As you'd expect with a mid-life makeover, the exterior has been freshened up with some slight tweaks. There's a new, wider grille and front bumper that sharpens 208 up. New personalisation options also let you add a dash of highlight colour to the car's exterior.
New headlights, with a two-tone look, feature on 'Active' (level 2) trim models and higher. Peugeot's unique 'claw' rear taillight clusters are a new feature on the popular five-seat hatchback.
The most interesting exterior change is a textured paint option that is new to its class. This granular-to-the-touch matt paint is available in two shades (a brownish silver/and a shark grey) and is an interesting innovation. Peugeot says its matt finish is harder-wearing than other matt paints and even some wraps - and it is carwash friendly. New pricing has yet to be finalised, but the new paint will cost a little more than metallic - circa €800.
There are now 13 exterior colour choices available, including an orange! An exclusive and pretty bling selection of 16 and 17-inch alloys also join the 208 range. The suspension and 'underbits' stay the same, so the car remains a comfortable machine.
Engines get a Euro 6 overhaul with all bar the entry model getting stop/start technology to help reduce CO2 and fuel consumption. Our test cars featured the 110hp three-cylinder 'PureTech' engine (with six-speed manual and six-speed automatic gearboxes) and the entry BlueHDi 1.6-litre diesel with 75hp and a five-speed manual gearbox.
The petrol engine is a peach, and quite torquey. We drove a youthful-looking manual three-door fitted with the 'lime green pack'. Comfy hip-hugging seats and a blend of interesting plastic dash trims made the car feel fun. We then tested an automatic five-door fitted with the new 'GT Line' trim. Its larger alloys offer a more dynamic cornering experience and the trim level reflects Peugeot's proud heritage in the hot hatch world.
The new 208 automatic features the new EAT6 six-speed transmission. This box is super frugal in the 208 and almost identical for CO2. The Auto is one to definitely consider if you're a town or city dweller. The gear selector is pretty neat with its 'dog leg' setup and there are also two small buttons for Sport and Winter driving modes. The auto shifts smoothly and you can use the gear lever to tip forward or back through the gears. The only downside is that it could be smoother when cutting out with stop/start active.
The entry-point diesel was a pleasant surprise as it pulled well without being noisy - even when pressing on. Little harshness is fed through to the driver, making this version a very practical machine.
208 gets some enhanced safety features, again depending on trim level. Active City Brake, as you might gather, provides autonomous emergency braking via Ladar (laser range finding) at city speeds, i.e. up to 30kph. 'MirrorScreen' also features and this, in theory more than practice, allows your smartphone to mirror/share apps on the central dash display. Also new is a reversing camera that features superimposed parking guidelines.
The expanded range, which arrives in Ireland this July, includes the striking black and red 'GTi by Peugeot Sport' - an impressive looking hot hatch that sits above the stock GTi.
Peugeot's bestseller is more fun and has generally improved!
Michael Sheridan
