s a 2019/69-reg so would look brand new.

Has the 3008’s crown slipped? For months following its 2016 launch you couldn’t get one for love nor money, so popular was it. For Peugeot and its dealers, it was the best thing since the 205 GTi. Its handsome looks have blazed a trail for all new Peugeots since and it has spawned a seven-seat version called the 5008.

*Click here to buy your next used 3008 from Autocar*

Still, everything has a sell-by date. Not that the 3008 is on the ropes. It’s too handsome, good to drive and well equipped to be written off yet, so shop with confidence but with an eye on haggling the best price possible.

Talking of which, prices start at around £13,500 for one in basic Active trim. Basic, yes, but it’s awash with tech including the i-Cockpit (a dynamic 12.3in instrument display), advanced safety kit, rear parking sensors, climate control, a digital radio with phone mirroring, 17in alloys and automatic headlights and wipers. Beyond that there’s mid-spec Allure (our pick), then GT Line, GT Line Premium and GT.

No prizes for guessing that diesel engines – our favourites are the reasonably punchy but impressively economical (expect around 53mpg) 1.6 BlueHDi 120 and its successor, the aforementioned 1.5 BlueHDi 130 – dominate the classifieds, but petrols run them close. That’s partly because the petrols are cheaper new, because the 3008 is popular in suburbia where mileages are on the low side and kept in check by PCP limits, and because they’re so darned good. The sweet-natured but still reasonably urgent 1.2 PureTech 130 is our pick.

Which to choose? Given how things look for diesel it has to be the petrol, but that same thinking explains why, despite costing £1500 more when new, a used diesel is today around the same price as its petrol equivalent. We found a 2018/68-reg 1.2 PureTech Allure with 14,000 miles for £18,599 and a same-age 1.5 BlueHDi with 18,000 for just £300 more. Just don’t think of going to Bristol in it.

There are larger petrol and diesel engines, of course, some with automatic gearboxes although the 1.5 BlueHDi 130 is available with a relaxo-matic called the EAT8. It’s pretty impressive.

So, handsome, well equipped, good to drive and ever cheaper: a Peugeot 3008 makes a great used buy.

*BUYER BEWARE*

*Engine* Early 1.2 petrols can suffer premature failure of the timing belt which breaks up and blocks oilways, seizing the engine. The same engine is direct injection so can suffer carbon build up on the valves, that generally becomes a problem at around 50,000 miles. 

*Recalls* There have been a few, so make sure they've been actioned.

*Suspension* Listen for worn droplinks over bad roads.

*Brakes* Sticking calipers have reared their head so check brake function. Also, make sure the electronic parking brake works.

*Lights* The 3008 is festooned with LED lights but they can be unreliable and expensive to replace, so check they all work.

*Interior* This is full of storage boxes and bins so make sure covers slide and open and that all lids are present. the sunroof can leak on GT Line models (look for water stains on the headlining).


*Need to know*

For optimum traction on slippery surfaces, go for Allure trim or up and the optional Advanced Grip Control offering four traction modes – Normal, Sand, Mud and Snow – plus hill descent control.

If you carry tall passengers beware the panoramic sunroof that’s an option (around £870) on most versions and standard from GT Line Premium upwards. It really eats into head room, making the rear cabin even more cramped.

One option worth looking out for is the Focal loudspeaker system, available from Allure trim upwards but standard on GT versions.

Diesel Peugeot 3008s rank fourth in the What Car? reliability survey and petrols fifth. Above them are the Audi Q3, Volvo XC40 and, in top spot, Kia Sportage.

*Our pick*

*Peugeot 3008 1.5 BlueHDI 130 S&S Allure:* This or the earlier 1.6 BlueHDi 120 are our pick for their solid performance and good economy. Allure trim is good value: a 2018-reg 1.5 BlueHDi with 12,000 miles will cost £17,999.

*Wild card*

*Peugeot 3008 1.2 PureTech 130 Active: *It may be the entry-level model but fear not, it’s loaded with great kit, while the 1.2-litre petrol engine is a sweet-natured worker. A 2018-reg with 17,000 miles is £15,500.

*Ones we found*

2017 3008 1.6 BlueHDi 120 Active, 45,000 miles, £13,800

2017 3008 1.2 PureTech 130 GT Line, 32,000 miles, £17,000

2018 3008 1.6 THP 165 GT Line EAT6, 11,000 miles, £22,500

2019 3008 2.0 BlueHDi 180 GT Line Premium, 10,000 miles, £27,900

*READ MORE*

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