Peugeot 3008 v Kia Sportage

Everything's returning to normalcy after two weeks of sports fever. As Singaporeans return to gripes of housing and foreign workers, the two of us decided to review our cars' future.

There's no perfect moment to buy a car in recent times. But it hurts no pocket to test drive a couple. A odd couple that is.

Usual comparisons involve two automobile heavyweights. Read Bimmers v Benz.

Or cars from two mega economies. German power v Japanese efficency.

We have decided to buck the trend.

French Flair v Killer Korean.

Coffee first

Bonjour

First up was the Peugeot 3008.

As with all Pugs, the 3008 had a distinctively French touch to it. Stylish, chrome-ish, a soothing interior.

Le Stylo Milo

This particular Pug comes with so many storage compartments, you could play hide-and-seek with the customs officer by daring him to sniff out that one contraband cigarette you borrowed from a Johorian. Or pirated DVD.

More storage behind the Lion

The 3008 is a crossover (half-hatch back, half-SUV) that seems big, but not too huge. Enough legroom for four, but a little small for five. Enough boot space for stuff, but insufficient for more stuff.

Yakki took it to the roads and was okay with the car's power. He had a tiny issue with the driver's seat, saying that it felt a little claustrophobic down there.

The backseats were comfortable, but the slightly hard suspension made the ride a bit too rough for a family car.

Still, it felt like a sexy crossover to have. Somewhere between a hatchback and an SUV as it was designed to be.

안녕하십니까

Next up was the Kia Sportage.

As with all the Kias now, it sports a Audi touch. Sexier than the old Kias, muscular like typical Germans.

This Sportage definitely beats its predecessor in terms of design and styling. The interior looks one up on all Korean cars. Even the sound-system's impressive.

Sound control has air-con vents as wings

Yakki floored the Sportage just he did with the 3008, but despite its louder roar, the 2L engine responded with lackluster acceleration.

Korea launches second space ship

I certainly didn't care as I spent most of the time admiring the lovely sky through its sunroof. The seats were softer and more comfortable than the 3008, cushioning my rear the entire drive.

Nutshell

After one afternoon of test driving both cars and attempting to sound professional and knowledgeable in our assessment, we thought it would be easier to describe them this way:

3008 - Natalie Portman in some artsy film

Likely seen zipping around the streets of Paris.
1.6L turbocharge engine, better fuel economy, sexier interior.
S$116,900 for the Adventure model (incl. heads up display, panoramic sunroof).

Sportage - Ali Larter in Resident Evil: Extinction

Muscling its way through the Las Vegas desert.
2L engine, spacier, softer interior.
S$110,999 for the Sports version (incl. 18" rims, silver rails on its roofline, panoramic sunroof).

Which are we getting?
We're very faithful men. So we're staying with our current ladies for now.