Peugeot 208 review (09/10/2013)
The new 208 has emerged as a strong contender in the viciously competitive supermini segment,
although it has to be said that the model mix introduced here in Ireland has meant it has struggled slightly against established opponents such as Polo, Fiesta, Yaris, Micra, Clio, and all the other suspects.
The new 308 is on the way and
reported to be a fine contender in the small family car segment; the 508 has possibly been underperforming in the family car/repmobile market, given its obvious strengths; and the RCZ has been a welcome — and unexpected — tonic in the sports coupe niche.
But latterly it has been in the so-called ‘crossover’ segment that
Peugeot has really been making strides and with such as the 3008 and the 5008, revamps of which were seen at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show, the French giant has really struck a chord with the buying public.
And now with the excellent new 2008 which I tried recently, I believe Peugeot has hit on another winner with a car which is, in effect, a
replacement for the old SW — station wagon — version. I dislike the term Crossover, to be honest — but the 2008 is a small mixture between an MPV and a SUV that I have no doubt will strike fear into its many
opponents.
Indeed this is becoming a rapidly filling niche (some mini-MPVs and some mini-SUVs) and with such as the Nissan Juke, the Ford B-Max, the Skoda Yeti, the Dacia Duster, and the Opel Mokka all fighting for market share, the Peugeot will have to work hard, but from what I’ve seen it will have no difficulty competing.
This is a car full of neat touches, from its communication centre, or
infotainment centre as they like to call such things these days, though its
surprisingly efficient Grip Control system, which — in the absence of 4WD — allows you tackle on a
variety of surface conditions through an electronic box of tricks without having to raise a sweat. The latter, however, is an option, but I’d have to say it’s one I’d recommend.
The lofty driving position is something that will almost certainly appeal to any driver and the classy interior will also find favour, with such as the really neat metal gear knob and the unique handbrake design which are some of the many design touches that lift the car above the ordinary and add a distinctly up-market feel to the
proceedings.
I will say, however, that the
combination of the dials set high in the dashboard and the small steering wheel does make it difficult to find a comfortable driving position where you can easily assimilate all the
information they are trying to tell you. The infotainment system too, while very efficient, is not the easiest to navigate, but then, I suppose it’s a bit like austerity — you get used to it.
The car we tried was the one fitted with Peugeot’s renowned HDi 1.6 litre turbodiesel engine with an output of 115 bhp. For the more demanding driver that will seem like a piffling amount of power to be playing with but, believe me, it has a lot going for it. It is both quick and economic and is really quite enjoyable to drive. The six speed box too is delightful to use: the shifts are smooth and the ratios well spaced.
Now, while front seat passengers are well catered for, space-wise, the same could not be said when it comes to larger adults asked to populate the rear. Legroom is tight and you won’t be getting any more than four adults into this car comfortably. That said, the boot space isn’t bad and the
folding seats allow for versatility.
On the road, the Peugeot will tackle anything really with considerable élan — motorway or by-way and, in actual fact, given its relatively diminutive
dimensions, it really is at home on lesser roads. All the more so when you consider it has fantastic grip
levels, handles with panache and rides like a much bigger car.
In fact, I found this machine to be a much better one than I ever expected. I half thought it was going to be some sort of compromised horror that I was going to hate. But then one of the pleasures of this game is that every now and them something comes along with completely blows away any preconceptions you might have had about it. This was surely one good
example of that.
It might not be a car which spring to your mind when you think of
buying a supermini, but let me tell you it is one car that if you’re looking for a practical, good looking and well sorted handler, then you won’t find too many that better it.
