THEGAYUK

Tag: Peugeot

All the latest breaking news on Peugeot. Browse THEGAYUK’s complete collection of news, articles and commentary on Peugeot.

  • The Good, The Bad and The Ugly | The Peugeot 206 1998 – 2010 or 2012. Possibly later (we think)

    Like the 205 before it, though not a direct replacement for which it turned into being was like the 205 before it, much needed. Desperately needed to be frank. Peugeot had shot themselves in the foot by not having a suitable 205 replacement ready. 

    I was there to see the launch at the NEC. A kind Peugeot PR allowed me to climb over the fence and tickle the 206 Escapade models faux-suede bumper coverings. A car that was launched to the world the same time as Ford unveiled their outrageous Focus. Competition was fierce. 

    The 206 was as far removed from the new design language used by Ford for the Focus as could be possible and by Peugeot themselves. This was a new age for the dancing lion of Sochaux-Montbeliard. Penned by Pininfarina, the 206 was a very attractive car then and now. Unlike monstrosity that Peugeot designed in-house called the 307. The rear quarter of the 206 was also reminiscent of that from the 205. A great car that saved Peugeot from the depths of hell. 

    Speaking of that rear pillar treatment, its language made it onto the 5 door model too which was not the case with the 5 door 205. However, what Peugeot did on the 206 SW was unforgivable. They fitted really cheap feeling door handles hidden in the door frame to give it coupe-like lines in a box body. The SW was no shooting break like a Scimitar GTE famously owned by Princess Ann or TGUK’s previous motoring editor Alan Taylor-Jones (Tell him on Twitter about Ann’s connection with the GTE at @alantaylorjones. He loves to hear it) That cock-up still haunts me today on what might have been an otherwise perfect car in all its guises.

    But we can forget the 206 SW because there were 2 models that were the main talking points for the 206. The stylish CC with its folding metal roof. Stylish that is if you ignored the convoluted boot top and bugger bars on top of it. What that was all about no one actually knew or could tell you about. Even the pressmen couldn’t tell you.

    Another amazing thing about the 206 was it was just a little bit nice on the inside. Ignore the over grooved grainy plastics and the cabin was quite fresh looking. The electric window switches didn’t quite come to hand and you needed to look for them but nothings perfect.

    In all its model guises had something to suit everyone.

    Handling was high on the agenda and no matter what 206 you bought, it could always prove fun no matter what engine you chose from the long list of available engines to suit. From a light 1.1 petrol to a torque packed turbo diesel, the 206 in all its model guises had something to suit everyone. Everyone that is except the hot hatch driver. The 206 GTi was vaguely luke warm and even the GTi 180 with its big 17” alloys and bucket style seats was still somewhat off the pace by the pack leaders from VW and Ford.

    But all this was forgotten when it came to the world rally championship and the rally weapon that was the 206 WRC. This was a super-compact car that stormed its way up the rally charts like the 205 before it. To add to the excitement for us Brits was the late Richard Burns (1971 – 2003 ) who would regularly bring home the points for Peugeot. The 206 WRC had big boots to fill and it filled them well. What it didn’t fill were the bumpers. On the road car, they looked good. On the rally car, they were enlarged to accommodate rally things so Peugeot decided to make a road-going rally special that you could buy. It was a standard 206 with the rally car bumpers. It looked a little Jimmy Hill as a result and it did not look like the rally car even with the optional rally pack of decals.

    The Peugeot 206 falls into two camps on the GBU. If like me and you can’t look at the SW and CC without wincing well there are things you can do. For the SW, burn those door handles with a blow torch and the CC, strap a wicker basket to the boot like an old MGB.

    The Peugeot 206 HATCHBACK. A good car that still looks good today. Trouble is because it’s had so many reinventions like Madonna around the world that no one at Peugeot actually knows if it’s still being made or not. You might still be able to buy them new for all Peugeot know!

  • The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: The Peugeot 307 2001 – 2008

    The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: The Peugeot 307 2001 – 2008

    The Good, The bad and the Ugly, The Peugeot 307 2001 – 2008.

    An irrelevant look at a random car.

    I’m a big fan of Peugeots. I’ve owned 5. I’d own another because I have no problem with owning a French car. I won’t, however, own a Peugeot ending with a 7. The 7 was not a lucky number for the maker of coffee grinders, salt and pepper grinders and cars.

    The 306 was phased out in 2001. It was a sensation to drive and a family car that was hard to beat for driving dynamics and style. We waited with anticipation for its replacement. We had seen what Peugeot could do when they launched the 206 in 1998. Their new car was to win the 2002 title of Car of the Year.

    To the horror of the world, Peugeot released a car that visually resembled a potato. It was overweight, lacked style and was more embarrassing to be seen in than watching a home video of you making out with your mate’s 73-year-old grandmother at a barbecue where you got drunk on 2 plastic cups of homemade wine. The critics who didn’t award it CotY were less kind.      

    The svelte lines and delicacies of the 306 were thrown out of the window. The 307 was an all-new sheet of paper design. Since the late 1960s, Peugeot had designed their cars with the “Peugeot face” The 307 didn’t have a face. It didn’t look like the 206 in any way and that was bad.

    It was the size of a whale and drove like one. Fat arsed and blobby, it didn’t really have the panache of its predecessor. The inside was around 7 years out of date and for some inexplicable reason, the floor pan had this chinky box thing taking up foot space.

    It did come in a body style to suit all types. There were hatchbacks, estates and a metal folding roofed CC. Peugeot even tried to rally it with a CC fleet with appalling results. It signalled the death of the mid-sized 3 door hatch from Peugeot. The doors on the 3 door model were impossibly large to open anywhere other than in a field. 

    Peugeot knew they had made a duffer. At launch, they tried to disguise their anguish, their embarrassment, their shame and their dignity by hiding behind a smiley face mad of the numbers 3 0 7. It didn’t work.  

    Did anything good come from the 307? They made it in a nice shade of metallic green from launch and you could scrap the thing if you owned one.

    Which was a nice thing to do. It was also phased out in Europe in 2008 which was even better for us. Better that is than the poor souls of Argentina and China where it carried on until 2011 and 2014 retrospectively. 

    I couldn’t even be arsed to look for a press photo for this. I found one in its rightful place, a scrapyard. The Peugeot 307. Drive it into a wall or something.

  • CAR REVIEW | Peugeot 508 Allure, Just don’t stroke it too much, you might get arrested

    CAR REVIEW | Peugeot 508 Allure, Just don’t stroke it too much, you might get arrested

    ★★★☆☆ | Peugeot 508 Allure BlueHDi 130 Manual: The Bright Allure of Peugeot.

    What Have We Got?

    They say this is Peugeot‘s return to the saloon market and one that they might or might not make it in. This market is rapidly vanishing but suddenly there is a bit of a renaissance and a handful of manufacturers are fighting back the trend for the SUV with stunning looking family saloons. And you can’t argue that the saloon is far more elegant than an SUV.

    So has Peugeot produced a car that could make you ditch the SUV? THEGAYUK finds out. 

     

    Driving

    First and foremost I can rejoice in the behaviour of this 130BHP 1.5 turbo diesel. There were no signs of lag from pull away or on the move. There is a nice fluidity to the engine and its refinement. Clutch control was light and the manual gearshift slotted in with a nice click between the gears.

    On the move, it climbed effortlessly through the speed range with only mild engine noise audible if the radio was off.

    Handling, from the small steering wheel, felt energetic and connected. It gave a reassuring confidence. The electronic power steering weights were finely set and feedback communicated well. 

    Inside

    In Allure trim, it is rather civilised and grown up. The seat cloth faces are a mix of business suit stripes and solid colours. It blends in well. What I can’t work out if the faux carbon fibre trims across the dashboard and the other trims. The pattern doesn’t follow the same flow from the passenger’s door and across the dashboard. It runs the wrong way on the driver’s door! 

    I also found some trim that wasn’t well attached. The overhead switch pod with interior lights was not properly attached on one side.  

    Living With It

    To look at, you forget it has a rear door. A saloon this is not. A practical 5 door hatchback in a sleek coupe style it is and it works well. If anything, it makes the 508 an incredibly attractive car to look at from almost any angle. Few non-exotic cars encourage you to stroke it. As a poster, this car could make any wall a happy place to stare at.

    There are a few niggles that I have. After a downpour, rear visibility was not great thanks in part to no rear wiper. I have in the past raved about the i-Cockpit. It is a visual treat. However, I was unable to find a rheostat to tone down the visual displays. They don’t dim when the lights come on. With the facia directly in the eye line, at night it does cause glare and eye fatigue.  

     

    The Verdict

    This is a great return to form for Peugeot in this market. The car it replaces was nothing short of a miracle that it sold at all. For fear of its predecessor, potential buyers might be swayed away from the new 508. And that is a shame because the 508 isn’t a hash up of the last generation. It is a beautiful looking car and rewarding to drive. 

    There is great cohesion within the cabin and it feels a quality product. That said, there are a few areas that Peugeot need to address as mentioned but overall I was impressed. And you will too. Just don’t stroke it too much, you might get arrested!

    Love

    Looks

    Price

    Ride

    Loathe

    Carbon fibre trim

    Dull rear door architecture

    Some trim fit

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Peugeot 508 Allure BlueHDi 130 Manual

    Price – £26,914 (as tested)

    MPG – WLTP low/high 59.6/52.5 mpg (combined)

    Power – 130 BHP

    0-62mph –  9.7 seconds

    Top Speed –  129 mph

    Co2 – 101 (g/km)

  • COMMENT | The Best Car I’ve Driven

    COMMENT | The Best Car I’ve Driven

    Motoring journalist, Neil Briscoe, on Twitter recently posted up that the best car he’d ever driven was a Mercedes pagoda. It got me thinking. I get to drive lots of new and old cars and those in the middle. But which is my favourite?

    This is difficult because my driving career spans 26 years and when I look back I could say the 1979 Mercedes 280SL but I was 18 when I drove one of those and compared to my second Citroën Visa, it was powerful and luxurious. Likewise I was also 18 when I first drove a VW Beetle and that’s enough to put you off motoring despite wanting one.

    No, it’s taken me some serious thinking, a little bit of drinking and a thumbing through photos and books to come up with my best car I have ever driven. It’s the Peugeot 104 ZS.

    I’ve had 2 of them. Both 1980 models, both blue and both ZS models. The first was quite the wreck but the second was much better. It wasn’t the best car in the world though. In refinement and luxury departments, it was overshadowed by the likes of the Ford Fiesta and Renault 5. It was rather crude and basic despite having electric windows and alloy wheels. It had rubber mats in the rear, piss poor ventilation and a tiny boot.

    What makes it the best car I’ve ever driven was one fundamental thing: I’d look at it and for unquestionable reasons, I’d dread the drive where I had to go. Yet it always entertained. It’s diminutive size and 1360cc engine with 72bhp was hardly left embarrassing itself in traffic of the day. I also had a comfy luxo barge, Peugeot 504 Ti automatic in the garage at the time too.

    On the motorway, it kept up and beyond despite only having a 4-speed gearbox, it was never tiresome or overly noisy. The 12 CD changer in the boot, 6×9 speakers in the rear side panels and 7” in the doors put pay to excess noise by drowning out the cacophony of mechanical screaming to Kylie Minogue and Duran Duran. 

    It was also one of the last cars I have owned where I’d just jump in it late at night and head for the roads in the dark. I’d be out for hours and hours, yellow Sev Marchal headlights cutting through the worst of the night. I did some stupid things in it and yet I lived to tell the tale. It never once got so out of hand that it ended up facing the other way. Something that could not be said for the Peugeot 205!

    The entertaining also stretched to its ability in the snow. Being a home carer at the time, I needed to get out and about in vile weather and that car was amazing in the snow. Small wheelbase with all the weight over the front wheels certainly helped. Its Achilles heel was its wipers. They were slow.

    So here we are, 2018 and the 1980 Peugeot 104 ZS has to be the best car I have ever driven though probably not owned. Oh crap, now I’m thinking about that one. Be right back…

  • CAR REVIEW | Peugeot 308GTi

    ★★★★★ | Peugeot 308GTi

    What Have We Got
    Hot hatches use to roam the land, hunting their prey. Then, they just disappeared, killed off by ever increasing insurance premiums. But, thankfully, now they’re back with a vengeance. This is Peugeot’s 308GTi. It’s Peugeot new wild child and has a lot to live up to. Peugeot has a strong hot hatch heritage, often credited with starting the hot hatch genre in the first place. It’s priced from £28,950 but with the few extras, there are (pretty much anything you can think of is standard equipment) ours was more like £31,500.

    Driving


    The 308 packs 272hp and 330nm torque into a beautifully understated package.
    It’s a true dark horse. There’s a close ratio 6 speed, manual gearbox, no flappy paddles or automatic option on the GTi, just a pleasantly analogue driving experience. This thing is wild. In normal mode, it’s just your average, fast, elegant hot hatch. Press the sports button and the 308GTi goes into beast mode. The steering and throttle response sharpens, the engine noise is amplified in the cockpit and the dash glows red. All you need to do then is hang on.

    Inside


    Once you’ve settled into the supportive, Alcantara and leather bucket seats, the Peugeot won’t take you 20 minutes to change settings and program in your preferences before you can start your journey, just jump in and go. As you would expect from a modern car, there are a host of electronic safety aides to help you and keep you safe. Features include automatic emergency braking, blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control, speed limit recognition, smartbeam LED headlights, reversing camera, city park/ self-park, Lane keep technology, driver attention alert and loads more. It’s very well put together.

    Living with it
    The 308GTi is really fast. On a damp road, accelerating hard, Peugeot’s wild child struggled for grip, spinning its huge 19” wheels through the first 3 gears, clawing at the tarmac, trying to find grip for the 235/35/19 tyres.

    The close ratio, 6 speed, manual gearbox is strong with perfectly spaced gears. Clip the rev limiter, throw in another gear and you’re right on boost, accelerating hard again. I saw 150mph, still accelerating before we ran out of road. Peugeot says 0-62mph in 6 seconds but I’ll eat my hat if it’s not faster than that.

    The Verdict


    It’s really fast, the handling is another level, the brakes are outrageously good and the interior is sporty and classy. It’s a great package all around. The 308GTi isn’t gaudy or obvious like a Ford Focus RS or Honda Civic type R, it’s a fast hot hatch for grown-ups. What I particularly like was the simplicity of it. Lots of modern cars have adjustable everything and take 20 mins just to set up all the electronics before you start. With the 308GTi you just slide into the leather and Alcantara sports seat and drive.

    Love
    Performance
    Handling
    Build quality

    Loathe
    Fake engine noise through the speakers in sport mode
    Stealth looks. Is it too subtle?
    Giving It back to Peugeot

    Lowdown
    Car – Peugeot 308GTi
    Price – Starting £29.050. Ours was £31,500.
    MPG – 47.1 mpg (combined)
    0-62 – 6 seconds
    Power – 272hp and 330nm torque
    Top Speed – 154.7 mph
    Co2 – 139 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Peugeot 5008 Allure PureTech 130

    ★★★★☆

    The ‘New’ French Revolution. What Do We Have?

    CAR REVIEW | Peugeot 5008 Allure PureTech 130
    The Peugeot 5008 Allure PureTech 130

    The Overview | The Drive | The Cabin | Owning | The Verdict

    Peugeot has been slow to monopolise the key markets over the last decade. They were late to the 4×4 market and their foray into the MPV market has hardly been headline news. It took them a long time to catch up. Suddenly they are the best thing winning accolade after accolade for their SUV range badged the -008’s

    Here we have the 5008 Allure. And what can I say about it that hasn’t already been said? How about I don’t like it. I joke because there really is a lot to be said about this particular 5008 model. It is the better selling model of the range and it leaves you wanting nothing, give or take a few personal options.

  • CAR REVIEW | Peugeot 3008 GT

    ★★★★  | Peugeot 3008 GT

    It’s a bit of a standing joke between a motoring journalist friend of mine and me about how I can wax lyrical about Peugeot products awarding them 5 stars when others don’t. And in truth I do but that makes me more critical because having been brought up with French cars for my first 20 years of motoring I want them to succeed and indeed they can if they only made them better in terms of quality.

    That, I am glad to say is now the case. The 3008 (the first Peugeot to carry over an existing number so don’t confuse it with that one) SUV is what I have been dreaming of from the company in Sochaux-Montbeliard, France.

    I have been excited about visuals shown on the new interior and the design of the cabin. If you are for want of a better word, going to reinvent the wheel, you’d best make sure it’s damn good and the 6 piano buttons that control the 8” infotainment screen work with German fluidity. You then look around the i-cockpit as they call it of this 3008 and you realise that this Peugeot has the potential to challenge VW head on in the quality feel arena for the first time. A car needs to have a tactile feel to remove any deadness about the cabin and certainly from the driver’s seat, the 3008 has it in spades.

    The window switches felt far superior in feel than they looked being not too dissimilar to the generic buttons found across the fleet. The dashboard really is like a massive chunk of contoured rubber and because of this has that tactility that makes it all the more inviting and the solid feel of quality. The design contours flow around the driver with little touches here and there that made it the most inviting Peugeot I have ever been in. The blueish wood grain effect door inserts added to the quality feel of a very upmarket Peugeot.

    And the wax lyrical praise doesn’t stop there. The ambience could then come with changes to the fascia panel in front of the driver and above the small steering wheel. Peugeot says this positioned closer to the road and more in the field of the driver’s vision making it safer for eye glances to be made. It feels very natural.

    The GT model also came with ambience choices within the set up allowing for lights within the dashboard and doors to be dimmed thus allowing you to make a cockpit to suit you. And then I found the massage seats. I could have stayed in it forever. What didn’t work for me was the two choices of amplifying settings available called “boost” and “relax”. While relaxing you could think of as basic settings, boost on the other hand changed throttle response, steering feel and pumps out engine noises through the speakers. To me, it didn’t change it enough for me to really notice other than when flooring it on the M20 and the change in exhaust note from nothing to a nice growl.

    The 3008 GT as tested is the flagship model and apart from the £1300 coupe Franche paintwork you really can’t fault it. Or so I thought. The Franche paint job is a blight on to the otherwise stylized body with an ungainly angled painted block of black colour up the rear door and over the boot. It’s nicely done and the paint edge is smoothed into the rest of the paintwork but your options money would be wisely spent elsewhere. Like the advance grip control unit and Visio 360 degree camera and park assist pack. Added together they come to £710. Two well worth options in my opinion.

    What I really can’t forgive the 3008 GT is its engine. More to the point, the choice of engine units available. There is only one. A diesel. It’s actually a very nice 2-litre diesel engine to use. It makes all its power of 180hp within a useable 3750rpm range and 400Nm of torque at a lowly 2000rpm. That big shove of torque power comes with limited turbo lag enabling rapid acceleration from T junctions a breeze. It runs through a 6-speed automatic gearbox that you couldn’t fault its gear selections though using the paddles and doing it yourself made it quite spirited. If it’s going to wear the GT badge, it best behaves like one even if it is an SUV. It did and l enjoyed the many miles I travelled in it.

    The ride and handling helped this sense of GT spirit. It wasn’t too harsh or too soft and it wasn’t Germanic. After years of wanting Peugeot to return to form and make their own suspension settings instead of copying the market leaders, they have created a suspension system that is compliant for almost every eventuality one could wish for in a drive across Kent. That eventuality was aided by a fantastic sat nav that l have to thank greatly for aiding me in avoiding 3 nasty hold-ups between South London and Folkstone. Tomtom and Peugeot have made a very useable system that doesn’t make you curse at it. It alerts you to any given problem and can navigate you around it.

    I’ve a lot of love for the 3008 and I am not the only one. This Peugeot has won many industry awards in 2017. It’s an easy car to live with and it’s a Peugeot built to last. Press cars are not treated with kid gloves so this one having a tow bar and over 10,000 miles on the clock when l got it still felt solid.

    What I can’t get out of my head is that the GT is only available with that diesel engine. In a time when the UK is uncertain which way to go regarding the derv engine, I am puzzled as to why they only give it this one option on the flagship model. As Peugeot quote in the brochure, the GT ”will leave you wanting for nothing” and it does except I want a petrol engine.

    Likes
    Cockpit
    Driving ability
    Kit as standard on the GT

    Loathes
    Very limited engine options
    Switches below the piano keys look out of place
    Auto close boot resistance very strong

    The Lowdown
    Car Peugeot 3008 GT
    Price £33,695 (as tested)
    MPG 58.9mpg (combined)
    Power 180bhp
    0-62mph 8.9 seconds
    Top speed 131mph
    Co2 124 (g/km)

  • The Gay UK Motoring Hounours list of 2016

    What a year 2016 was. Over 30 new cars reviewed ranging from city cars, hatchbacks, pick-up trucks and big and small SUVs.

    In the last year I have enjoyed what I have been given, been dismayed at what I had been given, annoyed and elated all at the same time. Well sort of. Some cars annoyed me in their stupidity of things while some I was full of admiration for how they did things. Sometimes it was because they didn’t do things that made me enjoy them all the more.

    I have sat down and whittled it down to my top 3 of 2016. Let me know if you agree in the comments below.

    3) Nissan Navara NP300 Tekna

     

    Despite my local authority not liking the Navara as I was prevented from entering the dump with garden waste in it, I happened to love the Navara. Its sheer size and car like cabin made it a joy to be in. The fact that with its 360 degree camera made parking a breeze, it was really easy to live with. And you wouldn’t want to damage the Navara. It’s one ruddy handsome bastard.

    Admittedly I did find it a bit wayward in 2 wheel drive mode because I was always unladen. Inner rear wheel spin was always there in the wet. Put it into 4 wheel drive and its manners became impeccable.

    The interior was well thought out and well put together. The price was also enticing and possibly one of the many reasons as to why there are so many on the road. For wall that you get in the Tekna double cab package, it is so very cheap in price.

    On the road it was smoother than an empty pick-up should be. It was also surprisingly quick. Apart from some vocalised engine noise, overall it was never harsh even over poor roads and it was macho. All that was missing on the options list was a testosterone package to make the interior smell of sweat and hard graft. That might have just elevated it to second place.

    2) Peugeot 208 GTi Sport

    Second places goes to a car that did nothing to annoy me. The simple fact that I could pull away without my seatbelt on was refreshingly nice. I know that sounds quite bad and is illegal, but when you want to move the car off the drive way it was so simple to do. The 208 put YOU back in control of decision making. If you so wanted you could also start the engine with it in gear. None of this foot on clutch or brake pedal nonsense.

    What the 208 lacked in niceties and overall refinement it more than made up for it with its sheer brilliant chassis packaging and entertainment ability. A Peugeot this good as a road going go-kart has been a long time coming. The 206 and 207 lacked so much that l thought Peugeot had given up on making fun cars.

    The point and squirt ability of the car made it a hoot to drive fast. It would get a bit hair raising if you pushed it to within an inch of its incredible abilities with a touch of over steer though unlike its great ancestor, the 205, it was all so much more easy to control.

    Yes refinement over long journeys was an after thought in some ways. However if you want comfort in a GTi then don’t buy the Sport edition. And don’t buy it either if you want to carry people in the rear. Personally l don’t really care about rear leg room. I loved the 208.

    1) Jeep Renegade Trialhawk

    If I am honest I didn’t hold out much hope for the Jeep. In the past they had always been a bit hit and miss. Poor build quality and road going dynamics were sometimes in short supply. Enter Fiat who quickly changed that. The Renegade looked good, was well specced and throughly enjoyable.

    There were a few things I didn’t like. Well 2 if I am honest. It didn’t look good in red and the mud splatter on the rev counter still haunts me probably more because it looked like poop and reminded me too much of my day job.

    On the plus side the other little touches and attention to fine details were rewarding and pleasant. It was logical. It is big enough for what you need and yet small enough to make it easy to park. The long drive to Birmingham was a walk in the park and it handled a sudden lane change at speed like a sports car. Something I didn’t expect it to do.

    At first I thought it wasn’t cheap at £31,765 (then) however when compared to its Fiat 500x sibling at £25,935, that extra £6 grand doesn’t seem a lot for what you got. Go the other way and spend another £6000 and you get the Cherokee M Jet we also tested. Suddenly for what you get it all starts looking like really good value.

    And the fact that this has won “Best small 4×4” by 4×4 Magazine for two years in a row says it all. I wasn’t able to test its 4×4 ability but I won’t argue with 4×4 Magazines decision on this one. They know a few things about off roading.

    So there you have it, my top three of 2016. There were some that were close to coming into my top 3 but they just missed it. If I were allowed a 3.5 then l would award that to ‘Giggles” the Renault Twingo. I grinned from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat with that one. That was one car I was very sad to see go back.

     

  • CAR REVIEW | Peugeot 108

    Peugeot 108 Lion Cub of Cuteness.

    In times of obesity where the world is getting fatter it’s quite refreshing to see a manufacture continue to make its small car just that; small. Parked next to the last of the 106 generation it is noticeably smaller. Now in its next incarnation, has the Peugeot 108 retained the same cheeky charm of a shopper express of the old 107 or grown to old before its time?

    To answer this you need to look at the options Peugeot gave me. Smart alloys, huge amounts of front cabin space with supportive seats in a tartan type material and reflective edging around the floor mats that make them look electric. All quite funky and up to date for a city car with good Euro Ncap ratings, low emissions and an zippy little engine. They even give this Allure model a 2 tone laser red and raven black paint job with decals. l don’t like that. For the asking price of £285 I’d rather pay the extra for the sunroof, a single colour and keep the change. The problem the Peugeot has over its platform shared Toyota and Citroen siblings is that it is the best looking of the 3 with a hint of maturity and because of this the 2 tone paint job doesn’t work. Where as the others are all ripped jeans and dossing around the park in dirty shoes, the 108 wouldn’t look out of place parked outside the Waldorf hotel in that swanky part of London.

    So overall l am impressed. More so with the fit and finish and build quality. The French have a wonderful reputation of making even the most solid tin can sound flimsy. The 108 was as tightly put together as a solid oak sideboard. The one touch entry and start system was an added bonus too. It’s quite nice not having to scrabble for keys to get in and get away. Even after stalling it at traffic lights the start up was easy. Clutch, button and away you go. It all goes someway to make the little car very easy to drive. The reverse camera (standard on this model) allowed for tight parking.

    Speaking of buttons, the ergonomics of it all but perfect for my lanky frame. Everything fell to hand with ease except the door mirror controls that were too far down on the dashboard and the mirrors themselves were situated too far forward to fold them in without pulling myself far forward from the drivers seat. Being heated, you want to look after them. Door mirrors can be very costly. That said a new unit from Peugeot will cost you £125 plus paint it’s not thee most expensive door mirror to replace if you do get it knocked off.

    Up front there is an abundance of room for you to move around. Despite the dashboards massive intrusion into the cabin there is plenty of leg room around it. Some 9 inches between my knee and the panel. In such a small car that is an impressive figure. What are not so impressive is the sizes for the rear seats. It’s tight in the back. l wouldn’t want to sit behind me. The dash also houses the infotainment system. No satnav on this model which would have been nice. That said it connected to my phone and the music on my android was accessible from the screen. l always thought it was my old phone being the problem however this system worked 100% better than any other. Even those from the Peugeot range have had trouble.

    This small space doesn’t mean a useless boot though. Admittedly it isn’t above the class norm and there is an almighty lip between opening and boot floor. This however is needed to stop items knocking against the all glass tailgate and smashing it to a thousand pieces. Glass tailgates are now quite common. Folding down the rear seat does increase the load some what though you’ll struggle with long items. The sunroof option allows for items to be poked through it. It also opens up the cabin. This model didn’t have the sunroof. My sister has one with it and it is an excellent option. Worth every penny.

    On the move it reveals itself to be a city car with a big attitude. The little 1200cc boasts only 85bhp from 3 cylinders that spin readily until the rev limiter cuts off power abruptly at 6000rpm. Despite that it will give its best to you and its reward you not bad fuel displayed fuel figures for a “spirited” driving style. It doesn’t feel like flogging a dead donkey that is for sure with its wonderful buzzy engine. It won’t win a grand prix but it will make drivers of other cars sweat a little.

    This spirit transfers nicely into a whizzy little car. Push it hard and it’ll over steer when the little 165 section tyres scrabble for traction but the back end won’t let go. Even lifting off mid corner didn’t result in untidy handling. It’s pretty safe and very predictable. And all this is before the traction control has taken over.

    This model was fitted with the crash prevention system. A loud rapid beep emits if it thinks you are going to crash into something in front. Sometimes hit and miss and mostly it alerted me down narrow roads. And if it thinks you really are going to hit something it’ll apply the brakes or even stop. Very handy in a city car at this price. What it does have that is quite useless is lane assist. It does nothing but beep at you. Thankfully you can switch it off permanently.
    As a first car, only car, city car, second car or whatever you want it for, the 108 in its higher spec will fit the bill. Aim high with the 108, have greater aspirations and opt for the highest model as you can like this one. Just add that sunroof to make it a more usable little car. I’d happily have it parked among the Bird fleet of motors.

    Likes
    Road tax exempt
    Nice facia layout
    Keyless entry

    Loathes
    Rear seat space
    2 tone paint theme
    Lane assist

    The Lowdown
    Car – Peugeot 108 Allure 5door
    Price – £11,985 (as tested)
    MPG – 65.7mpg (combined)
    Power – 82 bhp 5750 rpm
    0-62mph – 10.9 seconds
    Top Speed – 106 mph
    Co2 – 99 (g/km)

     

  • CAR REVIEW | Peugeot 208 GTi Sports Edition

    ★★★★★ | Peugeot 208 GTi Sports Edition

    I don’t quite know how to type the opening lyrics for Tight Fits “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” but shhh now please, there is a lion sleeping on my driveway. It’s the Peugeot 208 GTi Sport. If it wasn’t so bullish you could call it a lion cub because of its size. Driving it however releases the animal within.

    I’ll stop with the lion references now and I’ll ruin the wait for the star rating at the end because it gets Five  from me. Six if I could. It’s not a great car though so don’t be fooled into thinking it is. What you get for a mere £22,595 is an uncompromised hot hatch.

    There are no toys in this car. You can’t decide how you want to set the stiffness of the suspension. Peugeot’s sports division have done that for you while also lowering it 10mm over the original GTi and changing the wheel alignments. They have also given you the torsen differential. To you and me that means limited slip. All this makes for a car with go-kart like handling with almost no body roll. The ride is jarringly firm on potted streets. On main roads it’s quite liveable.

    On the inside you get the usual aircon, airbags, radio with DAB and cruise control but the satnav is a £450 extra. It is needed. The infotainment system is a tad sparse without it. That said you do get a calculator within it. It’s so random I thought it worthy of a mention. What you do get for your money though are 2 delightful bucket seats that both feel great and do their job. What these do however is turn the rear seat into nothing more than a padded parcel shelf. With the 208 being how it is anyway I doubt you’ll get a queue of friends eager to sit in the back anyway.

    Unlike the 207 that this replaced, it feels smaller. It looks smaller. Peugeot have always made the prettiest small cars. While the 207 was a huge mistake with no redeeming features, they have got this one right. Some of the trim and finish is a bit low rent. The paint within the boot shut looks unfinished. At first I thought the parcel shelf cheap by the way it’s been executed but. Simplicity in itself.

    I have kidded myself that this and some of the switch gears look very similar to those used on Peugeot cars from over 10 years ago –  is because the engineers have been busy spending money on the more fundamentals. I was right.

    Sitting behind the small leather bound steering wheel your eyes are directed to the the outside world and just below that the facia panel. For some reason it all sits above the line of the wheel. You then notice that the wheel in your hand is incredibly small. It all works so beautifully. Nice little touches of red stitching throughout and the red lights around the 2 contoured clocks are a really nice touch. You can switch them off if you like but you won’t. It becomes very intimate.

    Driving it is the fun part. It is also the reason why you would buy this model. In no way does it feel that “Health and Safety” have been involved with the development. It has a simple key to start the eager 208bhp engine. You don’t even need to press the clutch pedal to start it. Everything you do is by your choice. The 208 makes you accountable for your actions and this is what makes it such a breath of fresh air. You can even do left foot breaking. This is a car for the action man.

    It is its eagerness that overwhelms your senses. A 0-60mph time of 6.5 seconds is ridiculously rapid. The Torsen diff helping put all that power down without much fuss or wheel spin. Care should be taken when pulling out of a junction either left or right. Its tendency to dart away in your chosen direction is both exhilarating and addictive. Too addictive if I am honest. Those Michelin tyres won’t last long.

    To hell with the cost of the tyres though. The go-kart like handling is secure at higher than normal speeds though you will tend to cruise 40mph corners you’ve taken before at 60mph. Only then do you realise the potential that this car has. And that 205 GTi trait of lift-off-oversteer very much remains. Thankfully it is much more secure and manageable. Many 205 owners will tell you about the days they ended up facing the wrong way or worse, in a ditch. If however, at any point, you think your pants are going brown, the 4 disc brake set up with scrub off speed with alarmingly little fuss.

    The power pack in the 208 is a superb piece of engine. All the power of 208 horses comes in at 6000rpm while 300Nm of torque are there from only 3000rpm. This is puzzling because it does feel nearer 4000rpm when on the move. Change down a gear and then you find it at 3000rpm. The 6 speed gearbox has ratios that require chopping and changing. The throw of the gear shift is way to long in throw though. I’m sure a short throw shift could reduce the 0-60 time by 1/2 a second. It would also add to the already adrenaline fuelled eagerness.

    What was annoying was the boom from the exhaust at low revs and at 3000rpm on the motorway. The 208 suggests a gear on the screen and should you wish to get optimal fuel economy it might make sense. Ignore it, take it up another 500 rpm from the 1900rpm when it suggests and you will enjoy the exhaust note. Or keep it in 5th gear until you really need sixth and the boom vanishes but the fun and snappy throttle responses remains.

    I want one. I don’t think I would tire of it with its hard ride either. In this stripped down form it does what a car should do and that is allow YOU to drive it by human thought and not the computer. I almost forgot, it returns pretty good fuel economy too.

    Likes
    Price
    Very intimate
    No frills just thrills

    Loathes
    Some finishing details are poor
    Long throw of gear stick
    Boom from exhaust at low revs

    The Lowdown
    Car – Peugeot 208 GTi Peugeot Sport edition
    Price – £22,595 (as tested)
    MPG – 35.3mpg (combined)
    Power – 208 bhp 6000 rpm
    0-62mph – 6.5 seconds
    Top Speed – 143 mph
    Co2 – 125 (g/km)

    Find out more http://www.peugeot.co.uk/