Peugeot 208 review

As with a game of blackjack, when it comes to naming your small, French hatchback, do you stick or twist? That's been the conundrum with every new version of the Peugeot 208 since it began life as the 205, back in 1983. This time, though, it's kept the same three numbers as the last version. 

Great, but let's be clear: this is a very different car from the last 208. That's a very good thing. The last 208 wasn't great, and in a class full of long-established names, such as the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo and Seat Ibiza, that's very bad if you want to keep attracting buyers. 

Firstly, they've cranked up the French chic 'thing' on the outside, but that's nothing compared to the inside. Seriously, take a peek through the window and what greets you is an exciting, refreshing take on what a small car's interior should look like. We'll tell you if it's all style over function later on in this review, but it certainly outshines the arguably drab competition in the showroom show down. 

It's a pretty simple model line up, with three being the magic number: three trim levels – Active, Allure and GT Line – and the option of three petrol engines. Only the solitary diesel spoils that particular reference to a 1970's American children's TV show. The real headline-grabber for the 208, though, is that there’s an electric model, the e208, which you can read about separately by clicking the link.

The all-important question is whether the 208 can offer other virtues beyond its style and hit the sweet spots that its rivals hit. If you want to find out, and how it compares to those rivals, read on for our full review. And, whichever car you choose, head over to our New Car Buying pages to see how much you could save without any tedious haggling.