Peugeot is a brand that has some recognition in India; the French carmaker's been present for a number of years, but it hasn’t made waves in the country. Peugeot’s cars have been spotted testing on our roads a few times, with the Peugeot 2008 being spied twice now. However, this is the first time the larger 3008 SUV has been caught testing in India.
- Previous-gen Peugeot 3008 SUV spotted near Pune
- Shares platform with Citroen C5 Aircross
- Likely being used to benchmark its models
Peugeot 3008: what is it?
The SUV spied on Pune’s roads is the facelift of the previous-gen Peugeot 3008 that was on sale in international markets from 2020, until the new model arrived in September last year. The SUV shares its EMP2 platform with other Stellantis models such as the Citroen C5 Aircross, which is priced between Rs 36.91 lakh-37.69 lakh (ex-showroom, India).
In select international markets, the 3008 SUV comes with a variety of powertrain options – 130hp, 1.2-litre petrol; a 130hp, 1.5-litre diesel; 136hp, self-charging hybrid; and plug-in hybrids with outputs ranging from 179hp to 300hp. The range-topping 300hp model gets an AWD system as well. However, there’s no way of knowing which of the above powertrains are under the hood of the 3008 SUV spied here.
Peugeot 3008: why the SUV is in India
Our sources have revealed that this unit may not have been brought to India by parent company Stellantis, but a local manufacturer could be using the French company’s SUV to benchmark its models. This is why the 3008 spied has red plates.
Overseas, the 3008 SUV is considered to be an appealing-looking car with efficient powertrains and a compelling price point. Nonetheless, Stellantis does not have any plans on bringing this SUV, or the latest-gen model, to India.
Stellantis in India
While the auto conglomerate doesn’t consider India a profitable market, it is a very strategic one for Stellantis; it may bring the Leapmotor EV company to our market, and is going to invest another Rs 2,000 crore into Citroen India for the development of new models.
The Citroen C3 range in India is scheduled to get a features update soon, and the French brand has plans to bring in the C3X high-riding sedan to the market, and it will rival the Tata Curvv. Meanwhile, the Jeep brand – also owned by Stellantis – is working on bringing the next-gen Compass to the market by 2026. Codenamed J4U, the model will be based on parent company’s STLA M platform, and come with an all-electric option.
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Uday Singh
Suraj Viswanathan
