The Peugeot 208 brings some chic style to the supermini class. It doesn’t just look good on the outside, though. The interior looks great, too, with a large touchscreen display and the driver’s instruments positioned high up on the dashboard. It’s comfortable and quiet to drive, and is offered with a range of fuel-efficient engines as well as the option of pure electric power.
The current version of the 208 has been sold since 2019. The previous version was sold from 2012 to 2019. The newer version has different exterior styling and a futuristic interior. It’s a five-door hatchback only, whereas there are three- and five-door versions of the previous model.
Both the older and the newer versions have a wide selection of ‘PureTech’ petrol and ‘BlueHDi’ diesel engines. They’re all very fuel-efficient and give good acceleration, though models with more than 100bhp are best if you make lots of long journeys. The 2012 version is also available as a fast and fun ‘GTi’ hot hatch, and the 2019 version is available as a pure electric car, badged ‘e-208’.
There are lots of models to choose from, including Active, Allure and GT-Line. GT models are the top of the range.
The interior of the latest 208 has a real ‘wow’ factor, with a 3D digital driver’s display that looks great and is easy to read (although the base Active model has less-impressive analogue dials). All models also have a touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, air con, cruise control and lots of driver safety systems. High-spec models add sat nav and part-leather seats.
The earlier version also comes well equipped but because it’s an older car it doesn’t have as many high-tech features.
The previous model is extremely fuel-efficient. According to official figures, petrol models give average fuel economy of 52-65mpg and diesels can give 67-94mpg. The 2019 version is still very efficient, although its mpg figures reflect a change in how fuel economy is calculated. Petrol models average 44-56mpg, while diesels can give 70mpg or more. The pure-electric e-208 has a range of up to 211 miles.
Rivals to the 208 include the Ford Fiesta, the Vauxhall Corsa and the Volkswagen Polo. Whether you’re thinking about getting the latest version of the 208 or an older model, you’ll be getting a car that’s stylish, great to drive and affordable to run.
Both eras of the 208 have decent space for four people. A child can just about squeeze into the middle back seat with them, as well. Space for adults is a bit tight in the back seats, but children have plenty. Access to the back is easiest in five-door models, which have a back door on each side – helpful if you need to install child seats. The boot has space for a folded pushchair plus a few bags, and the back seats fold down for more room.
The 208 slots between the 108 city car and 308 hatchback in the Peugeot range, with the 508 at the top of the range of Peugeot’s non-SUV models. If you prefer an SUV, check out the 2008, Peugeot’s smallest high-riding car. It’s a bit bigger than the 208 and much more practical for it.
Safety organisation Euro NCAP gave the 2012 version of the 208 a full five-star rating, while the 2019 version got a four-star rating. That’s because the model tested didn’t feature some of the safety features that Euro NCAP looks for. However, all models of the 2019 versions do have driver safety systems, including automatic emergency braking, cruise control and a lane-keeping assistance feature.
The current version of the 208 is available as an electric car, badged e-208. According to official figures, it has a range of 211 miles with a fully charged battery. A full charge at home using an EV ‘wallbox’ charger takes around 7.5 hours. An 80% recharge from a public rapid charger should take less than an hour. Visually, only the e-208 badge on the back marks out the electric model from the petrol and diesel ones.
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