Mat’s Car of the Day: the Peugeot 3008 is a great BMW alternative for £255 per month
Car changing is a big deal
Shopping for a premium and stylish SUV doesn’t limit you to the posh German brands – the Peugeot 3008 is also a great choice. Mat Watson explains why.
When I was first starting out as a motoring journalist 25 years ago, Peugeot was seen as a budget brand and was ridiculed for flimsy build quality. In 2026 though, oh how the tables have turned.
Modern Peugeots are among the poshest cars in their class, and some even beat the Germans at their own game in the quality department. The Peugeot 3008 is a great example. After extensively testing this car, here are three reasons I’d consider the 3008 over a BMW X3, as well as three drawbacks to consider.
Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.
Three things I love about the Peugeot 3008
1. It’s super-stylish, inside and out
There’s no denying that the Peugeot 3008 is a real head-turner, and the interior is packed with the same Parisian flair. I love the layered dashboard and funky fabrics, and the material quality is high enough to embarrass the BMW X3 – a car costing around £15,000 more.
2. It’s comfortable to drive
Around town, the Peugeot 3008 glides over potholes and broken surfaces. It’s also quiet and refined on the motorway, and it’s pretty good through the corners as well. It’s not as fun as a BMW X3, but it feels safe and secure when you chuck it into a bend.
3. There are loads of great engine options
There’s an engine option to suit all needs in the 3008. You can have a frugal 1.2-litre hybrid which will return over 50mpg, or there’s the plug-in hybrid with up to 52 miles of range. If you’re ready to switch to an electric car, you can also get an E-3008 with an impressive 435 miles of range.
Lease a Peugeot 3008
The Peugeot 3008 starts from just under £38,000, but you can save an average of over £6,500 on one through Carwow. It’s the lease prices which have caught my attention though, because they’re pretty tempting.
I’ve found a great deal on a top-spec GT Premium model with the 1.2-litre hybrid engine. You can have this car for as little as £255 per month, and this is over three years with an initial payment of £3,430. You are limited to 5,000 miles per year, but you can up this to 8,000 miles for an extra £15 a month.
The GT Premium gets a 21.0-inch curved interior display, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera system, wireless phone charging and comfort seats which are heated and have a massage function. That’s a lot of kit for your money.
Three drawbacks to the Peugeot 3008
Tempted by the Peugeot 3008? It’s a great car, but it’s not perfect. Make sure you’re okay with these three annoying things before you spend your hard-earned cash.
1. Cramped rear seats
The Peugeot 3008 isn’t the best SUV for rear passengers, because the sloping roofline eats into head space. This makes it a faff to fit a child seat as well; a Citroen C5 Aircross is more spacious in the back.
2. Fiddly infotainment
Like many modern cars, the Peugeot 3008 does without a lot of physical buttons in favour of touchscreen controls. You do get a row of customisable shortcut keys below the infotainment screen, but this is still more fiddly than just twirling a knob. The Skoda Karoq’s interior is more user-friendly.
3. It’s not the most fun on a twisty road
The 3008 is focussed on comfort over sporty handling, but if you want a family SUV which can put a smile on your face through the bends then a Cupra Terramar is a better bet. It may be firmer over bumps than the Peugeot, but it does feel more agile through corners.
Car change? Carwow!
Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.
Click here to follow us on Reddit, where you can keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, advice guides and videos. You can also subscribe to our WhatsApp channel to get the latest news sent straight to your phone.
*Savings are made up of the maximum dealer discount off RRP – subject to dealership, location and trim. Prices correct at the time of writing.