The Auto Express Driver Power 2018 reader results are in and coming out top is the Peugeot 3008, one of the few affordable crossovers we would actually want to own.
If you have read our Peugeot 3008 review and our update a month later, you will know we think it is a great car. And based on the results of the 2018 Auto Express Driver Power survey, taken by more than 80,000 UK car owners, it appears consumers agree.
The Peugeot 3008 mid-sized crossover earned itself gold in five of the nine categories – exterior, practicality & Boot Space, ride & handling, safety features and reliability & build quality – and scored higher overall than any other car, at 93.88 per cent.
That put it ahead of the second-place Kia Niro (93.07 per cent), another decent performer backed up by a lengthy warranty, and the third-place Alfa Romeo Giulia (93.06 per cent), which is great to drive but has been plagued by some unreliability issues.
Unusually for most SUVs and crossovers, which have all the driving enjoyment of a rolling pin, the 3008 did okay: The UK-based motoring publication cited the fact ‘owners love driving the Peugeot, with the small, sporty wheel being key to an impressive score for steering responsiveness’.
It also noted ‘ride quality, braking effectiveness and overall driving pleasure – something family SUVs sometimes miss out on – were also highly rated’ and that it achieved ‘decent rankings for reliability and running costs’.
“This is a fantastic result for PEUGEOT and the 3008 SUV,” commented Auto Express and CarBuyer editor-in-chief, Steve Fowler. “It’s a car that has already won multiple awards… and now owners have confirmed what we’ve been saying all along – it’s a great car that’s really satisfying to own.”
“In a segment with fierce competition, these accolades are especially meaningful as they are decided by our valued customers and are a real testament to the hard work and innovation of our talented teams of designers and engineer,” added Peugeot UK managing director, David Peel.
Since arriving in late 2016, the Peugeot 3008 has amassed more than 350,000 sales worldwide, 23,000 of which in the UK. That explains why you see so many about, then.
Spend a few minutes in one and you will see why. Not only does it look tasteful (even with the two-tone ‘coupe franche’ option), the engines are economical, not to mention sufficiently refined.
It helps, too, that you can have it with a decent 1.2-litre PureTech petrol if the idea of going diesel concerns you – and given the recent UK government U-turn on their favourability, we would understand why.
Value for money, a generous equipment list and a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating are other notable pluses, but it is the interior that really impresses. The i-Cockpit cabin is genuinely pleasing, ergonomically and stylistically speaking, and a far cry from your usual drab plastic-heavy space.
In the conclusion of our Peugeot 3008 long-term review, we said: “To be frank, we still rate the 3008 as our favourite crossover.” Enough said. Prices start from £22,770.
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