OH, to be young, good-looking and trendy. The new Peugeot 208 is all three.
Yet the 208 is also carrying a heavy burden. It is faced with the task of living up to the legacy of the fondly-remembered 205, the big-selling 206 and the outgoing 207, which for much of its life was a top-ten seller in the UK.
Peugeot has a rich history of making superminis, but comparisons with the past are, to a great extent, largely an academic exercise for petrolheads. The 208 is first and foremost a car of today.
Handsome, it most certainly is, and it has an aura of confidence.
Even before it went on sale this month, the orders were coming in at a surprisingly fast rate.
At the front, where the grille has a so-called “floating” style, you can see Peugeot’s new feline styling direction. There are more muscular body sides, too, with the three-door getting a more sporty profile.
The facts and figures are impressive – some very clever fiddling around with the dimensions has meant a 7cm reduction in length and a 1cm loss of height, set against a 5cm increase in knee room for the rear seat passengers and a bigger boot. The 208 also weighs 114kg less on average than its predecessor, and CO2 emissions are down by an average 34g/km – a remarkable achievement.
That weight loss gives the 208 a light athleticism which encourages you to revel in the balance and faithfulness of the chassis. It does this while providing a decent ride, too, sometimes over-bouncy on the rough, but the overall balance between comfort and handling is well-judged.
Under the bonnet, there is a new three-cylinder petrol engine to explore. Produced at the Tremery production facility in France, the 1.0l and 1.2l VTi versions allow the 208 to offer petrol versions at 99g/km and 104g/km of CO2.
These normally aspirated, indirect injection engines have maximum power outputs of 68 and 82bhp at 6,000rpm. There is also a 1.4-litre VTi and two 1.6-litre petrol engines for higher performance.
For diesel fans, there are 1.4 and 1.6-litre choices, with a stop-start version offering 87g/km green credentials alongside 83.1mpg average fuel economy.
Behind the wheel, the first thing you notice is that the instrument binnacle is perched on top of the dashboard, directly ahead of the driver’s eye-line. In combination with this, there’s a slightly smaller steering wheel that feels just right and is adjustable for reach and rake.
We have come to expect nothing less than class-leading quality in Peugeot cabins these days, and the 208 is no exception. Materials employed have a quality look and feel, with classy combinations of cloth and leather, glossy black trim and a panoramic glass sunroof available.
The tested 1.2-litre unit, which returns an average 62.8mpg figure, provides a spirited drive, nippy in town and with enough power to be equally at home on open roads.
A more relaxed drive can be found in the 1.6-litre HDI dieselpowered car, which offers a blend of gutsy performance and economy, and will cruise with low levels of noise.
Prices for the 208 start at just under £10,000, but Peugeot expects very few customers to opt for the cheapest Access version.
About 80 per cent of buyers are expected to opt for the Active trim level, which sits in the middle of the five-level range, or the higherspecced Allure or Feline trims.
These customers gets a 7in colour touch-screen which provides access to various functions – radio, Bluetooth hands-free kit or music files via a USB connection or audio streaming.
Another key weapon in the 208 campaign to win over younger drivers is Peugeot’s Just Add Fuel scheme, which means that a typical 21-year-old will be able to drive one away for £285 a month for three years after paying a £1,500 deposit. For this, the driver gets three years insurance, three years servicing, a warranty and roadside assistance.
There are no plans for a cabriolet version – indeed, the 207 will continue to take on that role – but watch out for news of a GTi, already beingdisplayed in concept form.
fact file
Peugeot 208 Allure
PRICE: from £9,995
ENGINE: 1.2-litre threecylinder petrol producing 82bhp
TRANSMISSION: five-speed manual gearbox driving the front wheels
PERFORMANCE: top speed 109mph, 0-62mph in 14.0 seconds
ECONOMY: 62.8mpg combined
CO2 RATING: 104g/km
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