Mitsubishi ASX VS Peugeot 3008
Mitsubishi ASX
Likes
- Dead simple to operate
- Still looks neat and tidy for styling
- Spacious cabin space for class
Dislikes
- Bloody old tech compared to rivals
- Missing important safety features
- More expensive for very little gain
Peugeot 3008
Likes
- Unique, stylish looks
- Great to drive
- Spacious
Dislikes
- Expensive
- Slow to charge
- 60km electric range
Summary
Mitsubishi ASX
While the Mitsubishi ASX has long established itself as a compact SUV fan-favourite, its rivals are becoming better specified and even more affordable, like the Kia Seltos, GWM Haval Jolion and MG ZST.
There's a long-running joke that the Mitsubishi ASX is the oldest 'new car' on the market with technology that hasn't had a makeover in close to a decade.
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Is the cool new Street package for the ES base model enough to lift its competitive edge?
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.6L/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
Mitsubishi ASX6/10
The Mitsubishi ASX ES Street can more than handle being an urban dweller. The Street style pack makes this model stand out and the cabin is practical enough that it’s a good alternative for smaller families in the city. I get why the ASX is popular and I like the basic and traditional nature of this model on most fronts but not for the safety and tech. Not in this day and age against all of the well-equipped rivals it faces.
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
Mitsubishi ASX
The ES Street doesn’t change the ASX fundamentals but it is styled differently and the Street package adds a black front spoiler and tailgate protector with red accents, black door handles, stainless steel door scuff plates, and decals across the side panels and rear.Â
The interior sees almost no changes from the ES grade but the traditional plastic gear shifter and steering wheel are swapped out for an aluminium and leather-trimmed gear shifter and leather-wrapped steering wheel, which is a nice upgrade.
The dashboard is headlined by the tried and true (and old) 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system but this is a vehicle that likes tradition.
You have lots of physical buttons, dials and even a handbrake. There’s no push-button starter or digital instrument panel. If you want to move or change something, it’s going to be manual adjustment. It’s basic but there is something charming about that.
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
Mitsubishi ASX
The size of the cabin is the most practical aspect of it and it is spacious for the class. Both rows enjoy decent head- and legroom and it's fairly easy to get in and out of from the front row but the back row has narrow door apertures.
The cloth seat upholstery on the seats looks nice but fatigue can set in early on a long trip due to a lack of lumbar support for the front and a lack of heavy padding overall.
The individual storage up front is great for the class with a deep middle console and glove box, two big cupholders, as well as a large drink bottle holder in each door. There is also a storage tray in front of the gear shifter for smaller items like a phone or sunnies.
Storage is minimal in the rear with two cupholders in a fold-down armrest and one single map pocket... and that's it for amenities in general. There's no directional air vents or USB ports in the back.
However, there is plenty of room for two car seats, if you had a couple of kids in tow.
Technology feels and looks outdated with the only charging options being two USB-A ports and two 12-volt sockets up front. It would be nice to see faster USB-C ports and a charging pad for the price.
The 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system hasn’t changed. It’s simple to look at and operate. It can catch the light, which makes it hard to see at times while on the go but is otherwise responsive.
It’s easy to connect to the wired Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth but the phone call quality was hit and miss. Sometimes it sounded tinny and sometimes it crackled.
Rounding out the cabin, the boot offers good capacity for the class at 393L and you can bump it up to 1193L if you fold the rear row. The boot aperture is wide and the level loading space means it’s super easy to fit larger items in.
The rear row also has a 60/40 split and there’s a space-saver spare tyre underneath the floor. While the ES Street doesn’t get a powered tailgate, the lid isn’t heavy to operate.
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
Mitsubishi ASX
There are six grades for the ASX and our test model is the ES with the Street accessory pack which makes it $30,490 before on-roads costs. That’s $2500 more than the standard ES and you’re only getting styling changes on a grade that sits second from the entry-level model.
The ES Street is more affordable than the better-specced Kia Seltos Sport (FWD) which sits at $33,050 MSRP but compared to its Chinese rivals, it’s starting to feel pricey. The MG ZST Vibe is priced from $26,490 MSRP and the GWM Haval Jolion Lux from $28,790 MSRP - both of which have more features and safety equipment installed.
Standard equipment for the ES Street includes an 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth as well as AM/FM and digital radio.
The ES Street also features a reversing camera, LED headlights and daytime running lights, LED front fog lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a space-saver spare wheel. There are two USB-A ports, manual air-conditioning, and black cloth upholstery.
The Street package adds a black front spoiler and tailgate protector with red accents, black door handles, stainless steel door scuff plates, aluminium and leather-trimmed gear shifter and leather-wrapped steering wheel instead of plastic.
The ES now comes with lane departure warning.
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
Mitsubishi ASX
The ES has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 110kW of power and 197Nm of torque.
That's plenty enough for urban driving but don’t expect any feeling of zippiness.
The ES Street is a front-wheel drive and has a continuously variable transmission (CVT) but you can option a manual transmission on the base GS grade, if that’s your vibe.
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
Mitsubishi ASX
The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is a low 7.6/100km and my real-world use came out at 9.1L after a fair mix of urban and open-road driving. While not super surprised with the outcome, I was hoping for better efficiency.
Based on the official combined fuel cycle and 63L fuel tank, expect a theoretical driving range of up 829km – which is great for such a small SUV.
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
Mitsubishi ASX
The ES Street delivers adequate power to make it feel within the realm of fun in the city but it starts to feel lacklustre once you hit the open road. Put your foot down and the engine whines pitifully but you never worry about not getting there - it just likes to complain.
The suspension is on the right side of firm to get road feedback but not be bothered by it. You will feel bumps but not wince when you go over them.Â
However, the ASX feels very light when you have heavy winds and the car moves around a lot at higher speeds, which I found to be unnerving at times.
Surprisingly, the ASX offers a pretty refined cabin experience in terms of noise. There is a constant low hum from the engine but wind and road noise aren't too bad and you can easily chat and listen to music without feeling like your senses are battered at the end of a trip.Â
The ES Street is a fairly comfortable cruiser in tight city streets with responsive steering and a small footprint. This makes it easy to park and while the reversing camera isn’t the best quality, you know where this car starts and ends, so it’s not a big deal.
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
Mitsubishi ASX
At the time of this review, the current model year Mitsubishi ASX has not been tested with ANCAP and is unrated, but all pre-2023 models achieved a five-star rating under the 2016 protocol.
The ES Street has seven airbags, including a driver’s knee airbag, but misses out on the newer front centre airbag we're seeing on newer models.
Standard safety equipment for the ASX ES Street includes forward collision warning, DRLs, hill-start assist, ABS, lane departure alert, cruise control, engine immobiliser, child-proof locking on rear doors, and a reversing camera.
Unfortunately, all of its rivals outclass the ASX on standard safety equipment and this model misses out on biggies like lane keeping aid, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.
The ASX has ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top tether points but two seats will fit best.
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
Mitsubishi ASX
The ASX comes with a five-year/100,000km warranty, which can be extended to 10 years/200,000km, provided the vehicle is exclusively serviced by Mitsubishi dealers and on schedule. It's a warranty that is hard to beat, although MG just announced a 10-year/250,000km warranty and that's not conditional on where it is serviced.
The ASX also comes with 10 years of capped-priced servicing and the average cost is $502 per service.
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.