QUIRK ZONE
FIVE THINGS – PEUGEOT 208 GT-LINE
1. IT’S PRICED TO MOVE
Peugeot has dropped the 208 GT-Line, listed at nearly $27,000, to $25,990 drive-away. It’s still at the upper end of five-door hatch pricing and well above the sub-$20,000 base versions of the Suzuki Swift, VW Polo, Toyota Yaris and the genre-leading Hyundai Accent. The GT gains reasonable kit for your coin, with diamond-cut 17-inch alloys, leather accented sports seats with red stitching, Nappa leather-trimmed sports steering wheel, dual-zone aircon, satnav, aluminium pedals and seven-inch touchscreen.
2. THE DRIVING POSITION IS UNIQUE
The Peugeot “i-cockpit” departs from the regulation driver posture to reach peak French quirkiness. Get the small steering wheel in the right spot and the driver has a good view of the instruments. It’s designed as an interpretation of the head-up display — rather than the digital speedo and other info being projected on to the windscreen, the readout is in the main binnacle. The aim is to make the driver feel more relaxed and reduce fatigue.
3. IT’S DEPENDABLE WHEN IT MATTERS
French cars have a reputation for being hit-andmiss on quality and reliability but the 208 was the highest ranked small car in the 2018 UK vehicle dependability study by leading industry research firm JD Power. Peugeot introduced a five-year/ unlimited kilometre warranty last year.
4. YOU’RE AUTOMATICALLY SAFER
Autonomous emergency braking is now fitted on all Peugeots (other than GTI versions, in which the larger radiators allow no space for braking sensors). A short-range laser sensor can automatically apply the brakes if the driver doesn’t react quickly enough to an impending collision. The catch: it works only below 30km/h while many rivals now work at low and highway speeds alike. It’s also not available in reverse.
5. IT’S EASY BEING GREEN
The likes of the Toyota Prius and Hyundai Ioniq achieve miserly consumption via hybrid power. The 208 with 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo (81kW/205Nm) and six-speed auto can return less than 5L/100km. It’s no firecracker, so expect to reach 100km/h from standstill in just under 11 seconds. It’s a fun drive when you get to work with the small steering wheel and exploit its low centre of gravity.