It’ll come as no big shock to anyone that cars rarely change appearance dramatically between generations, but we must admit that this new-look Peugeot 3008 really is quite different.

No bad thing, of course: gone is the lumpen MPV styling of the previous 3008, instead replaced by a big, aggressive but stylish SUV.

Of course, that’s indicative of the industry trend for crossover-izing absolutely everything these days, from superminis to estates, and so family cars are no different.

Problem is, there are a lot more cars of this type around these days – good ones too, like the Skoda Kodiaq and SEAT Ateca. How does the 3008 measure up?

Performance

The 3008 comes with a fairly wide choice of engines, and buyers can choose between a choice of two turbocharged petrols or four different diesel options in total.

Kicking off the petrol range is a 128bhp 1.2-litre, while there’s also the option of a much more powerful 1.6-litre petrol with 163bhp. Of course, diesels are a staple Peugeot product and likely the biggest seller, and so you can choose between two 1.6s with 99bhp or 118bhp, or two 2.0-litres with either 148bhp or 178bhp.

Of all of those, it’s actually the 163bhp 1.6-litre petrol that came in our test car, arguably one of the more niche choices in the range. That’s no bad thing though, because it’s smooth and accelerates strongly with plenty of punch.

Paired with the optional automatic gearbox that came with our test car it’s also reasonably refined on the move too and hushed even at motorway speeds.

Ride and Handling

It resists roll remarkably well in bends too and there’s a decent amount of grip.

Family cars, and particularly large SUVs like the 3008, have never really been regarded as the best things to drive largely due to their considerable bulk and weight, and up front the 3008 isn’t really the best car in its class to drive either. Like many French cars, its soft suspension setup means it can pitch and dive slightly under hard braking and acceleration, but it’s not half as bad as some others and it’s overall a very comfortable car to drive in. It resists roll remarkably well in bends too and there’s a decent amount of grip. While the little steering wheel might take some getting used to at the start, the steering itself is nice and direct and has a decent amount of weight to it to boot. Unlike many other cars of its type, there’s no four-wheel drive option available with the 3008, which might put some buyers off. However, you can specify it with Peugeot’s optional Grip Control feature, a rather clever traction control system which improves grip and dependability in adverse weather conditions, and which makes it a much more capable all-round vehicle.

Interior and Equipment

The new Peugeot 3008 has been named the 2017 European Car of the Year by a judging panel comprised of nearly 60 esteemed European motoring journalists.

Like most new Peugeots, the 3008 gets the same i-Cockpit cabin design, with high-mounted dials that you peer at over the steering wheel and a space-age style design that looks closer to a design concept than virtually any other production car. In our opinion, it makes for one of the most upmarket and unique-feeling cars in its class, and we’re willing to bet plenty of those will be sold on interior cred alone. Each surface is swathed in soft touch materials, the driving position is high and visibility is good, while the digital instruments can be seen easily without craning your neck – unlike with other modern Pugs. All versions get plenty of kit as standard, with the likes of rear parking sensors, a configurable digital instrument display and dual-zone climate control, along with autonomous emergency braking and an eight-inch floating touchscreen. Apple CarPlay and Mirrorlink also come as standard – though Android Auto isn’t supported – and our Allure trim model also came with built-in sat-nav, automatically dipping headlights and a reversing camera. All in all, a very smart, well put together and well-equipped interior. Of course, as a family SUV the 3008 must also be practical. There’s reasonable amounts of room in the back seats, perhaps not as much as rivals like the SEAT Ateca, but the 3008 is quite a compact car for its class and there’s still enough room for kids or for two adults. There’s a flat floor, which improves leg room for passengers in the middle seat, while it’s full of smart storage solutions and cupholders to aid practicality, along with triggers to quickly fold the seats flat and increase boot space. With all the seats down there’s 1,580 litres of space in the boot, which isn’t quite the biggest in the Peugeot’s class, but it’s still impressive and more than enough for what most drivers can throw at it. It’s also hugely versatile, with an adjustable boot floor so you can create your own spaces for different things and a handy hatch in the middle seat for sliding in long items, while the powered tailgate is extremely handy for when your hands are full of shopping bags or kids.

Cost

Not the cheapest option available then, but in fairness the 3008 is quite well equipped even in its most basic trim option

Prices for the new Peugeot 3008 kick off at £21,795 for the entry-level Active trim, while Allure costs £1,800 on top of that. GT Line, meanwhile, is another £1,900 over Allure, while the range-topping GT trim starts from £32,995. Not the cheapest option available then, but in fairness the 3008 is quite well equipped even in its most basic trim option, and we reckon that you’d struggle to find a better interior for as much money. In terms of fuel economy, if efficiency is a primary concern then you’ll probably want to avoid the most powerful petrol we tested and head straight for one of the diesels. Peugeot claims the 163bhp petrol can return up to 47.1mpg, however opt for the 118bhp 1.6-litre diesel and you can return up to 70.6mpg with just 104g/km of CO2.

Our Verdict

Maybe you’ll like the 3008’s new looks and maybe you won’t, but we’d defy anybody to sit in one of these and not be deeply impressed by the interior at least. It’s also a very practical and well equipped car that’s not half bad to drive either. How affordable it is to buy and to run largely depends on which trim, options and engine choices you go for, and certainly it’s a radical reworking of the 3008 formula, but we happen to reckon it really works. Is it quite as good as something like a Tiguan, a Sportage, Ateca or Kodiaq? Surely that depends on your tastes and exactly what you want from the car, but if you’re in the market for a new large family car it’s more than worth stopping by your local Peugeot dealership just to have a look.