Peugeot 208 - Should You Buy One?

Peugeot's 208 supermini has been rejuvenated in second generation form. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Market and Model

Prices start from just over £16,000 and run up to around £23,500 for the conventionally-engined models. Buyers choose from base trim, then 'Active', 'Allure', 'GT Line' and 'GT' specifications. The full-electric e208 is offered in all but base trim, at prices starting from around £25,000 (following subtraction of the £3,500 government Plug-in car Grant). With the e-208, access to charging points via the PSA Group's 'Free2Move' service is included.

As you'd expect, a wide range of driver assistance and safety technologies are available this time round. Go for the auto gearbox (or an e-208 model) and the adaptive cruise control system you can have has the ability to make the car automatically stop and go in heavy traffic. You can have this system with a manual gearbox too, where it operates down to 18mph. Lane departure warning, auto parking and blind spot monitoring systems are available too. Go for a variant with the largest 10-inch centre dash infotainment display and you'll get built-in navigation, plus 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring.

Cost of Ownership

Expect the 1.2-litre PureTech petrol variants that most will buy to be very acceptably clean and frugal. With the 100hp manual model, you can expect to manage up to 53.0mpg on the WLTP combined cycle and return an NEDC-rated CO2 reading of up to 96g/km, which is pretty good going for a car in this segment. The 1.5-litre BlueHDi diesel version of course does much better. Up to 71.4mpg on the combined cycle is theoretically possible, along with up to 84g/km of NEDC-rated CO2.

But of course if you're really interested in ecological efficiency, there'll be just one variant of this car that'll interest you, the all-electric e-208. For this derivative, Peugeot claims a WLTP-rated driving range between charges of 211 miles. And fast charging at the rate of 100kW is available via a CCS socket hidden behind the fuel cap, with an 0-80% charge achievable in around 30 minutes. If you install a wallbox at home, you can recharge the battery from empty in around five hours if you have an 11kW electricity supply - or in around eight hours with a 7.4kW supply. Bear in mind that the e-208 is around 350kgs heavier than the ordinary version.

Summary

So the 208 has evolved - but not beyond recognition. In improving it, Peugeot has certainly tried to cover all the bases, while being very conscious that trying to please too many people too much of the time is a sure-fire recipe for failure - or at the very least, a distinctly compromised and forgettable end-result. 'It's OK to have 20% of people not liking this car', the company's MD used to say, 'as long as the other 80% love it'. This time round, we reckon his brand doesn't have too much to worry about.

There may be a few supermini buyers who don't like the cabin layout, want something better suited to cornering on its door handles or who might prefer the value proposition of a budget brand - but I'm guessing they'll be in the minority. Most will recognise that in this 208, Peugeot has perfected for us the supermini it was always capable of. A smart small car choice - in more ways than one.

[psify]

I’m 20 years old, I’ve had mine for the last month. I had a 108 before this and I can honestly say it’s beautifully designed and really stands out in white. It definitely has improved its overall looks and performance compared to the previous 208 models.

[jlu]

Lovely, a video that shows how the 3D instrument display works! :)

[colinallan]

I have a 2020 208 manual 100bhp. Average mpg 48.6. Great grunt for the traffic lights Grand Prix and the first car when I can clearly see the instruments instead of having to peer through the steering wheel which when you think about it is a ridiculous way to drive.

[skykyro]

could you please do a review on the vw golf 2019 R- Line spec ?? please

[cristianooliveiraamaroferr]

Ce serait un rêve de pouvoir adapter la colonne de direction + le cadre et l'installation du volant d'origine Peugeot 208 Griffe sur mon Peugeot 206 Moonlight deux portes afin de me fournir le même angle de réglage en profondeur et en hauteur du volant sur mon 206 Moonlight. Mais je pense que si cela était possible, je devrais également adapter le tableau de bord 208 no 206 en quelque sorte que le volant 208 d'origine ne couvre pas la vue du tableau de bord d'origine 206. Si quelqu'un peut me fournir des conseils précis sur cette adaptation difficile s'il vous plaît contactez-nous! Pourquoi faire cela, eh bien, la 206 est toujours la plus belle voiture Peugeot extérieurement jamais lancée au Brésil par Peugeot! Mais quand il s'agit de design d'intérieur et de praticité et de confort impliquant la colonne de direction et son réglage en hauteur et en profondeur, ainsi que la beauté du design du volant de la Peugeot 208 Griffe et de ses papillons de vitesse attachés au cockpit I, la 208 gagne sans aucun doute à cet égard! Mais à l'extérieur, le design de la 208 perd toujours le design du 206 Moonlight deux portes! Ce serait formidable que Peugeot lance une nouvelle version de la Peugeot 206 sport à deux portes avec la même colonne de direction, le cadre, le volant et le tableau de bord de la Peugeot 208 Griffe à l'intérieur! Cela plairait certainement beaucoup!

[jamespn]

Will Peugeot merger make the Vauxhall and Opel better cars? Time will tell.

[mrobrien]

Lack of rear passenger of space is a let down long front end is unnecessary

[stephenboulton]

Awefull colour to showcase this gorgeous styling....great review though....prefer the climate heater controls as knobs and i would not touch a car with electronic parking brake...they are dteadfull

[matterhorn]

You absolutely should not buy a petrol, one, they make out its a super amazing economical engine, is it hell, I drive my 2021 very carefully, I have done near as damn it 500 miles in it now, 210 miles was on the motorway and the rest around town, and my combined MPG is 32, absolutely shocking.
The centre screen has played up every week, either by freezing or not coming on at all, once was whilst I was on the motorway so was unable to stop and lock and unlock the car and start it again.
The C pillars make it basically impossible to see anything behind, the rear view mirror sit right in the middle of the screen when I have the seat approx half way up, and the big plastic cover above the mirror creates a massive blind spot in front, you have to end up looking around it to be abele to see.
Then there is the 3d cockpit that is completely invisible unless you have the seat right down and steering wheel adjusted right up, or the seat lifted right up and the steering wheel right down, neither is the correct driving position.
The automatic gearbox is horrendous, jolty as hell when it's coming down into 2nd and 1st.
The 208 is a massive let down, don't let the cool interior draw you in, it's a terrible car and I wish I had never gone into peugeot to have a look at them.

[oddities-whatnot]

Looks like a car designed for emerging markets ! Awful. Peugeot used to make great cars, the 106, 205, 306. After those three it all went downhill.