Moving with the times
The GT Line also provisions the Grip Control traction control system. Activated via a rotary dial aft of the gear lever, this allows the driver to select from normal, snow, mud and sand traction modes.
The 2008 is emphatically a frontdrive machine. What Grip Control does in sophisticated fashion is use the vehicle’s Electronic Stability Programme system to alter power delivery between the front wheels to maximise traction in different circumstances.
Perhaps the most disappointing feature of the prefacelift 2008 was a lacklustre mechanical package comprising a 88kW/ 160Nm 1.6litre engine and fourspeed automatic transmission.
This time round Peugeot has really moved with the times, introducing its acclaimed threecylinder 1.2litre turbo engine to the 2008 in combination with a sixspeed automatic transmission. Power is down a little compared with the old 1.6 at 81kW, but peak torque gets a telling 28% boost to 205Nm.
The first thing you will probably notice on bringing this twotime world engine of the year class winner to life is its slightly discordant threecylinder warble.
Once under way, it is quickly apparent that the new engine and gearbox deliver a handsome improvement in performance.
With peak torque produced at 1500rpm the latest 2008 is responsive even at light throttle openings. The gearbox is sensibly calibrated to play to the motor’s strengths, with upshifts coming at 2000rpm in normal mode, and no more than 3500rpm in sport mode. Even when using the Tiptronic manual shift option, there is little benefit to be had by thrashing the engine much past 4500rpm.
As a result, the test car proved a relaxing roundtown and highway cruiser. There is a huge economy benefit to be had by this combination of engine and gearbox, too, with a superthrifty 4.8l/100km standard cycle economy return. On a test drive route that worked the car harder than usual, I was pleased to manage a 5.9l/100km return.
That route incorporated a short run up a damp grass slope and another over a soft sandbased surface to evaluate Grip Control. This clever system provided traction much superior to that of standard frontdrive, but still inferior to that of a full 4WD. I would love to sample it on a snowy skifield road in winter.
While the SUV stance increases ground clearance, the main benefits of the extra ride height are ease of entry and exit, and improved driving visibility. Peugeot has done well to deliver these benefits without impacting too obviously on the 2008’s dynamic prowess.
Of course a conventional 208 hatchback is going to be superior through the twists and turns, but the 2008 GT Line test car is nimble and well balanced by compact SUV class standards, gripping strongly and resisting
understeer well. It also rides nicely, and road noise is well contained even on coarse chip surfaces.
But it is the new engine and gearbox that are the real standouts. They transform the 2008 from a vehicle that was obviously lacking in a key area into a machine that is strong all round.