Used Peugeot e-208 2019-present review

In the UK, we love small cars: everyone from first-time drivers to old grannies gets around in them. And, nowadays, an increasing number of them are sporting electric power, the Peugeot e-208 being one of them.

It's the electric car (EV) counterpart to the more traditional, petrol-powered Peugeot 208 and, as a used buy, we believe there's little that comes close to matching it on value.

Performance & Range: Pre-2023 facelift, there's just one battery and electric motor configuration with the e-208, but it's no dud. You have a 134bhp motor that drives the front wheels and is powered by a 50kWh battery. Acceleration is nippy, even if it's 0-60mph time of 7.9sec (in our hands) won't scare an entry-level Tesla Model 3 – it'll scare your average petrol/hybrid small car, though, and that includes the regular 208.

The e-208's official range is 217 miles: a decent figure that bests rivals such as the Fiat 500 Electric and (first-gen) Mini Electric but ultimately falls short of the 52kWh Renault Zoe's remarkable 239-mile official range. The 58kWh VW ID 3 can go even further – 265 miles, officially – but you're generally looking at higher prices at that point.

Now, be wary that (like with every EV) real-world range is unlikely to live up to official figures, especially when it's cold. In the e-208's case, expect to travel around 160 miles before running out of juice.

The facelift introduced a 51kWh battery that has a 154bhp electric motor and a 248-mile official range – it sits alongside the 50kWh version in the line up – and expect that to achieve around 190 miles on a full charge.

Ride & Handling: The e-208 isn't quite as sporty as the tiny, go-kart-like steering wheel would suggest and the steering doesn’t give you a great sense of connection to the road. However, there's good grip and enough composure to give you enough confidence on a twisty road.

The e-208 has a softer suspension than some of its rivals, allowing it to glide comfortably along motorways. The ride can get a little bouncy at times, but potholes and other road imperfections are generally dealt with well.

There's some wind noise at higher speeds, but, for the most part, road noise is kept to a minimum.

Interior & Practicality: Inside, there’s plenty of room in the front. Alas, rear room is a little tighter than in the e-208’s main rivals. Boot space is a similar story, but we managed to fit five carry-on suitcases below the parcel shelf and that's a decent effort.

Good-quality materials and a stylish, expensive-looking design make the e-208's interior feel upmarket, with only a few scratchy plastics stopping it from reaching Mini Electric levels of premium.

Peugeot's "i-Cockpit" driver display splits opinion based on different driving positions. If you're a taller individual, especially in the torso, you might find the top of the steering wheel (which is meant to be sit below the dials) is naturally getting in the way of some of the display. The alternative is to position the wheel effectively on your lap, which isn't especially comfortable.

That being said, the "i-Cockpit" design might very well suit you, so it's best you sit in an e-208 yourself before making any final judgements.

Trims & Equipment: Trims available echo those of the regular 208. Entry-level Active comes with 16in alloy wheels, a 7.0in touchscreen and rear parking sensors. Allure trim adds 17in wheels 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 to a 10.0in touchscreen, which comes as standard on the GT spec.

The 2023 facelift – that also saw styling tweaks, inside and out, as well as the aforementioned new battery and motor option – added an E-Style trim. It’s only available with the 134bhp motor and 50kWh battery, but it adds 16in alloy wheels, front parking sensors and some extra styling details over Active (yet sits below Allure).

Interested in buying a used Peugeot e-208? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.

You can buy a used Peugeot e-208 for around £12,000 and that'll get you a 2020 Allure model – mind you, GT cars are within a grand of that. For a 2022 example, have around £14,000 to spend. The 2023 facelift will push that to around £17,000, while nearly new models close to £20,000.

For reference, the list price for an entry-level, brand new e-208 stands at £31,600 (as of writing).

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Charging: Electricity charges vary according to where you're charging, but, if you charge at home, the e-208 should work out cheaper per mile to run than an equivalent petrol or diesel car by some margin.

At its maximum charging speed, you should see a 0-80% charge in half an hour.

Insurance and servicing: The e-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 60,000 miles. Insurance and servicing costs are relatively low, too.

Reliability

The Peugeot e-208 shows promising reliability, as reflected in our annual What Car? Reliability Survey. Most owners are happy, noting only minor electronic issues like warning lights and infotainment glitches. Importantly, these are typically resolved swiftly and satisfactorily by dealers. The positive experiences with dealer services contribute significantly to the car's reputation, highlighting a supportive and transparent dealer network that boosts buyer confidence.

Discover more about used Peugeot e-208 reliability and common problems on our dedicated reliability page.

Seeing as they're considerably cheaper, we'd suggest looking solely at pre-facelift e-208s. If you do, there is only the one battery and electric motor available, so there's no debate to be had there.

Mid-spec Allure trim is among the cheapest out there: it gets you more kit than entry-level Active trim yet is more available (and generally slightly cheaper) than top-spec GT. Still, if you fancy a GT model and it looks like a great deal, we certainly wouldn't suggest not going for it.

Our favourite Peugeot e-208: e-208 Allure

You can pick up an old Renault Zoe from as little as £6000, but the e-208 better rivals the later, heavily revised 2020 version. As we mentioned, that Zoe's official range is 239 miles (though it can vary slightly depending on your chosen trim and power output). It also achieved an excellent 192 miles in a real range test we conducted. It's good to drive, too, and decently practical, but its reliability record has proven subpar.

The impressive Hyundai Kona Electric is comfortable and well-equipped, too, and some of the earlier models are similarly priced next to the e-208. However, its key selling point is its great range, with the 64kWh Kona going 259 miles in real-range testing – not far off its official range of 279 miles.

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Interested in buying a used Peugeot e-208? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.