Peugeot 3008 MPV (2009-2016)

The Peugeot 3008 feels almost anomalous because it’s an unusual mix of three different types of car – an SUV, a family hatchback and a compact MPV. When manufacturers try to mix so many different styles together they often end up producing a car that’s an unsatisfactory compromise but with the 3008, Peugeot has done a reasonable job of combining their good points.

The crossover Nissan Qashqai, the Volkswagen Golf SV and Citroen C4 Picasso are three of the 3008’s most natural rivals. The 3008 offers similar space and flexibility as all three, and can accommodate five people in comfort while carrying all their luggage. Storage around the inside of the car is good, the boot is huge with the seats folded flat and the car's split-folding tailgate adds extra practicality.

The build quality of the interior is very solid and the materials used are as good as most of the competition, with only the Golf SV feeling decidedly more upmarket than the Peugeot. The 3008 is available in two trim levels called Active and Allure; we recommend the Allure model, as the list of standard kit on an entry-level Active model is rather short.

Allure models come with a reversing camera, a colour head-up display, sat-nav, dual zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, tinted rear windows and sun blinds for the rear passenger windows. The bigger alloy wheels included with this trim look stylish but they do make the car's ride feel less forgiving.

Peugeot 3008 buyers have the choice between four different engines; a 1.2-litre turbo petrol, 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre diesels, and a diesel-electric hybrid that comes with four-wheel drive. The 118bhp 1.6-litre diesel is our recommendation because it’s the best all-round option when you consider price, running costs and performance. It claims official economy of 68.9mpg, and emits 108g/km of CO2 for tax of £20 and a 19% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company-car tax rating.

Peugeot has a rather unwelcome reputation for poor reliability and the 3008 hasn’t helped improve the manufacturer’s image in that regard. The good news is it improved from 129th to 90th out of 200 cars in the reliability category in our 2016 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey. However that’s still some way behind some of its rivals.

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The 3008 should be a very safe car. Euro NCAP awarded it the full five stars in crash-testing back in 2009 and there’s a decent amount of standard safety equipment, too. All 3008s get six airbags, two ISOFIX child-seat mounts in the back, stability control, traction control and anti-lock brakes. All models also get a tyre-pressure monitoring system.