Peugeot E-Expert vs Peugeot 208

What's the difference?

The driving comfort and competent load-carrying ability of the E-Expert in a daily short-haul working role would be well suited to both tradies and fleets, if equipped with the convenience of back-to-base overnight charging at home or depot. However, its zero-tailpipe-emissions technology comes at a high price, requiring careful cost-benefit analysis by potential buyers.

The 208 GT-Line is hardly a car purchased on its value offering; it’s an emotional purchase. Fans of the brand know it, even Peugeot knows it.

Here’s the thing, though, the GT-Line looks the part, is true-to-its-roots in how fun it is to drive, and will surprise most with its spacious dimensions and decent spec level. So, while it might be an emotional buy, it’s not necessarily a bad one.

Externally the E-Expert adopts the new look of the Peugeot light commercial range, featuring an elaborate grille design with the brand’s equally new emblem proudly displayed at its centre.

The three-seater cabin design has also been upgraded, with Peugeot claiming extensive revision of the driving position for greater comfort (see Practicality).

The E-Expert rides on a 3275mm wheelbase with 12.4-metre turning circle and combines MacPherson strut front suspension with semi-trailing arm/coil-spring rear suspension, rack and pinion steering with electric power-assistance and four-wheel disc brakes.

Its 1948mm height ensures it can easily access height-restricted areas like underground loading docks and multi-storey car parks.

It might not be for you, but I had come around to the 208’s design by the time I handed the keys back. It’s a bit more upright and frumpy than the slick, conservative design of the Volkswagen Polo, or the swish, cutting-edge lines of the Mazda2.

It’s undeniably a European city car in its short and upright stance, but blazes its own path, even compared to French competitors. I grew quite fond of its weird, slopey bonnet, unconventional face and tough rear wheel arches. The way the rear light clusters clasp the rear to bring the design together is quite satisfying, as are the aluminium-brush alloys, recessed lights and the single chrome tailpipe.

It could be argued that this is a path well-travelled, with this 208 mirroring the design cues of the 207 that came before it, but I’d argue it holds its own, even in 2019. If you’re after something radically different, the styling on its replacement, due next year, is one to look out for.

On the inside, things are… unique.

There are cushy, deep seats for front occupants, with a super vertical dash design, leading up from the deep-set shifter (an older look) to the top-mounted media screen, which is slick, with its chrome bezel and lack of buttons.

The steering wheel is awesome. It’s tiny, strongly contoured and covered in nice leather trim. Its small, almost oval shape is super satisfying to wrangle, and enhances the way you interact with the front wheels.

What is extra strange about it is how far separated it is from the dash cluster. The dials are perched way atop the dash in a layout Peugeot refers to as the ‘iCockpit’. This is all very cool and aesthetic and French if you’re my height (182cm), but if you’re particularly short or particularly tall, the wheel begins to obscure vital information.

Other strange things about the cabin mainly involve little bits of plastic of varying quality strewn about the place. While the overall look is very cool, there are some odd bits of chrome trim and hollow black plastics about that probably don’t need to be there.

A highlight of the E-Expert’s design is its conspicuously low published tare (unladen) weight of only 2052kg, which is considerably lighter than not only its LDV eDeliver 7 LWB Low Roof rival at 2365kg but also the segment-leading diesel HiAce (in LWB Auto Barn-Door spec) at 2245kg.

This figure is largely the result of weight-saving chassis technology, given that its diesel Expert equivalent’s tare weight is an athletic 1698kg.  As a result, given the E-Expert’s 3053kg GVM, it has a substantial 1001kg payload rating, so it’s a genuine one-tonner.

It’s also rated to tow up to 1000kg of braked trailer, but given Peugeot does not publish a GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) we can't confirm how much payload it can carry while towing its maximum trailer weight.

The cargo bay, which with the standard bulkhead/cargo barrier has a competitive 6.1 cubic metres of load volume, is accessed through sliding doors on each side with 935mm openings or from the rear through symmetrical barn-doors with 180-degree opening to enhance forklift and loading dock access.

The cargo bay offers 2780mm of floor length and 1628mm width, which combined with 1258mm between the rear wheel-housings means it can carry two standard Aussie pallets, or up to three Euro pallets, secured with a choice of eight load-anchorage points.

The cargo bay floor length partially extends to more than 4.0 metres by opening the load-through flap at the lower left-hand side of the bulkhead and raising the outer passenger seat-base into its vertical storage position.

This allows long lengths of timber, copper/PVC pipe, carpet/lino rolls etc to slide through and be carried internally. There’s also an additional load-anchorage point in the passenger footwell. Overall, this is a practical design feature.

The bulkhead window is protected by a sturdy mesh guard, the cargo bay doors and walls are lined to mid-height and internal lighting is provided front and rear.

A tough liner to protect the load floor from scrapes and dents is not included as standard equipment, but is available as an accessory.

The cabin can seat up to three occupants with a combination of a driver’s bucket seat and two-passenger bench seat. All seats are trimmed in two-tone ‘Mica Grey' fabric and equipped with full lap-sash seatbelts.

Although this cabin design offers wide door access and good comfort for the driver and outer passenger, the centre passenger is compromised by the large central-dash protrusion that houses the gear-selection and drive-mode controls.

The only option for those seated in the middle is to position both legs on the passenger side of this protrusion, which ensures their feet intrude into the outer passenger footwell. So, trips with two passengers should only be short ones.

Another criticism is the lack of hinge detents or struts to hold the rear barn-doors open in their 180-degree positions, given that a gust of wind when loading/unloading can slam them shut with potential injury for the operator (we reckon lock-open devices should be mandatory for all vans equipped with barn-doors).

The cabin includes two tiers of storage in each front door, comprising a slender shelf at mid-height for small items and a large-bottle holder and big storage bin at the base for larger items.

On top of the dash-pad are a small-bottle/cupholder on each side and a large clamshell-lidded compartment in the centre. There’s also a glove box with another open storage compartment below, while the centre console offers a smartphone cradle.  

The centre seat’s base-cushion, which is hinged at the front, can be tilted forward to reveal a deep compartment below that’s lined with insulating polystyrene foam to keep small items of food and/or drink hot or cold.

The centre seat’s backrest can also fold forward and flat to reveal a mobile office space, with a small desk that can be rotated to provide a comfortable working angle. It also has a shallow tray for holding pens etc and an elastic strap to hold documents in place.

The 208 hit me with some surprises here. Firstly, don’t drink and drive this car. And, by that I mean, don’t even begin to think you’ll find a good spot for a decently sized coffee. There are two cupholders under the dash; they are about an inch deep, and narrow enough to accommodate maybe a piccolo latte. Place anything else in there and you’re asking for a spillage.

There’s also an odd little trench there that barely fits a phone, and a top-box arm-rest thing that’s tiny and bound to the driver’s seat. The glovebox is large and also air-conditioned.

The front seats offer heaps of room, though, for arms, head and especially legs, and there is no shortage of soft surfaces for elbows.

The back seat was also a surprise. I was expecting it to be an afterthought, as it is in many cars this size, but the 208 delivers, with excellent matching seat trim and generous legroom.

Sadly, that’s where back-seat amenities end. There are tiny trenches in the door, but no air vents or cupholders. You’ll have to make do with just the pockets on the backs of the front seats.

Don’t be fooled by the 208’s cropped rear, the boot is deep and grants a surprising 311 litres to the shelf, and maxes out a 1152L with the second row folded down. Also surprising  is the inclusion of a full-size steel spare, stashed under the floor.

This Peugeot is never going to be as cheap as a Mazda2 or Suzuki Swift. The current range spans from $21,990 for the base Active to $26,990 for the GT-Line, and that’s all before on-road costs.

Safe to say you’re looking at a $30k hatch then. For the same money you could be hopping into a decently specified Hyundai i30, Toyota Corolla or Mazda3, but Peugeot bank on the fact that this car appeals to a special kind of customer; the emotional buyer.

Perhaps they had a Peugeot in the past. Perhaps the quirky styling calls out to them. But they aren’t interested in value… per se.

So do you at least get a decent standard spec? The GT-Line comes with a 7.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, built-in sat-nav, 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in some seriously low-profile Michelin Pilot Sport rubber, panoramic fixed glass roof, dual-zone climate control, self-parking function, front and rear parking sensors with a reversing camera, rain sensing wipers, sports bucket seats, auto folding mirrors and GT-Line specific chrome styling touches.

Not bad. The styling is certainly turned up a notch over the regular 208 range and the spec list makes it one of the better-equipped cars in the segment. However, there are some notable omissions which hurt on a car at this price. For example, there’s no option for push-start or LED headlamps.

Safety is okay, but it could use update. More on that in the safety section.

The E-Expert’s single electric motor, which drives the front wheels through a single-speed automatic transmission, produces 100kW of power and 260Nm of torque. It also offers three grades of regenerative braking/battery charge replenishment, using paddle-shifters on the steering wheel.

The regular (that’s non-GTi) 208s are offered with just one engine now. A 1.2-litre turbo petrol three-cylinder, which produces 81kW/205Nm. While that doesn’t sound like an awful lot, it turns out to be plenty for the little 1070kg hatch.

Unlike some notable French manufacturers, Peugeot has seen the light and dumped single-clutch automatics (aka automated manuals) in favour of a six-speed torque converter auto, which does its best to have you not notice it.

It also has a stop-start system, which might save fuel (I couldn’t objectively prove that it did) but will definitely annoy you at the lights.

Peugeot claims an official WLTP driving range of up to 330km from its 75kWh lithium-ion battery, which is mounted in a cradle beneath the load floor to maintain the same cargo bay load volume as its diesel sibling.

Our test vehicle was fully charged on collection and we drove 214km on that single charge, of which 50km was hauling a near-maximum payload on our city/suburban test route. We also switched between the three drive modes, but most driving was done in 'Normal' mode.

At the completion of our test, the dash readout was claiming average energy consumption of 25kWh/100km. So, based on these figures, a ‘real world’ driving range of up to 300km is credible, with potentially more using 'Eco' mode exclusively.

Peugeot claims the E-Expert can be charged from 0-100 per cent using a three-phase (11kW) wall-box in about 7.5 hours, or 0-80 per cent in 45 minutes using (100kW) DC quick-charge facilities.

The claimed/combined fuel number for the 208 GT-Line is a slightly unrealistic-sounding 4.5L/100km. Sure enough, after a week of city/highway combined driving, I produced a number of 7.4L/100km. So, a solid miss. Slightly less-enthusiastic driving should see that number drop, but I still don’t see how you could get it down to 4.5L/100km.

The 208 requires a minimum of 95RON mid-range fuel, and has a 50-litre tank.

Thanks to adjustable lumbar support, a height/reach adjustable steering wheel with flat lower rim to allow extra torso/legroom and a decent-sized left footrest, it’s easy to find a comfortable driving position. The door mirrors, although smaller than some rivals, are adequate given their active blind-spot monitoring assistance.

The steering feel is responsive and nicely weighted, combined with sure-footed handling and supple unladen ride quality from its four-coil suspension.

It provides smooth and near-silent performance at speeds up to 80km/h, with tyre and wind noise becoming more intrusive at highway speeds. We drove most of the test in 'Normal' drive mode, which provides more than adequate city and suburban performance given the E-Expert’s relatively light kerb weight.

The energy-saving Eco mode causes a noticeable drop in response, as you’d expect. The 'Power' setting has the opposite effect, using more energy but producing improved acceleration even with a heavy load on board.

Adjustment of regenerative braking ('Low'/'Mid'/'High') using the steering wheel paddles produces noticeable differences in retardation across the three modes. In High mode, the effect is strong enough to require minimal use of the brake pedal.

To test its GVM rating we forklifted 770kg into the cargo bay, which combined with our two-man crew equalled a payload of 950kg which was only 50kg under its one-tonne limit.

Even so, the coil-spring rear suspension only compressed 40mm under this load, leaving more than 30mm of static bump-stop clearance that ensured no sharp bottoming-out over bumps.

On our congested 50km city/suburban test route, where mid-sized electric vans would typically operate, it handled this load with considerable ease in Normal mode with no requirement to use the Power setting.

The extra weight had a minimal effect on handling and braking response, with the E-Expert proving to be a competent load-hauler within its driving range.

Our only criticism is the positioning of the centre seat’s large headrest, which even when fully lowered blocks a large portion of the central mirror’s view through the bulkhead window and rear doors. As a result, we removed it and stored it away when not carrying a centre passenger.

The 208 is good fun, and lives up to its heritage of making the most of its lightweight dimensions and small figure to make for an agile city-slicker. The engine outputs might look like just any other hatch in this class, but the turbo comes on nice and strong in an impressively linear fashion.

It makes for reliable and strong acceleration, with the peak 205Nm of torque available at 1500rpm.

A featherweight at 1070kg, you’ll find no complaints from me about its performance. It’s no GTi, but it will still be warm enough for most.

Despite its upright figure, handling is fantastic, too. The low-profile Michelins feel planted at the front and back, and, unlike the GTi, you never really feel at risk of understeer or wheelspin.

This is all enhanced by the intense helm, with the small steering wheel giving it a thoroughly engaging feel. You can chuck this car into corners and down alleyways with enthusiasm, and it feels like it loves it as much as you do.

The suspension is stiff, especially at the rear, and the low-profile rubber makes it noisy on coarse-chip surfaces, but you’ll barely hear a peep out of the little engine. Other notable downsides include the slow-to-react stop-start system (which you can turn off) and the lack of active cruise, which would be nice at this price.

On the topic of active cruise, this car is showing its age in the safety department. Available active safety is limited to a camera-based city-speed auto emergency braking system (AEB). The lack of a radar, even optionally, means no active cruise or freeway-speed AEB. There’s also no option for blind-spot monitoring (BSM), lane-departure warning (LDW) or lane-keep assist (LKAS).

Sure, we’re talking about a car which largely dates back to 2012, but you can get cars a full size up with all those features for close to the same money from Korea and Japan.

On the more impressive side, you get an above-average set of six airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioners and rear ISOFIX child-seat mounting points, as well as the expected set of electronic braking and stability aids. A reversing camera is also now standard.

The 208 previously held a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2012, but that rating is limited to four-cylinder variants, which have since been phased out. Three-cylinder cars remain un-rated.

E-Expert comes with a five-year/200,000km Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) specific warranty, plus eight-year battery warranty, 12-year corrosion warranty and three-year paint warranty.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/25,000km whichever occurs first, with capped-price for the first five scheduled services totalling $1846, or an annual average of $369. Pre-paid service plans up to five years offer considerable savings.

Peugeot offers a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty on its entire range of passenger cars, which is up-to-date and in-line with most segment competitors.

The 208 requires servicing at yearly or 15,000km intervals (whichever occurs first) and has a fixed price to the length of the warranty.

Servicing is not cheap, with yearly visits costing between $397 and $621, although there’s nothing on the optional extras list, that price is all-inclusive.

Total cost over the five-year period is $2406 for an (expensive) average of $481.20 a year.