Driven: Premium push for facelifted Peugeot 3008, 5008

FOUR years into the lifecycle of its 3008 and 5008 SUVs, Peugeot Citroen Australia (PCA) has revealed pricing and specification of facelifted MY21 models, starting at $44,990 plus on-road costs for the five-seat 3008 medium SUV and $51,990 plus on-roads for the seven-seat 5008.

Focusing on styling enhancement and technology improvements, the 2021 Peugeot 3008 and 5008 complete a range refresh for the French brand, following the launch of the new-generation 2008 small SUV in February.

According to Peugeot Australia product manager Daniel Khan, pricing for the entry-level 1.6-litre turbo-petrol 3008 Allure (the base 3008 Active was discontinued in 2019) has increased $1000 (to $44,990) over the MY20 model but it features a comprehensive specification.

Aside from new third-generation autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that brings improved low-light pedestrian and cyclist detection, operational between 5km/h and 140km/h, the Allure’s main tech upgrade centres around an upgraded 10.0-inch ‘widescreen’ dash-mounted touchscreen – three inches larger than before.

Multimedia features include Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, digital radio, 3D navigation and a pair of new rear-seat USB ports below the rear air vents, while safety gear covers collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, speed-sign recognition, driver attention alert, adaptive cruise control, active lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, road-edge detection, auto high-beam, front and rear parking sensors, surround-view cameras and park assist.

Allure equipment highlights for 2021 include new LED headlights and three-dimensional LED ‘Claw Effect’ tail-lights, 18-inch ‘Los Angeles’ alloy wheels with 225/55R18 tyres, Advanced Grip Control with Mud, Snow and Sand settings and hill-descent control (exclusive to 3008 Allure), auto-fold mirrors, hands-free electric tailgate, keyless entry and start, an improved 12.3-inch configurable full-digital instrument display (with more ‘blacks’ for greater clarity), dual-zone climate control, rear privacy glass, ‘Colyn’ fabric and leatherette upholstery with mint-green stitching, and ‘Brembo’ cloth on the dash and door inserts.

The mid-spec 3008 GT petrol (replacing the former GT-Line) remains at $47,990 plus on-roads while the 3008 GT diesel is now $50,990 – $4000 less than the former GT diesel flagship.

In addition to the Allure’s spec tally (beside foregoing Advanced Grip Control), the 3008 GT features full-LED adaptive headlights with integrated ‘fog mode’, GT-specific front and rear bumpers, 18-inch ‘Detroit’ diamond-cut two-tone alloy wheels, a Black Diamond roof and black mirror caps, perforated-leather steering wheel, ‘Mistral’ Alcantara and leatherette upholstery with Alcantara dash and door trim inserts, black roof lining and a frameless, auto-dimming rearview mirror.

The 3008 GT diesel uniquely features adaptive cruise control with stop and go and automatic restart, lane-positioning assist, and an eight-speed automatic transmission for its 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine.

A new range-topping variant – the 3008 GT Sport – asks $54,990 and is an Australia-only model, created by incorporating an optional ‘Black Pack’ styling aesthetic as standard, much like the 2008 GT Sport.

Its premium specification includes onyx-black 19-inch diamond-cut ‘Washington’ alloy wheels, a cleaner and more powerful 133kW 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine with an eight-speed (instead of six-speed) automatic transmission, heated front seats, eight-way electric adjustment for the driver with massage function and two-position memory, Nappa leather upholstery, Lime Wood dash and door trim inserts, and a nine-speaker, 515-watt FOCAL sound system with 12-channel digital amplifier and subwoofer, in conjunction with acoustic laminated front and side glass.

The only options on GT Sport are an electric glass sunroof ($1990), metallic paint ($690) or premium paint ($1050). The 3008 GT offers a Nappa leather option ($3590), which includes heated front seats and electric driver’s seat with massage function. The sole option on the 3008 Allure is metallic/premium paint.

Being a very close relative of the 3008 (both SUVs are the same from the B-pillar forward), the MY21 5008 seven-seater mirrors much of the model line-up of the five-seater.

Offered in just two models – GT petrol ($51,990) and GT diesel ($59,990) – the spec level of these 5008 GT variants mirrors the 3008 GT, with minor exceptions.

The 5008 GT petrol wears the same 18-inch ‘Detroit’ alloys as the 3008 GT, whereas 5008 GT diesel scores unique 19-inch ‘San Francisco’ matte-onyx alloy wheels with 205/55R19 tyres (all models running the newer eight-speed auto feature narrower tyres to improve fuel efficiency).

The 5008 GT diesel also gets adaptive cruise with stop and go and automatic restart, as well as heated fronts seats with driver’s eight-way electric adjustment.

Visually, the facelifted 3008 and 5008 are identical from the B-pillar forward, meaning they share new-for-2021 frameless grille designs with 3D-effect patterning and striking new LED headlights with blade-effect LED running lights, as per the 508.

Both 3008 GT and GT Sport, and 5008 GT models feature their own grille designs with extended lighting signatures and built-in ‘fog mode’, which dims the main beam lights when the rear foglights have been activated. At the rear, there’s updated badging and new 3D tail-lights with sequential indicators.

Drivetrain-wise, it’s much the same as before, apart from the 3008 GT Sport’s fresh powertrain. Petrol-engined Allure and GT models of both body types carry over their 121kW/240Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol fours, each tied to a six-speed automatic. Official combined-cycle fuel numbers are 7.3L/100km (3008 Allure) and 7.0L/100km (3008 GT and 5008 GT).

The 3008 GT Sport gains an uprated 133kW/250Nm version of the same 1.6 turbo, tied to a new eight-speed automatic. Not only is it capable of meeting stricter Euro 6.3 emissions, it’s also significantly more economical at 5.6L/100km on the combined fuel cycle.

But the fuel-consumption prize still goes to the 3008 and 5008 GT diesel variants. Both models feature a carry-over 133kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four, tied to an eight-speed automatic and rated at 5.0L/100km on the combined fuel cycle.

Peugeot says that a plug-in hybrid 3008 with up to 59km of pure electric range and the availability of either front- or all-wheel drive is coming to Australia in the second half of the year, most likely Q4.

PCA also announced capped-price servicing for facelifted 3008/5008. With scheduled servicing intervals of 12 months/20,000km, first-year pricing is $397 for petrols and $427 for diesels. Second year jumps to $752 for the diesels, $775 for the six-speed petrols, and $711 for the 3008 GT Sport.

Total service cost over five years (or 100,000km) spans $2639 (3008 GT Sport) to $2841 (3008/5008 GT diesels).

Globally, the 3008 in particular has been a huge success – over 800,000 sales since 2016 and currently the third biggest-selling SUV in Europe. The 5008 has achieved more than 300,000 global sales since launch.

In Australia, the 3008 and 5008 remain peripheral players, with a best of 1372 sales (3008) and 508 sales (5008) in 2018, falling to 881 (3008) and 242 units (5008) in 2020.

In the first two months of 2021, sales of 3008 total 41 (down 69 per cent) and 5008 total 25 (down 49 per cent). That compares to 306 sales year-to-date for the Volkswagen Tiguan, which is also about to be replaced with an updated model.

2021 Peugeot 3008/5008 pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs