Item: Used Peugeot 3008 Estate 2009 - 2016
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/qashqai/hatchback/review/n7">Nissan Qashqai</a> is the obvious contender. Its boot isn’t as large as the 3008’s, but it has a better reputation for reliability; what’s more, it’s more enjoyable to drive and more comfortable.

If driving enjoyment is paramount, though, you’d be better off with a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mazda/cx-5/estate/review/n19">Mazda CX-5</a>, which is a real hoot to drive. It’s also comfortable and endowed with a high-quality interior.

Another option to consider is the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/yeti/estate/used-review/n621">Skoda Yeti</a>, which beats the lot of them on practicality thanks to its tall, square load space. It also comes with a range of economical engines and offers a fine balance of ride and handling.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter <a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

A variety of problems have been reported by owners, but few seem to be common to every 3008. As above, the most common faults seem to be electrical, although failures of the heating and ventilation systems are also known issues.

The most expensive problems seem to involve the diesel injectors. If these fail, they can cost a frightening amount to replace. You should also be prepared to fork out for diesel particulate filter (DPF) repairs unless you can be certain the car has had plenty of regular motorway use throughout its life.

The What Car? Reliability Index rates the Peugeot 3008 well, with a low score which suggests that what problems its owners do have don’t tend to be too costly to sort out. That marries up with the sorts of problems owners report, which are often small and niggling in nature, with larger, more expensive failures rarer.

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Estate

Peugeot has its strongest model line-up for some years, with some of its cars now rated by our testers as being among the very best available.

Highlights focus around the firm’s newest SUVs, the 3008 and 5008. The 5008 was named Large SUV of the Year at the 2018 What Car? Awards, thanks to its appealing blend of space, interior quality and low running costs.

That bodes well for future launches, too, because many of the learnings from these cars will be passed on as new versions of existing cars are launched – something that could take many years, because the Peugeot range is so big, ranging from an entry-level supermini with the 108 to an executive saloon with the 508, up into the SUV range and also vans.

Buyers should evaluate some of the lower-rated cars in the range more carefully, though. Some are now quite old, and are subsequently left behind in terms of quality when compared with the opposition, making them below-average buys, in our estimation.

PEUGEOT

3008

The Peugeot 3008 blends the ride height of an SUV, the practicality of an MPV and the dimensions of a hatchback into one package

Used Peugeot 3008 Estate 2009 - 2016

One of the best things about the 3008 is its fuel efficiency. It’s one of the most economical cars in its class, especially with the 1.6-litre diesel engine, which offers official consumption figures as low as 68.9mpg, depending on which model you choose.

If you’d rather have a petrol model, avoid the 1.6-litre unit, which is both lethargic and thirsty whether you choose the naturally-aspirated VTI or the turbocharged THP. However, if you can stretch to the later 1.2-litre THP turbocharged engine, things look much rosier, with 57mpg possible according to the official figures.

Servicing costs shouldn’t be too expensive, either; Peugeot dealers offer some reasonable menu servicing deals that should make running a used 3008 pretty affordable.

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The Peugeot 3008 blends the ride height of an SUV, the practicality of an MPV and the dimensions of a hatchback into one package

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/peugeot">Peugeot</a> 3008 suffered from some pretty heavy depreciation, which means early examples are now available very cheaply. You can pick up a high-mileage petrol example for a little over £3000 these days.

Of course, that’s not the version you want. If you’re happy to go for the lower-powered diesel and want a reasonable mileage and a decent service history, you’ll have to fork out around £5000 – although that’s still £1000 less than you’ll pay for the equivalent <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/qashqai/hatchback/review/n7">Nissan Qashqai</a>.

The 3008 had a facelift in 2014, with fresher looks and some new technology. One of these models with low mileage and a full service history will set you back at least £8000.

As we've already discussed, early <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/peugeot">Peugeot</a> 3008s are now looking very reasonably priced, making them look considerably more attractive than the equivalent <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/qashqai/hatchback/review/n7">Nissan Qashqai</a>.

It’s at these lower price points that the 3008 makes the most sense, because by the same logic, of course, the newer, more expensive examples still have quite far to fall in terms of their values.

Diesel versions make the most sense, but keep in mind that the particulate filter systems need regular recharging, for which they require the car to be run up to motorway speeds. So if you don’t do a frequent high-speed journey as part of your normal driving routine, it’s worth taking your new 3008 out every couple of weeks for a quick motorway sprint.

If you’re not prepared to do this, choose a petrol version, though again, make sure you bear in mind the extra fuel costs involved. Active versions offer a reasonable amount of equipment for the money, though if your like your toys you’ll probably want to upgrade to the Sport or Allure versions.

Our favourite Peugeot 3008: 2009-on 1.6 HDI Sport

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Running costs that won’t break the bank </li> <li>Generous kit</li> <li>Pokey engine and tidy handling</li> <li>Spacious interior</li> <li>Boot big enough to cope with family life</li></ul>

The car-buying public has fallen in love with small SUVs, or crossovers as they’re often called, with thousands turning away from conventional hatchbacks in favour of something that rides that little bit higher.

The original baby SUV is the Nissan Juke, which remains a popular choice, but there are plenty of better rivals to consider instead. We’d recommend you look at either the Ford Puma or Skoda Kamiq, because they offer&nbsp;a great blend of practicality and value that keeps them&nbsp;clear of the opposition. Equally, if you’ve got more money to spend, the Audi Q2 and Volkswagen T-Roc&nbsp;are both fine choices.&nbsp;

Small SUV

The What Car? Reliability Index reports electrical issues to be the biggest cause of problems in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/peugeot">Peugeot</a> 3008, so make sure you check every bit of electrical equipment and steer clear of any car showing warning lights on its dashboard.

3008s show their wear up quite badly, so it should be obvious when one has been abused because it won’t feel as nice to drive and there’ll be scuffs, scrapes and other signs of wear throughout its interior. Avoid a car like this, as the chances are it won’t have been maintained to the highest standard, and instead choose one that feels tight and smooth to drive and looks in good condition throughout.

Otherwise, it’s a case of checking the usual areas: make sure there’s no white or blue smoke pouring out of the exhaust; listen for any rattles or taps from the engine, especially around start-up, and make sure the car you’re thinking of buying has been the recipient of regular servicing.

To date, there have been six recalls issued on the 3008. The most serious of these included a fix to add protection to a fuel return pipe that could wear through and leak on cars built between October 2009 and July 2010, and then to replace a fuel heater cover that could allow heat to build up, affecting an electrical connector, on cars built between September 2012 and December 2014. Before buying, it's worth checking that any recalls your car may need have been carried out using the DVSA website.

The Peugeot 3008 was designed with the idea of blending all the best points of an SUV and an MPV into a car no bigger than a typical family hatchback.

In that respect it’s very similar to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/qashqai/hatchback/review/n7">Nissan Qashqai</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/yeti/estate/used-review/n621">Skoda Yeti</a> although the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/peugeot">Peugeot</a>’s styling means it stands out from the crowd a little more.

The difference is that the 3008 isn’t quite as much fun to drive, as smooth-riding or as high quality as either of those rivals. That said, on a long journey, the 3008 is a stable and comfortable steed, and its big, flexible boot – more spacious than either the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/nissan">Nissan</a>'s or the <a href="//www.whatcar.com/skoda">Skoda</a>'s – is a big plus.

The 3008's nature changes depending on which model you choose. That’s because the 2.0-litre diesel comes as standard with an electronic stability control system called Dynamic Roll Control, which keeps the body upright in corners and improves the ride quality.

The problem is, the 2.0-litre diesel isn’t the best engine. That honour goes to the 1.6-litre diesel which, though endowed with less power, feels at least as responsive and gets better fuel consumption.

In other words, if you can live with your 3008 driving more stodgily, you’ll reap the benefits from choosing the smaller diesel engine. However, if you want a car that's fun to drive, you’re best off with the larger unit.

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Used Peugeot 3008 Estate 2009 - 2016 review

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Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Peugeot 3008 estate?