PEUGEOT'Ssecond 3008 really caught the public imagination just when the SUV boom was taking off.

It sold in large numbers thanks to sharp and attractive lines and a funky, stylish and comfortable interior with loads of family friendly features.

Under that sleek bonnet in 2016 were the latest fuel sipping and low emission petrol and diesel power units, and no-one seemed worried that there was no four wheel drive (4WD) option.

Peugeot's research had shown that there would be minimum demand for all wheel drive and so the car maker decided to save development costs and keep it front wheel drive only.

After the launch, I said that it had gone straight to the top of the medium SUV class and, although others have come along since, it is still right up there with the best of them.

The 3008 introduced the brilliant Peugeot i-Cockpit in most models - a fully digital screen of instruments behind the wheel that could be tailored by the driver to any one of 12 different configurations.

This was the first time such a binnacle had been added to a car in the class and it's still a rarity four years later.

In fact, all models in the range also come very well equipped straight out of the box - of which more later.

There's a wide choice of petrol and diesel engines. Petrols start with the 1.2-litre PureTech turbo now well known throughout the Peugeot and Citroen ranges.

Here it has130bhp and covers the 0 to 60mph sprint in 9.2 seconds, while returning 46 miles per gallon.

Next comes a 1.6 turbo with 180bhp, covering the 60mph sprint in 7.7 seconds and capable of 39mpg. Soon, a petrol electric plug-in hybrid with 4WD will be available. It boasts more power, very low emissions and 35 miles on battery alone.

Diesels start with a 1.6 BlueHDi that has 120bhp, 0 to 60mph in 10.8 seconds and 54 miles per gallon, but a new 1.5 that is already available will eventually replace it. This has 130bhp and is capable of 58mpg.

Finally there is a 2.0-litre diesel with 150 or 180bhp. The 150 covers the sprint in 9.3 seconds and will do 47mpg and the 180 is quicker of course but consumption drops to 41mpg partly because it's only available with an automatic gearbox.

The ride is superb - better than many in the class - although not by much since they are all pretty comfortable.

But this one floats over poor surfaces with complete aplomb and yet never feels as though it's wallowing.

It takes speed humps very easily and yet despite this suppleness of suspension, it still goes through the corners with great agility and safety. There's not too much roll and the direct steering has good feedback.

The boot is huge, with folding back seats to make it massive, and there is loads of legroom both front and rear.

Upper models have cordless phone charging and built-in wifi with its own sim card and all have audio remote controls, parking sensors, heated electric mirrors, alloys, DAB radio and an alarm.

On top of that, the mid-range Allure has the i-Cockpit, sat nav, part leather seat trim, lumbar support and cruise.

Pay about £15,200 for a '16 16-reg 1.2 Puretech Allure manual, or £21,300 for an '18 18-reg 1.5 BlueHDi diesel GT-Line automatic.