Small Peugeots, starting from the 205 to the 206 and then the 207, have always been a hit. Following the end of the 207's lifespan, everyone was expecting its successor to be one of the best small Peugeot in years.
Unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, the Peugeot 208 is designed to rival the likes of the Ford Fiesta and Honda Jazz as well as many others in the compact segment with a blend of style and quality.
The Peugeot 208 signals the beginning of a new era for the French manufacturer and is a vast improvement over the car it replaces. Although the wheelbase is identical, exterior dimensions have actually shrunk, making the car smaller than its predecessor.
A two-staged approach was adopted for the 208 with two body types. The three-door and five-door are almost two separate cars and are designed to be different in order to appeal to a wider audience.
However, only the five-door will be available in Singapore. The 208 also joins Peugeot's lineup of diesel cars here with a 1.6-litre e-HDi variant.
Exterior
The Peugeot 208 has been given a significant overhaul over the outgoing 207 and the exterior is where we can see the most improvement.
Unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, the Peugeot 208 is designed to rival the likes of the Ford Fiesta and Honda Jazz as well as many others in the compact segment with a blend of style and quality.
The Peugeot 208 signals the beginning of a new era for the French manufacturer and is a vast improvement over the car it replaces. Although the wheelbase is identical, exterior dimensions have actually shrunk, making the car smaller than its predecessor.
A two-staged approach was adopted for the 208 with two body types. The three-door and five-door are almost two separate cars and are designed to be different in order to appeal to a wider audience.
However, only the five-door will be available in Singapore. The 208 also joins Peugeot's lineup of diesel cars here with a 1.6-litre e-HDi variant.
Exterior
The Peugeot 208 has been given a significant overhaul over the outgoing 207 and the exterior is where we can see the most improvement.
Gone are the gaping, 'whale mouth'-like grille and a shield mounted badge. In turn, the Lion badge is now placed directly on the bonnet above the new look floating honeycomb grille, making the 208 look bolder and more stylish.
The old massively oversized headlights are also substituted with angular and more attractive units reminiscent of those on the 508, together with LED daytime running lights that serve as 'eyebrows'.
There's also a raised spine which runs from the bonnet up over the roof, giving the car a clean, muscular and chiselled look.
At the rear, there's a touch of classy design flourish with a chrome breakout by the back windows and a special design tribute to the brand with that of three lines of LEDs in each cluster of the tail lights - mimicking a lion's claw.
Interior
The chic and well presented cabin of the 208 is a big leap forward for Peugeot. Inside, you hardly find anything that is reminiscent of the usual Pugs, except for the badge on the steering wheel.
Decked out in piano black and brushed alloy highlights, coupled with a high quality dash and door trims, there is an upmarket air throughout the interior.
A seven-inch modern and easily navigated touchscreen infotainment system sits in the centre stack with well positioned and intuitive controls, exuding a nice styling touch altogether.
The pint-sized steering wheel, just like the car itself, gives a good meaty grip and sits fully below the instrument cluster.
The chic and well presented cabin of the 208 is a big leap forward for Peugeot. Inside, you hardly find anything that is reminiscent of the usual Pugs, except for the badge on the steering wheel.
Decked out in piano black and brushed alloy highlights, coupled with a high quality dash and door trims, there is an upmarket air throughout the interior.
A seven-inch modern and easily navigated touchscreen infotainment system sits in the centre stack with well positioned and intuitive controls, exuding a nice styling touch altogether.
The pint-sized steering wheel, just like the car itself, gives a good meaty grip and sits fully below the instrument cluster.
That said, those who prefer a high or mid-set wheel may spend some time adjusting their seats to find the optimum line of sight as far as the dials are concerned.
The front seats are well shaped and bolstered, with a sports seat feel once you're settled in comfortably.
Rear passengers are well catered for, too. There's more legroom thanks to redesigned seats which free up space even though the car is more compact externally than its predecessor.
The front seats are well shaped and bolstered, with a sports seat feel once you're settled in comfortably.
Rear passengers are well catered for, too. There's more legroom thanks to redesigned seats which free up space even though the car is more compact externally than its predecessor.
The Drive
Under the bonnet of the 208 is a 1.6-litre e-HDi turbo diesel engine that generates 92bhp and 230Nm of torque.
The engine provides sufficient torque on demand but the only downside is the six-speed Electronic Gearbox Control (EGC) mated to it which doesn't quite inspire confidence.
This gearbox works quite similarly to Citroen's semi-automatic Electronic Gearbox System (EGS) transmission where the accelerator has to be eased off at the time of shift to ensure smooth gear changes.
This does require some patience especially when certain overtaking situations are called for - the gearshifts impede speed gain substantially.
However, as compared to the EGS, we reckoned there was much better control with the EGC and once you get the hang of it, coupled with the car's compact size, the 208 can be a nifty hatch around the city, zipping in and out of busy streets without any problem.
Under the bonnet of the 208 is a 1.6-litre e-HDi turbo diesel engine that generates 92bhp and 230Nm of torque.
The engine provides sufficient torque on demand but the only downside is the six-speed Electronic Gearbox Control (EGC) mated to it which doesn't quite inspire confidence.
This gearbox works quite similarly to Citroen's semi-automatic Electronic Gearbox System (EGS) transmission where the accelerator has to be eased off at the time of shift to ensure smooth gear changes.
This does require some patience especially when certain overtaking situations are called for - the gearshifts impede speed gain substantially.
However, as compared to the EGS, we reckoned there was much better control with the EGC and once you get the hang of it, coupled with the car's compact size, the 208 can be a nifty hatch around the city, zipping in and out of busy streets without any problem.
Fuel efficiency wise, we were literally putting our whole weight on the pedal and it's quite surprising that we still managed to achieve 17.8km/L.
Living up to its city dweller moniker, the 208 returns the kind of handling required for darting through a busy city.
The relatively taut suspension keeps the car well planted, making corners a breeze to tackle and it also does a good, controlled job of dealing with imperfections on the tarmac.
Conclusion
It's all about the style with the 208, with a distinctive exterior and class leading cabin presentation.
Couple that with enjoyable driving manners everyday and it makes for a relatively fun companion.
Living up to its city dweller moniker, the 208 returns the kind of handling required for darting through a busy city.
The relatively taut suspension keeps the car well planted, making corners a breeze to tackle and it also does a good, controlled job of dealing with imperfections on the tarmac.
Conclusion
It's all about the style with the 208, with a distinctive exterior and class leading cabin presentation.
Couple that with enjoyable driving manners everyday and it makes for a relatively fun companion.
