Peugeot 208 Video Reviews

Ford Fiesta ST and Peugeot 208 GTi go head to head in this comparative review.

The Peugeot 205 GTi held the hot hatch crown in the 1980s, and helped cement Peugeot’s motorsport reputation. It was raw, lively and fun, but with the uncivilised potential to get you into serious trouble. And the way it covered the ground between here and the horizon was astounding.With its demise came a series of hot hatches that had all the Peugeot DNA, but they were neither lively nor fun. So with the new 208 GTi launching under the tagline “The GTI is back", Peugeot is hoping that means the magic is back as well.DESIGNThe GTI-is-back line isn't just restricted to the marketing either, it's part of the car's styling - most obviously in the logo on the C-pillar, where once you would find a 1.6 or 1.9 badge. Echoing its ancestor, the wheel arches are all appropriately flared with plastic extensions, although the 208's are painted and less cartoonish.Sadly absent is a reboot of the signature 205 GTi wheel designs – early telephone dial and multi-spoke Speedlines made famous by WRC cars – in favour of a more modern and intricate style. The body doesn't squat down over those wheels and from behind, you'll be hard-pressed to guess it from the rest of the range, apart from the trapezoidal exhausts.From the front, there's a more aggressive bumper, grille and daytime running lights unique to the GTi - once you recognise them, you'll always see one coming. It sits lower and has wider front and rear track (10mm and 20mm respectively), with 17-inch alloys wrapped with 205/45 rubber. On the inside there's acres of piano black, set off by the retro cues of red stitching, red accents and squared off seat bolsters.Peugeot's fondness for nostalgia does not, thankfully, extend to the cabin equipment. A high-tech interior comes with a complicated seven-inch touchscreen, with bluetooth, sat-nav and two USB ports. The dash and fittings are made from nicely textured soft plastics and the doors are capped with more piano black plastic that appears to bleed red over the handle.VALUEThe GTi hits our roads for $29,990, a full five grand cheaper than the run-out Renaultsport Clio (and probably the new one), but almost five more than the just-announced Ford Fiesta ST. It also has the cheaper - and popular - VW Polo GTI to contend with, which also has a DSG auto and two extra doors. Peugeot will also offer future assured value via their finance arm, as well as capped price servicing.TECHNOLOGYUnder the bonnet is the same engine found in the RCZ and Citroen DS3 Sport - plus (whisper it) the Mini Cooper S and JCW. And it delivers just as much fun as in any of those cars. Smooth and muscular, it's good for 147kW and 275Nm of torque with just a six-speed manual available.But sadly, despite the efforts of the exhaust engineers, the 208 doesn't have the sporty exhaust note they were looking for and none of the exuberant poppity-pop of the JCW. It certainly moves the 1167kg 208, reaching 100km/h in 6.8 seconds. The cornering control system uses the ABS sensors to nip a rear disc to help bring the back end into line if it all gets a little unruly.SAFETYSix airbags, ABS, traction and stability control and electronic brake force distribution all add up to five stars.DRIVINGThe driving position and controls might take a bit of getting used to. The steering wheel is genuinely tiny and with the flat bottom, there's less of it than if it had been round. It doesn't really make sense - the idea of a flat bottom is to make room for your knees.You have to drop the wheel low so you can see over it to the dashboard, which seems counter-intuitive but it works, especially once you've found the paddle holding the cruise control. You may have to sit a little higher than you might normally.Out on the road, it's a very easy car to drive, even in traffic. The ride is almost limo-like for a hot-hatch, something Peugeot used to do really well. Combined with the generous seats, clear vision out and an easy clutch and gearbox, this could be any good hatchback in everyday driving.Floor it, however, and it comes alive with plenty of grip and plenty of character. Firing into a tight bend, you can feel all four corners working hard, with tyres at both ends happy to make noise as you head for the apex, letting you know where you've gone wrong and gently suggesting what to do about it.Too fast? Just lift off the gas and the nose comes straight back with a vengeance, giving you confidence and the heroic feeling that you've found its limits. The body rolls a little bit more than expected but it delivers a better experience overall than a harder, lower machine might.The brakes are strong and took a pretty serious pounding around the track and on the road without feeling like they would give up. The steering, while weightless, responds immediately, allowing you to dart left and right with a flick of the wheel - but it's not so fast a sneeze will cause an unscheduled lane change.VERDICTIs the GTi back? Yep, but it’s learned some extra manners. The 208 is civilised at all times but when you give it a kick, it'll fire up and show you it still knows the GTi tricks -- without ever losing patience and chucking you backwards through a fence.The 208 is entering a war zone that in twelve months’ time will be packed with a battalion of hot hatches to choose from. It's got a big job ahead of it but for the first time in 20 years, Peugeot is well-armed for the conflict.Peugeot 208 GTiPrice: from $29,900Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmCapped servicing: $270/yr for 3 yrs/60,000kmService interval:12 months/20,000kmSafety rating:  5 starsEngine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo, 147W/275NmTransmission: 6-speed man; FWDThirst: 5.9L/100km, 98RONDimensions: 3.9m (L), 1.7m (W), 1.4m (H)Weight: 1160kgSpare: Full size 

It comes as no surprise that Peugeot’s new 208 is all about style, after all the French and flair are synonymous. In an unusual move we will discuss the style of the 208’s interior before we get on to talk about it body. That’s because of a radical new shapes and ideas within the car.The new Peugeot 208 Active starts at $18,490 for the 1.2-litre three cylinder. The 1.6-litre four cylinder Allure starts at $21,490, while the top of the range 1.6 four cylinder turbocharged Allure Sport comes in at $26,490.Lower set, and in the centre of the car, a seven-inch multifunction touchscreen provides access to the satellite navigation and onboard audio systems. The latter comes complete with the usual inputs for music and telephone, but, interestingly no CD player. Peugeot feels the era of the audio CD is now history.Power comes from a choice of three engines, 1.2-litre with three cylinders, a four-cylinder 1.6 with natural aspiration, or the latter unit with a turbocharger to push along the Active Sport model. Five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions are offered.The first thing you will notice stepping into the Peugeot 208 is the tiny steering wheel, the sort of wheel you would expect to find in a sports car, not in a family hatchback. The miniature wheel is there not to make a styling statement, but to leave space above itself so the driver can view the high-set instatement layout.The intention is that the driver takes their attention off the road for a minimum amount of time to scan the instruments, and thus increases road safety. These instruments are set within a dashboard design that’s classy and finished to a high standard. The plastics have pleasingly soft finish and the minor controls not only look good but function in an easy to use manner.Peugeot 208‘s all-new body comes in three and five-door format. However, the three-door isn’t simply a five-door with fewer openings, it takes quite a different approach to style. Thus the three-door has a real sporty appearance, while the five-door has a slightly less radical shape. The latter still hasn’t lost out in the flair stakes, though.Peugeot was in the vanguard of the latest car ‘big-grille’ styling theme, with close to a decade since it first moved in what was considered a provocative new direction. Now Peugeot has left the others, who have been copying its ideas in recent times, and set off in a new styling direction.While the Peugeot 208 still has a large grille the focus isn’t on the complete grille, but rather on the central section. This is raised in what Peugeot calls a ‘floating’ manner, leaving the main segment of the grille in the background to frame rather than dominate the frontal appearance. Depending on which of the grades of 208 you select – Active or Allure – you get a different finish to the floating segment.The smaller, lighter body has more interior space than the outgoing cars, particularly in the back seat. You wouldn't want to cram five big Aussie blokes in this small car, but two plus a trio of kids will fit nicely.The 208 is marginally smaller on the outside than the 207 it replaces, but intelligent design works gives it even more safety in a crash. Peugeot is proud of the fact that its 208 is the first car in the world to score five stars in the recently toughened-up European NCAP crash testing.On the road on a drive program organised by Peugeot in the Gold Coast hinterland we were able to sample the 1.2 and 1.6 engines, but only with manual gearboxes as imports are still pending. The 1.6 naturally aspirated probably has enough performance for most drivers, but interestingly our favourite was the little 1.2-litre three-cylinder.We like the willingness and character of three-cylinder units and the way they are happy to rev. Though it has to be said that the latter is a handy feature because in the interests of economy this engine isn’t designed as a high-performance powerplant. So you do need to use lower gears on any sort of a hill and keep in mind that on level roads the fuel consumption is going to be well down.Steering and suspension are brilliant and the feel through the tiny steering wheel is great. You really do get the feel you’re in a sports machine, not just a family hatch.In typical Peugeot manner the ride comfort is good despite this excellent handling ability.