A car for all seasons: RAY MASSEY drives Peugeot’s 3008 GT

Given the recent weather – from the icy arctic blasts of the great frost to the balmy winter sun – I really needed an all-weather car.

I discovered that versatility on a 600-mile road trip in Peugeot’s top-of-the-range electrified 3008 GT Premium Hybrid4 300 e-EAT8 compact SUV crossover – which gave me plenty of opportunity to get a good feel no matter the weather or road conditions. Not cheap at £50,930 (including £1,000 extras). But smart and stylish.

And if you’re listening to Middlesbrough-born crooner Chris Rea on the smart infotainment system, then it’s actually pretty good when you’re driving home for Christmas.

This is why. It’s a plug-in hybrid, so on a charge I had between 34 and 40 miles of electric range, plus great fuel economy in mixed hybrid mode.

The 300 hp strong combination of a 1.6 liter 200 hp petrol engine and a 110 hp (81 kW) electric motor, coupled to an 8-speed automatic gearbox, gives an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 240 km/h. sport mode, and even 84 mph in pure electric mode, and frugal hybrid fuel economy.

It’s manoeuvrable and grippy on country roads, it’s got a lot of mid-range presence and plenty of comfort with sporty seats and a good navigation system. There is also a decent boot.

The four-wheel drive proved invaluable during the big frost, when I had to scrape ice off the windshields and windows and navigate glacially slippery and often unpaved roads.

I started my epic ride feeling like country singer Johnny Cash – ‘the man in black’ – as my Nera Black crossover also had the chic £400 ‘black pack’ option.

By the time I was done, I’d kicked up so much splatter from the salted A-roads that the car looked grayer and whiter.

Charging takes about four hours from a household wallbox. Lots of gear and, thankfully, simple controls and switches. Do you remember?

Merry Christmas.

Driving less during Christmas is false economy

One in five motorists plan to use their cars less this Christmas and New Year to save money on inflation. More than a third (38 percent) are concerned about rising driving costs, such as fuel.

But it could prove false economy, warns car accessory chain Halfords, saying motorists risk a dead battery when trying to start engines in January if they don’t run cars over the holiday season.

Nearly a quarter (24 percent) plan to travel less than usual and one in five say they will completely stop their car during the holiday season.

In this case, Halfords recommends having the battery checked regularly. The survey also found that more than four in ten don’t have a spare battery in their car, nearly a quarter (24 percent) admit they don’t know how to replace a battery and a fifth have never checked their battery.

Citroën commissioned the new set of wheels from Asterix

Arguably France’s greatest hero, Asterix the Gaul is a beloved cartoon and movie character among children of all ages and nationalities.

And for his latest movie outing – Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom – Citroën has been commissioned to make him a new set of wheels based on the legendary 2CV.

The design team sketched and built the 2CV wagon in less than three months – compared to the usual 12 months it takes to create a concept vehicle.

Advertised as ‘made in Gaul’ and pulled by two horses, the 2CV wagon has a solid oak chassis, wheels made from recycled shields incorporating Citroen’s iconic chevrons, a suspension made from a bloated boar’s belly and headlights with fireflies.

Set in China but with traditional Roman enemies, the film will be released here on Netflix in the spring.