a true bestseller of the French brand
Cars and mobility
The “200” family was renewed with the second generation 208. It is a success!
By Stéphane Wamat
A 208 who lives with her time because time is no longer “fun above all”… It is a paradox. The look of the model is sportier than ever and yet you can feel at the wheel that the car has been attacked compared to the previous generation. But beware, wiser means no less effective.
In fact, the chassis of the car is worthy of the reputation of the brand: precise, efficient, the 208 offers great stability. Perhaps too much, by the way: the nostalgic 205 and 206 will regret the fact that their descendant shows such a frozen backcover. The others will find it reassuring. But what we regret most (besides ergonomics to check as soon as possible), the sensations are too filtered. Previously, the 208 was “special,” communicative at any speed. Today, the funniest feeling behind the wheel comes from the fact that you can see the lightness of the car (1,100 kg, it is remarkable), the rest has been diluted in favor of comfort.
And deep down, how can I blame him? Apart from a handful of irreductors, this is exactly what today’s customers are looking for: a quality finish above the average of the segment (farewell to the cliché about the Frenchman a little scrap!) and a technological content on the page (whether for multimedia or driving aids). And all that, the 208 has it. It therefore deserves its “Car of the Year” title, which was awarded by the best European car journalists at the beginning of March. A 208 with the sparkling 100 hp gasoline engine with 17,430 Euro TVAC is definitely a smart purchase.
The opinion of the Lamarche family
“The little Peugeot 200 something” is a classic of the family’s second car. And between the look and the quality of the surface we now find at Peugeot, it’s more enticing than ever. But it’s still small. The rear seats, at least behind a large driver, are “straight right”. What about the safe? Only 311 litres. We understand the current advertisements of the brand, in which people use tricks to borrow a 208: we leave the main car to the one who takes care of children, race, sport, and the other spends a good time in the Peugeot. So she has a place with us! »
Read also – The Peugeot 5008 BlueHDi GT Line with author Sébastien d’Errico: “It’s a real car”
The expert opinion of the eco-driving expert
The 100 hp engine chosen for this test is the best compromise in the 208 range. It has enough resources to adopt realistic looks (or even have fun from time to time) and proves to be more economical than the 75 hp version, which needs to be spat out all the time. This is true on paper (5.4 l/100 km for the 100 hp, 5.5 for the 75 hp), and this is all the more true in practice, because a stronger engine has an easier way to moderate its appetite.
When we took control of the 208 PureTec 100 hp, we got a real average of… 5.2 l/100 km! It is true that this was done through the use of all our know-how in eco-driving, but without becoming an obstacle to the movement of others. If a less experienced driver uses this car to consume more than 6.5 liters, it’s really because he’s doing it on purpose!
Technical data
L/l/h (mm): 4.055/1.765/1.430
5 places
1,102 kg
Engine: 3 Cyl. Turbo petrol 1.2 liters
Power: 100 hp
Torque: 205 Nm
Conso WLTP: 5.4 l/100 km
CO2-WLTP: 123g/km
