There is of course the ‘budget’ 3008 300 gt which weighs in at £47,855.00 OTR with pano, elec seats, wireless charger, enhanced charger and elec tailgate in pearlescent white if you can live with the inferior badge. I guess the notion of good badge bad badge is an age thing with some people, irrespective of how the automotive scene changes, prejudices remain.
Peugeot isn’t a budget brand. It’s mid market. I know what you mean about prejudices though. Some people dismiss the premium brands as just being brand snobbery. Usually these people haven’t ever owned one to experience the difference in things like build quality and engine refinement, but dismiss them none the less. There is nothing wrong with budget brands and they are not solely defined by price. You can get some expensive cars from the budget brands and some relatively inexpensive ones from the premium manufacturers. Budget is also not a derogatory term but an industry categorisation. Many consider them to be the smart choice. Thankfully these days there are hardly any bad cars and we are all therefore able to make choices based on what we prefer. There is no right or wrong choice. I actually looked into the model you mentioned but reviews weren’t great. The petrol engine was said to be a bit gruff and the transition between electric and petrol wasn’t smooth compared to other PHEV’s. As you say it is very well equipped though.