Finally, the Peugeot 208 hatchback met: after a thorough study of the related crossover Peugeot 2008 , his “younger brother” remained behind the scenes all the time. But now I propose to get acquainted with the Peugeot 208 car in the form of a full-length review: history and positioning, road behavior, technology and features, fuel consumption, price and competitors. Ready? Then let’s go!
Positioning Peugeot 208
It’s simple: the Peugeot 208 is a compact hatchback of the European “B” class. Small size, 5-door body, front-wheel drive, economical engines. Just a car “for every day.” Nominally, we have the second generation Peugeot 208: the history of the 208 model begins in 2011. But if we talk about compact Peugeot 2 series cars in general, we will find a lot of well-known predecessors: models 205, 206, 207.
The compact Peugeot 2 Series cars are well known in Europe. In the 2010s, Peugeot decided to stop counting and use the “eight” ending: thus, the first generation Peugeot 208, and then (since 2019) the second generation, replaced the 205, 206, 207 models . Just such a second-generation Peugeot 208 became the hero of this article.
How the Peugeot 208 car drives
Almost any compact car from a normal car brand can give pleasure when driving – if only because of the lightness of the design, the speed of executing commands, the ease of maneuvers, etc. The Peugeot 208 hatchback is clearly one of those: it has enough 130 forces for vigorous acceleration, it is agile in corners , clearly follows the wheel, easily enters the turn. At the same time, the Peugeot 208 can give good comfort on small and medium bumps, passing only on large pits – this is already the lot of a related crossover on larger wheels. But there is a minus in the form of vibrations from unsprung masses. And in the case of the Peugeot 208, this is not the case: the compact hatchback drives neatly, I would even say “cleanly”.
Although when looking at it with prejudice, you can find flaws. For example, sometimes a 6-speed “automatic” switches up with barely noticeable kicks (pairs of gears 1-2 and 2-3) – which, for example, an 8-speed “automatic” lacks. And there is also a lack of a system for switching driving modes, which can affect the driving style. Everything would be fine, but after all, the “French” have similar models that have already corrected the above comments. However, about the competitors below. In the meantime, back to the Peugeot 208 and the results of measurements of dynamics.
And the results of measuring the dynamics are such that the modest hatchback Peugeot 208 blocked its own passport result: 0-100 km / h in 9.2-9.3 seconds! The gray color hides the playful design of the car – in fact, there are a lot of interesting details here: matt black radiator surround, 2-color rims, gloss on the rear.
Even more fiction awaits you inside the car. A bold design with a lot of twists and turns, black gloss and chrome decor, soft finishing materials – the interior of the Peugeot 208 looks (and is perceived!) Much more expensive than the price of a car. And much more expensive than the generally accepted “class norm”. Landing is traditionally passenger, it seems low only after the crossover. But I would really like to raise the roof.
But if you move to the back row, then the optimism disappears. Small doors give access to the same small margin of space on the second row: back to back for the knees, a small margin overhead. Although children or teenagers will fit without problems, and if they make room in front, then adults will sit down. The trunk also cannot boast of a record volume, but it is well organized: an elastic band, a hook for bags, a spare wheel underground.
The salon is very good in design and quality of finishing materials, but not so good in space: there is still “enough” in front, but it is already “back to back” in the back. However, everything is purely in the size of the car. The trunk offers 311 liters of volume and good organization.
Is there innovation in the Peugeot 208
The Peugeot 208 hatchback was created on the CMP platform: independent suspension in front, semi-independent rear, transverse installation of motors. A feature of this platform is lightening the car (-30 kg relative to its predecessors), improving aerodynamics, reducing friction losses, tight integration of driver assistance systems: automatic braking, lane control and steering, etc. This platform also allows you to create electric cars – for example, there is Peugeot e-208, which offers a 100 kW (136 hp) electric motor and a 50 kWh battery. Finally, talking about the Peugeot 208 model, it is impossible not to note the digital instrument panel with a “layered” volumetric data display: for the first time this appeared on the 208 and 2008 models.
The basis of the Peugeot 208 is the CMP platform and small PureTech 3-cylinder engines (with or without a turbine). The main feature is the Peugeot i Cockpit 3 D interior with a digital instrument panel : two displays, translucent glass, three-dimensional image. Another display is installed in the center of the front panel and is already familiar from the mass of Peugeot models .
Peugeot 208 car price and its competitors
The Peugeot 208 hatchback is available in Ukraine, unfortunately, only in two versions: different engines, gearboxes, configurations. But, fortunately, the equipment was clearly not spared.
Peugeot 208 ACTIVE Pack opens the range: 1.2 liter PureTech 75 hp naturally aspirated engine. and “mechanics”, ABS and ESP, cruise control, front and side airbags, side curtain airbags, power steering, air conditioning, power windows front and rear, power settings and heated side mirrors, heated front seats, rear parking sensors, touch 7-inch display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, EcoLED headlights and light sensor, 16-inch alloy wheels, etc. 2022 Peugeot 208 ACTIVE Pack price – from 544 thousand UAH. or about $14.7 thousand.
At a higher level is the Peugeot 208 ALLURE Pack : 1.2 L PureTech 130 hp turbo engine. and a 6-speed “automatic”, additionally climate control, touch-sensitive door opening and engine start with a button, a rear view camera, a fully digital instrument panel Peugeot i-Cockpit 3D, tinted windows, etc. Price Peugeot 208 ALLURE Pack 2022 onwards – from 702 thousand UAH. or about $18.7 thousand.
Maxim Solovyov, representative of Drivovo : “The Peugeot 208 hatchback is an example of how you can get a full-fledged modern European car for minimal money. Affordable price for excellent equipment, low fuel consumption and maintenance costs. The same happens with the payments of our car service by subscription: the Peugeot 208 hatchback is 25-30% more affordable than the related crossover Peugeot 2008 both in the down payment and in monthly payments.”
So, we fix the positioning of the Peugeot 208 car: a B-class hatchback, power 75-130 hp, price $15-19 thousand – who is the competitor? The compact hatchback segment in Europe is well developed, there are many well-known models: Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo , Renault Clio, SKODA Fabia, SEAT Ibiza , and many others. And there are also proposals from the Japanese – for example, Toyota Yaris or Suzuki Ignis (in part). But we have some models that are not at all represented on the market, others have received competitors in the form of related crossovers, others have missed the versions with an “automatic”, the fourth ones turned out to be simply too expensive for their class.
So it turns out that in fact the most dangerous competitors of the Peugeot 208 are the Citroen C3 and Opel Corsa models. The first car is inferior in modern technology and driving manners, but it turns out to be cheaper. The second car is not so “bright”, but in fact it drives and is almost better equipped than the Peugeot 208.
In the European market, such B-class cars are popular and are represented by different models, but our choice is limited. However, fans of compact cars can still pick up a couple of alternatives to the Peugeot 208. Or maybe not …
Peugeot 208 fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance
Urban fuel consumption averaged 6.5 liters per 100 kilometers. On empty roads and with a smooth driving style, you can get a minimum of 5.7 liters per 100 km, subject to congestion and / or a dynamic driving style, consumption rises to 8.5 liters per 100 km. At a speed of 80-90 km / h, the car consumes 4.5 liters per 100 km, at a speed of 110-120 km / h – about 6 liters per 100 kilometers.
The general warranty for the car is three years or 100,000 km (whichever comes first). Service maintenance is required every 15 thousand km or once a year. The cost of simple maintenance is UAH 3.1 thousand; extended maintenance (30/60/90 thousand km) is estimated at UAH 6.1 thousand. Car and service prices are as of mid-July 2022, MOT prices are for Kyiv.
Peugeot 208 safety
The car passed the EuroNCAP crash test cycle and received a rating of four stars out of five possible. However, the case when clarifications are extremely important: for the safety of the driver, passengers, children in the passenger compartment – the Peugeot 208 hatchback received very high marks for safety (86-91% of the maximum). Only the chest of the driver and the necks of the rear passengers are at risk in the event of a whiplash. However, only the average scores (56-71% of the maximum) for pedestrian safety and driver assistance systems led to a decrease in the overall safety score. That’s why only four stars out of five possible.
Eventually
Conclusions on the Peugeot 208 car can be divided into two parts: let’s say “general-car” and specifically “by class”. Because if you just need a car for $15-20 thousand, then even in the Peugeot showroom you can look at the Peugeot 301 and Peugeot 2008. The Peugeot 301 sedan offers more space inside and larger engines, while it costs less – but it is easier to equipment, equipment, equipment. And the Peugeot 2008 crossover outperforms the Peugeot 208 in almost everything: more space and ground clearance, a wider choice of versions, and still a high level of equipment. Just “zero” in the designation – and what a difference! Only for this “zero” you have to pay a lot …
However, if you need a compact modern car that will feel like a “fish in water” in the city, then the new Peugeot 208 is one of the best options. After all, it is interesting in design and interior, pleasant on the go, modern in design and equipment. Therefore, the question is not so much in choosing a model, but in the initial request and requirements for the car. For in the case of Peugeot, as it turned out, even “zero” can mean a lot.
Pros:
Ease of control – both literally and figuratively
Good modern equipment for your money, even in the “base”
Low city fuel consumption, even by B-class standards
Minuses:
A small selection of versions, with motors and configurations linked to each other
Cramped back row, even by the standards of the “B”-class
Specifications Peugeot 208 1.2 PureTech 130 EAT 6
Body – hatchback, 5 doors, 5 seats
Dimensions – 4.055 x 1.765 x 1.43 m
Wheelbase – 2.54 m
Trunk – from 311 liters (5 seats) to 1076 liters (2 seats)
Load capacity – 476 kg
Minimum curb weight – 1159 kg
Engine – petrol, turbo R3 1.2 l
Power – 130 hp at 5500 rpm
Torque – 230 Nm at 1750 rpm
Specific power and torque – 112 hp per 1 ton and 198 Nm per 1 ton
Drive – front drive
Transmission – automatic 6-speed (traditional hydromechanical automatic transmission)
Dynamics 0-100 km / h – 9.6 s
Maximum speed – 208 km / h
Passport consumption, city – 8.3 liters per 100 km
Passport consumption, highway – 5.1 liters per 100 km
Test vehicle tires – Continental ContiPremiumContact 5 195/55R16
The minimum price of a car is from UAH 544,000 ($14,700)
