• The car: Peugeot 3008 1.2 Puretech 130 Stopstart Allure

• Run by: Claire Evans, consumer editor

• Why it’s here: Peugeot has transformed its 3008 people carrier into a rugged SUV and given it the latest in-car information technology and safety equipment. Are these changes enough to make it a family favourite?

• Needs to: Prove economical and comfortable enough on a 90-mile daily commute and be powerful enough to transport a family of five around on the weekends

Price £23,755 Price as tested £24,280 Miles covered 16,741 Official economy 55.4mpg Test economy 40.0mpg Options fitted metallic paint (£525)

31 January 2018 – sixth Peugeot 3008 report

In the run-up to Christmas, I realised that I’d been ignoring the service light on the 3008’s dashboard for more than a week – not a sensible idea when the Peugeot was earmarked as our main family car for visiting relatives over the festive break.

So, fairly late on the Friday before the big day, I called my local Peugeot dealership on the off chance that they could fit it in for its first service any time soon. I was pleasantly surprised to be offered a slot early the following week – perfectly timed, the day before I was due to take the whole family to visit relatives in Hampshire. I could even have a courtesy car so that my other half wouldn’t have to take time out of his busy schedule to drive me back and forth on the half-hour trip to the showroom.

I was in for a bit of a shock when I headed to Haywards of Sevenoaks a few days later; the forecourt was empty and the showroom was in the process of being dismantled because the dealership was moving to a new premises in Tonbridge.

I almost drove away, thinking I’d have to head further into Kent for the service, but then I spotted the service department desk staff in a far corner of the showroom, huddled up in coats because the heating had been turned off but still happily working in spite of the chaos.

The handover of my 3008 was quick and simple and I was given a new Peugeot 208 to use for the day. Having owned a succession of little Peugeot hatchbacks many years ago, including a 205 and 206, it was great to get back behind the wheel of their newer relative.

The 208 was fitted with the same 1.2 three-cylinder engine as my 3008, and it was interesting to see just how nippy it was around country lanes when fitted into a much lighter model.

My car was ready just a few hours later, and when I went to collect it, I was really impressed with the professionalism of the staff on the service desk and in the service area, who were carrying on as normally as possible while the premises was taken apart around them. My car had been serviced and cleaned and I was told it didn’t need any extra work aside from the service. The cost was £185.

The 208 may have been fun, but the 3008 proved its superior practicality the following day by transporting five adults and a huge amount of food and presents on a 60-mile motorway trip to Basingstoke. The M25 and M3 were appropriately jammed – it was Christmas, after all – but everyone had enough room, the air conditioning kept us from overheating and the 3008’s cushiony ride stopped us from feeling too jostled about when we did finally get moving.

On this and other outings fully loaded with family and kit, the 3008 lived up to its nickname, Big Blue, gained due to the fact that my response to the question "which car are we taking?" is almost always "the big blue one".

More from our long-term Peugeot 3008 >