On the road in Laois: New Peugeot 208 Mild Hybrid proves small can be big on appeal

The new Peugeot 208 is available with a choice of three trims –Active, Allure and GT-Line. There are some lovely new colours available one of which is the Agueda Yellow metallic of my test car in this week's motoring column. 

The Peugeot 208 has always been a popular model for the brand and this latest version aims to build on that with a comprehensive suite if standard equipment all packaged very neatly in this compact supermini hatchback body shell.

So has it got street cred?
The 208 scores highly in the beauty stakes. It boasts the Peugeot family “face” featuring the “tri-claw effect lighting” and manages to blend cheeky good looks with a very Avant-Garde style. Its chunky good looks allied to these great new colours make the new 208 a bit of ahead turner.

So what’s it like inside?
The interior is no less dramatic and impressive. The driving position is good and I like the small multifunction flat-bottomed leather coated steering wheel. All models get as standard, Automatic emergency braking, Active safety Brake, Traffic sign recognition, selectable drive mode Normal, and Sport, cruise control with speed limiter, air conditioning, electric front windows, child safety locks, seat belt alarm, 2 child seat ISOFIX fixtures, driver’s seat height adjustment, central touchscreen, Bluetooth, Apple Car Play and Android Auto, steering column remote controls and daytime running lights with follow me home function. All versions now get a ten inch touchscreen and Peugeot’s latest i-cockpit. Accommodation is good upfront but more “cosy” in the rear. The 352 litre boot is adequate for a car in this class.

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What is under the bonnet?
My 208 GT test car was powered in this case by Peugeot’s 1.2 litre Pure tech 100 bhp petrol engine which drives the front wheels via the 8-speed auto gearbox. This sweet revving 3 cylinder petrol turbo is simply excellent providing punchy acceleration and refined motorway cruising. Combined with a self charging lithium ion battery and an electric motor, it performs well enabling electric powered driving for short distances around town. This mild hybrid is designed to reduce fuel consumption and boost performance which it certainly does very well. It sounds throaty too when in Sport mode and you can shift gear via the paddle shifts if you prefer a bit more driver involvement. It's frugal too, burning just 5.3 litres of petrol per 100km.

Will I enjoy driving it?
You will! Peugeot have always built cars that handle well and this new 208 GT is no exception. The handling is surefooted whether on wet or dry roads and furthermore the car boasts a very nice suspension set-up which gives a smooth ride over even poor surfaces. Levels of refinement are high, with all ambient noise well suppressed.

My Verdict
I really like this Peugeot new 208 mild hybrid. It has style and real flair. It is a car that is much more than just the sum of its parts. It is fun to drive, proves practical, and economical, and boasts the latest in motor vehicle technology. I enjoyed driving the 208, it feels sporty, nimble and lively. It's compact about town yet feels like a much bigger car when out on the open road. The Peugeot 208 GT mild hybrid as tested costs €30,495 while the entry model a 208 1.2 75 bhp petrol starts at €26,195. The cracking little Peugeot 208 is simply one of the best superminis on the market!