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Is the 2017 Peugeot 3008 Better Than the New Volkswagen Tiguan?

Saying your car is better than the most popular one in the segment is a common practice among CEOs who are after something. And Peugeot is proud of its new 3008 crossover, so much so that that the Group's Europ chief, Maxime Picat, recently stated that its better than popular Volkswagen Tiguan and BMW X1.
Is the 2017 Peugeot 3008 Better Than the New Volkswagen Tiguan? 6 photos
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Is the 2017 Peugeot 3008 Better Than the New Volkswagen Tiguan?Is the 2017 Peugeot 3008 Better Than the New Volkswagen Tiguan?Is the 2017 Peugeot 3008 Better Than the New Volkswagen Tiguan?Is the 2017 Peugeot 3008 Better Than the New Volkswagen Tiguan?Is the 2017 Peugeot 3008 Better Than the New Volkswagen Tiguan?
That's fighting talk. Luckily, production of the 3008 has started already, and we found the perfect French review that compares the two. It's a little biased, but the upside is that it's got accurate English subtitles as well, so everything is nice and clear.

The Peugeot 3008 has transitioned from an MPV to a crossover. Its general proportions remind us of the Nissan Qashqai since it's as narrow as a regular car. Meanwhile, the Tiguan isn't going to win any beauty pageants, but a wide grille makes it look premium. You can always order the R-Line kit if you want to stand out.

With curves, slashes, and plenty of chrome everywhere, the Peugeot 3008 is undoubtedly more attention-grabbing than the Tiguan. But our experience with SUV buyers tells us that could be a bad thing since many 40-somethings don't want to stand out. But even Volkswagen fans will have to admit that the 3008's interior is groundbreaking. If only Peugeot had an option for a regular steering wheel...

While the 3008 and Tiguan are evenly matched in the 12.3-inch digital dashboard department, the same cannot be said be said about the powertrains. Peugeot launched the 3008 without all-wheel drive, so even though it looks capable, the French car is just a regular crossover.

You can order it with Grip Control and Hill Descent, but those systems just use the brakes. Of course, all manufacturers who make front-wheel drive crossover say 90% of European SUV buyers chose this, but that's because it's an expensive feature. On premium cars like the Mercedes GLC, AWD is almost always added. What's more, when Mazda offers "free AWD," customers flock to their dealerships to buy the CX-5.

In this test, the French reviewers have grabbed a 150 PS Tiguan with AWD and DSG, while the 3008 looks like the GT model with an 180 PS 2-liter diesel, which explains why it looks so much better. The VW is about €48,000 as tested, while the Peugeot is over €6,000 cheaper.


The GT configuration with FWD might also explain why the steering system in the Peugeot is described as being more fun. We know from experience that when you order AWD, even on a SEAT Leon, the steering becomes numb. Our verdict is the 3008 II is just different, not necessarily better. But considering its predecessor sold only 700,000 units and the Tiguan managed 2.8 million, there's a lot to play for.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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