The new Peugeot 3008 has been revealed and it will make its official debut at the Paris Show later this year before arriving in South Africa in the first quarter of 2017.

The crossover SUV segment has grown substantially in recent years and the segment is hotly contested by products such as the Toyota RAV4, Nissan Qashqai, Volkswagen Tiguan and even the recently launched Renault Kadjar, amongmany others. With that said, the 3008 has always been a fringe player and its successor will need to attract a bigger clientele… If the above images are anything to go by, it may have won half the battle on looks alone.

Let’s take a closer look at what you can expect from the new Peugeot 3008…

Read:Peugeot 3008 2.0 HDi Allure (2014) Review

Modern, upmarket interior

The new 3008 features the latest-generation Peugeot i-Cockpit that is futuristic and equipped with technological features centred around the driver. A new, more compact steering wheel is fitted with two flat sides for better grip and the driver has access to an 8-inch tablet-like touch-screen infotainment system with six piano key "toggle switches" to control functions such as radio, climate control, navigation, vehicle parameters, telephone and mobile apps.

The new 3008 will also be equipped with a 12.3-inch high-resolution instrument display that can be configured and personalised according to your taste via a button on the steering wheel and a total of 5display modes are available to the driver. Interior materials include leather, brushed chrome, carbon and cloth.

The new Peugeot 3008 features a digital instrument cluster and 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

With an 80 mm longer wheelbase, this latest 3008 has a more spacious cabin too. Peugeot claims 520 litres of boot space and the car features a "Magic Flat" folding rear seat as well as a two-position sliding floor. The front passenger seat folds flat too, allowing you to load items up to 3.0metres long. A hands-free tailgate will be offered as an option and can be operated with a simple swipe of the foot under the rear bumper.

More than this, there will also be the option to include an electrically assisted folding scooter (e-Kick) or bicycle (e-Bike) that’s stored on a "docking station" in the boot, allowing for charging while the car is running. Quite a nifty inclusion from Peugeot, we’d say…

Expressive exterior design

The new 3008 is at least 100 kg lighter than its predecessor and adopts a number of design cues that define its expressive looks. The vertical nose features a wide chrome-trimmed grille complemented by narrow halogen headlights (LED headlights are optional) and numerous air intakes.

The bonnet is long and flat, leading to the more upright windscreen and flanked by chrome inserts. The new 3008 features a "Black Diamond" gloss black roof (optional) with stainless steel trim that gives the car a unique look and the rear-end features LED taillights with Peugeot’s familiar three-claw lighting signature. Roof rails and large wheels (17 to 19-inch) round off the look of the new 3008.

Engine options and features

The 3008 will be offered with a range of petrol and diesel engines, mated to either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. Petrol engines include a 97 kW 1.2-litre and a 123 kW 1.6-litre engine.

The diesel engine range comprises four options including a 1.6-litre engine in two states of tune offering 75 kW and 89 kW, as well as a 2.0-litre diesel engine offering either 112 kW or 134 kW.

The 3008 will also feature Advanced Grip Control, giving it capability in off-road situations. A total of 5modes will be offered including Normal, Snow, Mud, Sand and ESP OFF, all selected using a knob on the centre console. Hill Assist Descent Control (HADC) will also give the driver more control when descending steep hills by limiting the speed to 3 kph.

Buyers can choose from a range of petrol and diesel derivatives with varying power outputs.

Other safety features to be included are active safety brake, distance alert, active lane departure warning, driver attention warning, automatic adaptive headlights, speed limit sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, active blind spot monitoring, park assist and Visio Park (360° all-around vision).

The new Peugeot 3008 will be built in France at Peugeot’s Sochaux plant. South African pricing and specification details are yet to be confirmed, but we will keep you informed as soon as these details are made available, so stay tuned!

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