This is like the story of an ugly duckling that turned into a beautiful swan. Introduced in 2009, the first generation of the Peugeot 3008 was a roundish, tall multipurpose vehicle (MPV) targeting the family carrier market. But it looked outdated and frumpy. Even though the 3008 looked more like a minivan than an SUV/crossover, the French carmaker claimed that it was a blend of MPV, hatchback, and urban SUV. Eight years later, Peugeot finally jumped on the compact SUV/crossover bandwagon by revealing the second generation, all-new 3008 at the September 2016 Paris Motor Show. The transformation of the 3008 in the metal, from the ground up, was so stunning that it was voted..
Peugeot is now singing a different tune. After trying to go against the likes of Subaru and Mazda, they’re now going upmarket; basically, filling the white space between mainstream and premium brands—a gap left wide open with Volkswagen’s decision to go south with their pricing. It’s a...
Le roi de la jungle. This is the Google translation for “The King of the Jungle,” which my French friend confirmed to be just about the correct English equivalent. I’m referring to the lion – a beast who has been ruling the savannas of Africa. It has...
This 3008 has to be the most sensual car I've ever been in, and I didn't mean that in any weird and dirty way, you green-minded reader you. I say 'sensual' because I've never encountered any vehicle that...
Having been born and raised in Germany, writing a review for a French carpresents a bit of a challenge. You see, from an early age, car-loving citizens of Deutschland are told: “German cars good, French cars bad.” As a child, it’s your patriotic...
In the 208 family, the GTi slots in only a half-notch down from the top dog GTi 30th anniversary edition (a tribute to Peugeot’s hot hatch icon, the 205 GTi that debuted in 1974). This means the car is no slouch, packing a turbo-charged 1.6-liter gasoline engine that makes 200hp at 5,800rpm and 275Nm of torque at a low...
“Common” cars that look as fabulous as the RCZ come few and far between. Why “common?” It’s because the RCZ, despite its 2+2 low-slung cut, is really not that far off from a mid-tier family sedan or a hot (well, warm, to be more precise) hatchback in terms of...
Mr. Ferrari’s preference for “Pugs” not only prop the popular notion that “il Commendatore” really did not care much about his road cars, regarding these as mere sales tools that financed his beloved race team, but that he really had a nose for business and style. Why keep a Ferrari road car when he can sell this? He could...
Some people thrive under pressure. Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather said, “I don’t fold under pressure, great athletes perform better under pressure...so put pressure on me.” It just so happened that my drive with the new Peugeot 508 2.0 HDi Allure came at a time when I was dealing with a lot of pressure....
ONE way to accommodate a group of people, whether family members, friends, or colleagues, on any road travel is to utilize a passenger van. However, most of these vehicles come with a maximum seating capacity, but have very little to offer in terms of convenience. On the other hand, there are the luxury...
You can count on Peugeot, the second-biggest (in sales) auto manufacturer in Europe, to come up with something totally unique. In 2008, Peugeot introduced the 3008, a vehicle that looks like something between a crossover and a minivan. Eurobrands Distributor Inc., the Philippine importer...
Peugeot station wagons hold a special place in my heart, as my mom's company car was one back when she was based in France. In it, I had driven to the tips of the Alps with its diesel heart nary skipping a beat. Now, Peugeot Philippines has just launched the new 308 station wagon locally....
Someone once asked me where my love for cars started and how I'm able to write a story about them like they're more than inanimate tons of steel. It was a question that left me startled, because in my head, I was born with car keys in my hand and I'd like to believe that...
Anyway, enough about that steamed non-sense. We're in the 21st century, and before we say our farewells to combustion and fuel, shall we celebrate a little bit first? What we have with us in this lovely tropical day is a 2016 Peugeot 508. The svelte sedan comes in at over ...
riving the Peugeot RCZ is a little like living with an underwear model. Doesn’t matter if it’s for Calvin Klein or Victoria’s Secret—it’s all the same. The stares you get as you drive down the road. The nagging feeling that maybe, perhaps, you’re not quite as sexy as your partner. Or as athletic. Or even as likeable. Maybe that’s...
Make no mistake about it, Peugeot's specialty has always been fun and funky hatchbacks. Whether you want them for the daily drive, for enjoying on a mountain course, or perhaps even competition, Peugeot's hatchbacks have always served up a healthy dose of fun into the classes they participate in. Today we...
MANILA, Philippines – Since Peugeot’s re-launch in the Philippines in 2012, it’s been steadily adding new vehicles to its line-up. Now, it’s finally going back to the segment which started it all: the C-segment (compact car). Peugeot is showcasing the Peugeot 308 which is now available in two body styles: hatchback...
As a European brand that doesn’t quite cater to the high-end market like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, or Audi do, Peugeot has few direct competitors besides Volkswagen locally. It’s a position that presents opportunities and challenges in equal measure as they can target a specific niche group of buyers looking for high-quality...
When Michael, my Uber driver, noticed where I was heading, he started his small talk with: how do you pronounce “Peugeot”? Eager to impart a bit of automotive trivia, I told him the proper way to say it: “POO-zho” and that if he ever needs a refresher, every dealer has a pronunciation guide stickered on the façade. Then he asked: mura ba yun? Mukha kasi silang mura eh (are they cheap? It’s because they look cheap). At that point, I thought: Ouch! If I were working for Peugeot or owned one, that comment would feel like a knife piercing through my chest. Although I could try reiterating things like how they’re filled with quirky yet intricate details and that they’re made in France and so forth; I’m simply calling on Michael...
I applaud a manufacturer who still puts an effort to offer station wagons in the Philippines. With crossovers and SUV offerings cropping up left and right, save for a few examples, the station wagon has all but disappeared in the local market; not that there were much to begin with. Despite the odds, Peugeot...
We’re quite a big family. Seven kids plus two senior-citizen parents means we need a serious family hauler, despite the fact that my older brother and I have moved out of the house. Sundays are sacred, not just for Sunday Mass but also for family lunch. So, when we sold our seven-seater SUV, my mom, who had just undergone...
As far as D-Segment sedans go, the Peugeot 508 is one of the left-field choices. It's the lone French offering (and brand) in the country, the range is solely comprised of diesels and, as far as looks go, distinct and a bit of a standout. Perhaps the best way to describe the 508 is an executive sedan that pleases the eccentric...
Watching the 2016 Peugeot 308 approaching you at night is an experience. With its slim LED projector headlights bordered above by downward curving LED daytime running lights (DRLs), the 308 approaching in the dark looks like a slant-eyed cat about to pounce. The departing 308 reinforces the feline effect...
TWENTY-three years ago, the country hosted the prestigious Miss Universe pageant. Back then, when I was a tad short of my teens—childish, stubborn and foolish—this writer caught a glimpse and was awestruck by Miss Colombia when she was at the Manila Hotel, and right there telling my father (who was covering...
If you’re looking for a higher caste automobile and you want better performance without a quantum leap in fuel expenses, read on as I tell you about this big cat whose bite is definitely better than its bark, the Peugeot 508 2.0L HDi Allure....
Mention hot hatch, and the first couple of examples would likely originate from either Germany or Japan. Perhaps even a British or Italian example might come to mind. Yet for those with a keen appreciation for World Rally Championship (WRC) history, arguably one of the best producers of hot hatches is France — Peugeot...
If the Philippines had been colonized by a progressive European nation longer, if we were a few hundred kilometers higher up the northern hemisphere, or if we weren’t plagued by incessant rains, station wagons and estates would be the norm instead of tall-riding SUVs...
Station wagons are seldom sought after in these parts. They’ve fallen out of favor, at least when compared to their taller cousins, the SUVs. Yet there’s a charming confluence of driving experience and utility that’s found in the best wagons, to which we must add the...
Today, there's no way in the world I would accept that statement because there is in fact an Audi station wagon that will make a Ferrari 488 owner nervous in a race. Yes, station wagons as I knew them have changed drastically especially in the top end models, and many...
