Audi Q3 VS Peugeot 3008
Audi Q3
Likes
- Elegant but still fun on-road manners
- Exterior looks fantastic from all angles
- Powerful without being obnoxious about it
Dislikes
- Rivals all boast stronger cabin presence
- Modest backseat space typical of class
- Cabin gets constant hum of road/wind noise
Peugeot 3008
Likes
- Unique, stylish looks
- Great to drive
- Spacious
Dislikes
- Expensive
- Slow to charge
- 60km electric range
Summary
Audi Q3
The 2025 Audi Q3 Sportback is a small but not-too-small SUV that sits within a close-knit segment. The Q3 Sportback attempts to spice up the premium end of this small SUV market by offering a design-focused 'coupe' body style, but is it enough for it to go 'tyre to tyre' against its main rival, the new BMW X2?
It's other rivals are also renowned for their luxury and on-road prowess - think the Mercedes-Benz GLA and Lexus UX. However, the changes for the new Q3 are small and its rivals have all benefitted from a recent refresh.
In this review we explore how the top-model Sportback S line 40 TSFI quattro handles being an urban dweller.
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| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 8.3L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Peugeot 3008
The great downpour of electric vehicles hasn't hit Australia yet, but vehicles such as Peugeot’s 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is one of the big drops signalling that storm is about break. But should you wait until the EV ‘rain’ sets in or be an early adopter?
The range-topping 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is Peugeot’s first electric SUV to arrive in Australia. Electric in that it has electric motors, but also a petrol engine, making it a hybrid – the type you plug into a charger to fill the battery back up.
Peugeot gave me a 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid to test over three days and I quickly discovered what this mid-sized SUV was good at, and where it could be better.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.6L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Hybrid with Premium Unleaded |
| Fuel Efficiency | 1.6L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Audi Q38.3/10
The Audi Q3 Sportback S line 40 TFSI quattro is a quiet achiever.
Not as flashy or performance driven as some of its rivals, it still manages to tick almost every box when it comes to comfort and features. Like most models in the class, space in the back seat is modest but for a top-spec non-performance model, the price is alright and it’s lovely to drive.
Peugeot 30087/10
Technology is supposed to make life better and easier, but I’m afraid this hybrid version of the 3008 falls short on that score due to its slow charging and limited range. Nor does this hybrid version make a great driving, practical and good looking SUV much better.
Then there's the price. A list price of $80K is too much, relative to class rivals and the petrol equivalent 3008.Â
For this money you could buy a Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric, Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Tesla Model 3. All charge at (relatively) lightening-quick rates and deliver about 400km of range. And none of them require petrol, because they are fully electric. Â Â
The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid needs charging pretty much every moment it’s not being driven in order to make sure all of that 60km of range doesn’t run dry.
That’s a lot to ask from people in Australia who don’t blink at driving 500km for a family holiday, in a country which has far fewer charging locations than Europe.Â
Design
Audi Q3
The Q3 Sportback blends the practicality of an SUV with a sports-car presence due to its wide 2022mm stance and coupe-styled rear. With the black accents across the body, big 20-inch alloys and sharp Matrix LED headlights, the Q3 Sportback more than holds its own against the sporty prowess of its rivals.
The cabin establishes that it sits within the premium market with its leather mix upholstery and flashy-looking tech that headlines an angular dashboard. However, it's understated compared to its rivals, which all boast a stronger cabin presence.
Overall, it's not a ‘look at me car’ but the longer you look, the better it gets.
Peugeot 3008
There’s never been a Peugeot that hasn’t been interesting in its design. That’s a big part of their appeal and the 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is intriguingly good looking inside and out.
Look at the grille with its chrome studs filling that monstrous grin like glistening teeth. And see how the headlights blend into the jagged design and notice the eyebrow-like ridges above them which extend into the bonnet towards the windscreen.Â
It’s a tough-but-pretty design that’s carried on down the side panels as they curve and crease towards the tailgate with its striking LED tail-lights.
The cabin is stunning with its black leather upholstery, metallic and faux wood trim, and Peugeot oddities such as the small angular steering wheel, the elongated gear shifter and high-placed instrument cluster. Â
Practicality
Audi Q3
The Q3 Sportback offers plenty of head- and legroom up front, with access that is accommodating because of the wider door apertures.
Like its rivals, the back seat offers modest space for my 168cm height, but it might be a squeeze if you taller. The middle seat suffers the most with legroom due to the tall transmission tunnel – keep this seat for kids only.
However, all other seats offer well-rounded comfort with decent-padding, side bolsters and the front get extendable under-thigh and lumbar supports, as well as heat functions.
The rear row also gets directional air vents, reading lights, two USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket. Longer trips will be comfortable for four occupants but five will elicit some grumbles.
Storage is good for the class with a glovebox that can fit a manual, a medium-sized middle console and a large phone tray. There are four cupholders and four drink-bottle holders throughout the car, and the rear row also get two map pockets.
The boot offers class leading space with its 530L capacity and only the BMW X2 beats it (by 30L). Storage options open up again with the 40/20/40 split of the rear row. The top model gets a powered tailgate with gesture control and temporary spare tyre.
Technology looks high-end and the touchscreen multimedia system is easy enough to use once you get your head around the menus. The built-in satellite navigation is top notch and the directions are pulled through to the digital instrument cluster.
The Q3 now gets wired/wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto. The CarPlay maintained a steady connection this week. Charging options are great with a total of four USB--C ports, two 12-volt sockets and a wireless charging pad to choose from.
Peugeot 3008
I think we can all agree leather trousers look tremendous, but aren’t very practical. And there are some SUVs where form is favoured over function, too. But not this one... in most cases.
The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is spacious for a mid-sized SUV with great cabin storage and a big boot.
Up front there are huge door pockets that are more like buckets, a large split opening centre console storage box and two cupholders.
The second row has smaller door pockets and two cupholders in the fold-down armrest.
The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid’s boot is big compared to its rivals at 591 litres with the second row up, and 1670 litres with the rear seat folded.
For people space, there’s more than enough room for me at 191cm to sit behind my driving position.Â
For charging there are USB ports and a 12V power outlet.Â
Price and features
Audi Q3
There are four variants for the Q3 before you hit the high-performance model, and our test vehicle is the top S line 40 TFSI quattro model, which is priced from $70,800, plus on-road costs, making it the most affordable compared to its rivals.
Its closest rival is the Lexus UX300h AWD F Sport with a price tag of $73,210, then the BMW X2 20i M Sport at $75,900, and the Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 4Matic sits at the top at $79,700.
Our test vehicle has also been fitted with an upgraded Sonos 3D surround sound system and sunroof for an additional $3900.
As one would expect for a top model, the S line is well-equipped and includes electric and heated front seats, leather upholstery and high-end technology throughout, which includes a 10.1-inch touchscreen multimedia system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, Audi Connect app with over-the-air updates, four USB-C ports, a 12-volt socket and a wireless charging pad.
Practical features include keyless entry and start, adaptive LED headlights, a frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror, rain-sensing wipers, a powered tailgate (with gesture control) and a park assist feature.
It's features list mostly mirrors that of its rivals, but it does miss out on ventilated front seats.
Peugeot 3008
Peugeot offers the plug-in hybrid version of its 3008 exclusively in the top-of-the-range GT Sport grade for a list price of $79,990. That makes it the most expensive Peugeot offered in Australia.
This hybrid is $20,000 more than the petrol version, in the same GT Sport grade, with identical standard features.
Electric cars are currently more costly to produce than their petrol counterparts, but expecting consumers to fork out $20K is hard to justify. Particularly when prestige rivals to the 3008 Plug-in Hybrid cost less. The Volvo XC40 Recharge Plug-in lists for $66,990.
But if you're determined to own the GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid you’ll be treated to the full banquet of 3008 features.
Coming standard is a 10.0-inch media display, a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, sat nav, a 10-speaker Focal stereo*, dual-zone climate control, power adjustable and heated front seats, and Nappa leather upholstery.Â
*UPDATE: Peugeot advised on 5Â May 2022 that Australian-spec MY22 models will temporarily omit the Focal premium audio system due to a manufacturing irregularity. See your Peugeot dealer to confirm when this feature will return.
There’s also a panoramic sunroof, 19-inch alloy wheels, aluminium roof rails, LED headlights and running lights, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, auto parking, proximity key, and tinted rear windows.Â
Under the bonnet
Audi Q3
Our test vehicle keeps it's tried and tested 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, which produces 132kW of power and 320Nm of torque. Those outputs are slightly less than most of its nearest rivals and it sports a slower sprint time of 7.8 seconds.
The Q3 Sportback is a quattro, which means it has an all-wheel drive and it boasts a silky-smooth seven-speed auto transmission.
While it doesn't induce strong sports-car vibes on road, it’s not a car you'd ever have the audacity to call slow.
Peugeot 3008
The all-wheel drive (AWD) 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is powered by a 81kW/320Nm electric motor on the front axle, an 83kW/166Nm motor on the rear axle, and a 147kW/300Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine driving the front wheels.
The total combined output is 222kW/520Nm, which makes it one of the most powerful mid-sized SUVs for the price. Acceleration is impressively quick with 0-100km/h coming in just 5.9 seconds.
Efficiency
Audi Q3
The official combined fuel cycle figure is 8.2L/100km, but the real-world usage is at 8.6L after doing a mix of open-road and urban driving. Considering the lack of restraint shown for really giving this model a real 'go' on the open-road, the fuel usage is respectable.
Based on the official combined fuel cycle and 60L fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of up to 732km, which is good for any longer road trips you might want to tackle.
Peugeot 3008
This sounds obvious but plug-in hybrids need to be plugged into a charger. And I mean they need to be charged every time you’ve finished driving for the day.Â
Otherwise, you’ll run out of charge and your fuel use will rocket past that of a petrol-powered 3008 due to the extra weight in batteries and motors you’re lugging around.
The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid has an electric range of 60km, although I went through the entire charge in less than 50km. Then I had to hunt down a fast charger and discovered it would take about four hours to stuff the batteries full of power again.
The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is extremely slow to fill up due to a small 3.7kW onboard charger. If the inverter unit was larger (as in BEVs like the Tesla Model X or Hyundai Ioniq 5) charging time would be much faster.
Charging overnight each day you use the 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is the scenario you’ll have to adopt if you want to get the most out of this SUV.Â
I found that after starting with a full charge and driving it for a day of mainly urban usage the trip computer was reporting an average consumption of 1.4L/100km.Â
If you plan on adding motorways and open roads into the mix Peugeot says you can expect to use 1.6L/100km.
That’s outstanding fuel economy, but let the charge run out and you’ll start seeing 9.5L/100km, and higher, as I did.Â
In that scenario the petrol engine needs to lug 1.8 tonnes around, a decent chunk of which is heavy batteries and motors, which aren’t doing anything.
If you don’t have access to power at home to charge a car, then you’d be better off with the type of hybrid which charges through the engine and regenerative braking, such as a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.Â
The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid has received such a low score here because of its extremely slow charging time and limited range.Â
A larger inverter would solve this issue. It's possible consumers will end up using a lot more fuel than the pure petrol variant unless they are vigilant in always charging this car (nearly) every time it is not being driven.
Driving
Audi Q3
The power delivery for the Q3 Sportback S line model is effortless. It doesn’t have the thrum or burbling of a turbo, but the power is well and truly there whenever you need it. So, while not as ‘powerful’ as some of its rivals, you don’t feel like you’re missing out.
The low and wide stance of the Q3 Sportback translates to nimble and direct handling – you can take corners at speed with almost no roll and the steering sits within the goldilocks zone for firmness.
A downside is the cabin noise, which is fairly loud with road and wind no matter the speed – but you don't have to raise your voice. You'd expect a bit of noise with the big wheels, but you always hope for more refinement at this grade level.
The Q3 isn’t difficult to park, but it does take a moment to get your bearings on how it fits a space, as it’s bigger than you might expect. The 360-degree camera is super clear, which takes out a lot of the guesswork.
The car feels like an extension of you as a driver which elevates the overall on-road experience despite not being a performance model. This would be well-suited for a driver who wants great on-road performance without feeling like someone who is in a mid-life crisis.
Peugeot 3008
The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is an excellent SUV to drive. The ride is composed, the body feels nicely controlled and the handling is good.Â
Add great acceleration, thanks to the torquey motors, and this SUV is well above average when it comes to the driving experience.
Any downsides? There always are. Visibility is compromised by thick, long A-pillars and the steering wheel’s odd shape and tiny size are a letdown. So too is not charging regularly, causing this SUV to suddenly have to lug its 1.8-tonne weight around under petrol power alone.
Safety
Audi Q3
The Q3 has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2018 and it scored highly with the adult protection score sitting at 95 per cent, child protection score at 88 per cent, and safety assist systems score at 85 per cent, and it's vulnerable road sits at 76 per cent.
Unfortunately, the Q3 only features six airbags, which is fairly low for this day and age and misses out on a front centre airbag.
Standard safety equipment is robust and includes blind-spot monitoring, driver attention alert, a First Aid kit, a warning triangle, tyre pressure monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping aid, lane departure alert, traffic sign recognition, intelligent seatbelt warning, adaptive cruise control with stop/go function, park assist, a 360-degree camera and front and rear parking sensors.
There are two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top tethers but two seats will fit best.
The Q3 has AEB and forward collision warning with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection. This system is operational from 5-85km/h (and up to 250km/h for car detection).
Peugeot 3008
The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid comes with all the safety tech in the 3008's arsenal.Â
There’s auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keeping technology, blind-spot monitoring, a camera system, and front and rear parking sensors.
There are some gaps though. No rear cross-traffic alert or reverse AEB. These things are now common on new cars.
For child seats there are three top tether anchor points across the second row along with two ISOFIX mounts.
The Peugeot 3008 was given the maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2017, but in the past five years safety tech has come a long way and this SUV has fallen behind.
Please be aware, too, that the plug-in hybrid version has yet to be given a ANCAP score.Â
Ownership
Audi Q3
The Q3 comes with a five-year/unlimited-km warranty, which is a normal term for the class.
You can pre-purchase a five-year servicing plan, which costs $3330 overall, or $666 per service which is competitive for the premium segment.
Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km whichever occurs first.
Peugeot 3008
The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is covered by Peugeot’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. The battery is also covered by an eight year warranty.
Servicing is recommended annually or every 20,000km. Service prices are capped, and you can expect to pay $3108 over the course of five years, for an annual average of $622.