The lion goes from strength to strength

Road test -Peugeot 208 Sharp looking, all-new hatchback from France continues Peugeot’s renaissance, writes Matt Allan

The last few years have seen Peugeot enjoy a renaissance as its selection of bland also-rans has been gradually replaced by appealing new models that blend sharp styling with hightech equipment and a material move upmarket.

Built on the latest generation CMP platform the new 208 is the latest model to get a make-over and is bigger but lighter than before and designed to offer traditional combustion and all-electric powertrain options.

Car makers often claim buyers are influenced more by a car’s design than any other characteristic and if that’s the case Peugeot should be laughing all the way to the bank. The 208 is a stunner. From the fang-like running lights that flank the deep chrome grille back to the trademark triple claw tail lights and the GT Line’s substantial roof spoiler it’s a car crying out for attention.

The interior is just as stylish. A stepped design creates two distinct dashboard segments, both of which sweep round and flow into the lines of the doors. The upper section houses the media/nav system (seven or 10-inch) and on all but basic Active trim the new 3D i-Cockpit that uses clever projection to make key data literally stand out on the instruments. A couple of ergonomic quirks aside, the 208’s interior leaves its rivals for dead.

While the 208 leads the way in the design stakes, it sits somewhere between the Renault Clio and Ford Fiesta in terms of ride and handling.

The steering doesn’t have the Fiesta’s sharpness or feel but it’s light and quick, and on faster roads it’s an enjoyable steer. The ride is more forgiving than the Fiesta but there is still an occasional harshness exposed by sharp ridges and potholes.

The 208 is set to be Peugeot’s first all-electric model when the e-208 arrive. That will feature a 50kWh battery and 100kW (135bhp) motor good for 217 miles. Until then the 208 has a standard line-up of petrols and a single diesel.

Best-seller is expected to be the 99bhp version of the 1.2-litre PureTech petrol paired with a six-speed gearbox. It’s responsive and powerful enough, and matched to the manual gearbox feels livelier than the more powerful 128bhp with its eightspeed auto. Beside the 99 and 128bhp versions there’s also a 75bhp model with a five-speed manual, and a 99bhp 1.5 manual diesel.

The new 208 starts at £16,250 for the Active trim with the 74bhp engine. Every combination comes with niceties such as 16-inch alloys, air con, cruise control, rear parking sensors, auto headlights and a seven-inch touchscreen with DAB and smartphone mirroring. Safety features such as lane keep assist and driver alertness warning are also standard but you have to pay more for autonomous emergency braking (AEB). Above that sit Allure and GT Line trim, with a £29,650 GT spec only available as an EV.

When the latest generation of the Ford Fiesta launched it was pretty much peerless. However, since then a brace of