Item: Used Peugeot 208 2019-present
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

For a fun driving experience, opt for the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/used-review/n952">Ford Fiesta</a>. It has great handling and comes in significantly cheaper than the 208, but that does mean a compromise on interior quality.&nbsp;

If you’re looking for a more spacious and practical small car, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/used-review/n17425">Volkswagen Polo</a> delivers in that department and has an upmarket feel.&nbsp;

Other small cars to look out for are the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/i20/hatchback/used-review/n957">Hyundai i20</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/rio/hatchback/used-review/n17562">Kia Rio</a>; both have much longer warranties and are around the same price as the Fiesta.&nbsp;

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the <a href="http://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">What Car? Newsletter here</a>

If you're interested in finding a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/peugeot/208?nearlynew=true&amp;used=true&amp;yearFrom=2020">used 208</a>, or any of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/category/small">other small cars</a> mentioned here, head over to the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars"> Used Car Buying</a> pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price. 
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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

Hatchback

Peugeot has its strongest model line-up for some years, with some of its cars now rated by our testers as being among the very best available.

Highlights focus around the firm’s newest SUVs, the 3008 and 5008. The 5008 was named Large SUV of the Year at the 2018 What Car? Awards, thanks to its appealing blend of space, interior quality and low running costs.

That bodes well for future launches, too, because many of the learnings from these cars will be passed on as new versions of existing cars are launched – something that could take many years, because the Peugeot range is so big, ranging from an entry-level supermini with the 108 to an executive saloon with the 508, up into the SUV range and also vans.

Buyers should evaluate some of the lower-rated cars in the range more carefully, though. Some are now quite old, and are subsequently left behind in terms of quality when compared with the opposition, making them below-average buys, in our estimation.

PEUGEOT

The 208 is smart and comfortable and has a big car feel. The EV version is very impressive.

Used Peugeot 208 2019-present

<h3 dir="ltr">MPG</h3>

The 1.2-litre petrol Puretech 100 has an official WLTP fuel economy figure of 55.6mpg, and in our real-world test&nbsp;it managed 47.9mpg – similar to other small cars of the same engine size. The Puretech 130 drinks a bit more fuel, with an official&nbsp;51.9mpg average. The diesel model is, of course, more economical, at&nbsp;71.4mpg, but again you can expect this to be slightly lower in real-world conditions and it does come at a higher price.

Or there’s the option to go fully electric with the e-208.&nbsp;The e-208&nbsp;also has an impressive official range of up to 217&nbsp;miles on a full charge. You won't get that far in real-world driving&nbsp;but, based on our tests, 150 miles in winter and 170 miles in the summer is a realistic expectation without trying too hard. That's farther than a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/fiat/500/hatchback/review/n84">Fiat 500</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/honda-e/hatchback/review/n20882">Honda E</a>&nbsp;can manage, although the Zoe has an even longer range.

<h3 dir="ltr">Road tax (VED)</h3>

The 208 comes under the flat-rate fee for road tax at £155&nbsp;a year. To find out more about <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2019-%E2%80%93-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153">road tax costs, click here</a>.&nbsp;

<h3 dir="ltr">Servicing and insurance</h3>

Peugeot offers fixed-price servicing at £199 for a minor service and £329 for a major service after a two-year service at £269. There are also fixed-price service plans available that allow you&nbsp;to break up the cost over your period of ownership.

The 208 comes with a three-year warranty that can be extended as long as the car is under three years old and has covered less than&nbsp;60,000 miles.&nbsp;The insurance groups for the different models of the 208 are relatively low and match what you can expect to pay to insure a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/used-review/n952">Fiesta</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/used-review/n17425">Polo</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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The 208 is smart and comfortable and has a big car feel. The EV version is very impressive. 



The 208 is still relatively pricey for a used small car. For a 1.2-litre petrol model with the entry-level Active trim, prices start at around £13,500, which is quite a bit higher than a Fiesta or Polo of the same age. The diesel starts at around £1000 more, and if you opt for the Allure trim, that will set you back £14,700. There’s a greater selection of 208s in Allure trim&nbsp;on the market, so we suggest stretching your budget a little to give yourself more choice. The range-topping&nbsp;GT Line is closer to £17,000. You'll need around £20,000 to get behind the wheel of the all-electric e-208 version.&nbsp;

Check the value of a used Peugeot 208 with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">What Car? Valuations</a>.

<h3 dir="ltr">Engine</h3>

The 1.2-litre Puretech 100 is gutsy at low speeds and has plenty of power for A-roads and motorway driving. Good fuel economy is another plus for the Puretech 100, which performed well in our real-life mpg test. The more economical diesel might make more sense if you cover a lot of miles, but for everyday driving, the Puretech 100 is the engine we recommend.&nbsp;

<h3 dir="ltr">Specification</h3>

Active trim is a great option with its 16in wheels and heated door mirrors. However, we recommend stretching your budget to go for the Allure trim, with its 17in wheels,&nbsp;dual-zone climate control and electric rear windows. GT Line adds more gadgets such as&nbsp;an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, but at an unnecessary expense.&nbsp;

Our favourite Peugeot 208: 1.2 Puretech 100 Allure&nbsp;

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Spacious enough for four adults to sit comfortably</li> <li>Logically laid-out interior that doesn’t</li> <li>feel too cheap</li> <li>Mature driving manners </li> <li>Decent-sized boot</li> <li>Competitive buying and running costs</li></ul>

Small cars, or superminis as they’re also known, used to be bought by single people or couples with no children – but the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen&nbsp;Polo have grown to the point where they can be considered all-round family transport, albeit with the odd compromise.

The Fiesta remains a star of the class, thanks to its strong Ecoboost petrol engines and suspension settings that are beautifully judged for British roads. However, the latest Volkswagen offers even more practicality, decent performance and a classy interior that has the edge on the Ford’s for quality.

Any of these models will be a competent commuter car – especially if fitted with one of the increasingly popular small turbocharged petrol engines – but just remember that while you’ll be able to carry two adults and two children, it might still be a struggle to get all of their luggage into the boot.

Small

Make sure to look out for dings, dents and scratches to paintwork. Check all alloys for any signs of kerbing. We’d advise test driving the 208 to make sure you can see the instrument panel&nbsp;comfortably over the small steering wheel.&nbsp;

There’s only one recall out for the 208 at the time of writing. Just 10 vehicles&nbsp;are affected, so it’s unlikely you'll come across one of these, but always make sure to check it before you buy. This recall is for the steering geometry, which&nbsp;could be incorrectly set.&nbsp;

Peugeot placed towards the bottom of the table in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2020-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n20069">2020 What Car? Reliability Survey</a>, coming 25th out of 31 brands. Ford and Volkswagen ranked&nbsp;a little higher at 18th and 20th respectively, while Hyundai and Kia came out towards the top (sixth&nbsp;and seventh respectively).

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2020-what-car-reliability-survey/n20042">What Car? Reliability Survey</a> pages for more information.&nbsp;

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This second-generation Peugeot 208 is a big step up from the rather divisive <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/208/hatchback/used-review/n884">original model</a>, which certainly looked the part but couldn’t cut it on the road against some very strong rivals.

This iteration, though, is a real competitor, thanks to its much-improved road manners and a range of impressively economical engines. Indeed, if you’re not fussy about a premium badge, the high-spec 208s even hold up well against such plush rivals as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a1/hatchback/used-review/n19880">Audi A1</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/hatchback/hatchback/used-review/n906">Mini</a>.&nbsp;

Under its pert bonnet, the 1.2-litre petrol engines start with the 74bhp Puretech 75&nbsp;and work their way up to the 99bhp Puretech 100 and the 127bhp Puretech 130. The 99bhp 1.5-litre BlueHDi 100 diesel could be a better pick for improved fuel economy if you cover a lot of miles. There’s also the e-208, a fully electric car with a 134bhp electric motor, which you can read about in our separate review <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/e208/hatchback/used-review/n22819">here.</a>&nbsp;

Trims on offer include Active, Allure, GT Line and GT (which is only available in the e-208). Even entry-level Active comes with 16in alloy wheels, a 7.0in touchscreen and rear parking sensors. Allure trim adds 17in wheels&nbsp;and a wireless phone charging pad. GT Line has front parking sensors and a rear-view camera. From Allure trim up, the 7.0in touchscreen could be upgraded from new&nbsp;to a 10.0in touchscreen, which comes as standard on the GT spec for the e-208. It’s worth looking out for any 208s with this larger display.&nbsp;

On the road, the Puretech 75 is a little weedy, whereas the Puretech 100 is probably all you'll need. It’s lively and gutsy when you work it, and it's absolutely ideal for propelling you along on A-roads and motorways without any fuss. The Puretech 130 is available only with an automatic gearbox and packs more punch than the Puretech 100 but does come at a higher price, even used. The 1.5 BlueHDi 100&nbsp;has even more low-rev punch than the Puretech 100 petrol for more effortless performance.

The e-208 has a 45kWh battery that powers a 134bhp electric motor – enough to propel the car, in our tests, from 0-60mph in a spritely 7.5sec. That means it’s comfortably quicker than a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/zoe/hatchback/review/n152">Renault Zoe</a>, although not quite as nippy as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/e-niro/estate/review/n18388">Kia e-Niro&nbsp;</a>or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/electric/hatchback/review/n20910">Mini Electric</a>.&nbsp;

When it comes to the twisties, the 208 isn't quite as sporty as the tiny, kart-like steering wheel would suggest and the steering doesn’t give you a great sense of connection to the road. It’s not as much fun to drive as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/used-review/n952">Ford Fiesta</a>, for example.

The 208 has softer suspension than close rivals such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/clio/hatchback/used-review/n791">Renault Clio</a>, allowing it to&nbsp;glide along the motorway, feeling like a much bigger car than it is. However, it can be a little bouncy at times, although it deals with potholes well enough. There's some wind noise at higher speeds, but for the most part road noise is at a minimum. Visibility over the shoulder is reduced by the 208’s tapering roof and thick pillars, but the rear parking sensors help make up for the limited view out the back when reversing.&nbsp;

The display with the speedometer and rev counter has been designed to be seen from over the steering wheel, rather than through it. This won’t be a problem if you sit a bit higher in the seat or close to the steering wheel, but for many, it’ll block your view of the dials. If you can’t quite see it then you might have to move the steering wheel to an awkward position to keep an eye on how fast you’re going. We strongly recommend test-driving the 208 before committing to a driving position that might not suit you.&nbsp;

Inside, there’s plenty of room in the front. Alas, rear room is a little tighter than in the 208’s main rivals. The materials used make the interior&nbsp;feel upmarket and put it up there with premium small cars such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a1/hatchback/used-review/n19880">Audi A1</a>. The absence of physical buttons for most of the secondary controls means you have to go through the infotainment screen just to adjust things like the air-con temperature, though, and this&nbsp;can be distracting.

The boot isn't as big as those of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ibiza/hatchback/used-review/n987">Seat Ibiza</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/used-review/n17425">Volkswagen Polo</a>, but it&nbsp;can still hold five carry-on suitcases.&nbsp;

If you're interested in finding a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/peugeot/208?nearlynew=true&amp;used=true&amp;yearFrom=2020">used 208</a>, or any of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/category/small">other small cars</a> mentioned here, head over to the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars"> Used Car Buying</a> pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price. 
 
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Used Peugeot 208 2019-present review

Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Peugeot 208 hatchback?