Peugeot Sport 208 GTI: PH Fleet
We think it's the best small hot hatch on sale, but how will the 208 fare with new rivals on the way?
Yet it's all still to play for in supermini hot hatch territory. If you're looking for a 200hp pocket rocket, there's a new Ford Fiesta ST coming, another Volkswagen Polo GTI, the Toyota Yaris GRMN, the Mini John Cooper Works, the Renault Sport Clio and, last but not least, the 208 GTI by Peugeot Sport. We thought the latter was an absolute riot when we first drove it, and it's currently our pick of the supermini hot hatches; with so many new rivals on the horizon, what better time to get one in the PH playground?
Some might consider the 208 GTI a bit long in the tooth now, having been on sale for three years and with those aforementioned rivals waiting in the wings. Yet we feel our mildly refreshed welterweight will stand its ground, and we'll do our best to find out how it compares with our time in KR67 DHD.
With Matt bidding farewell to the last of the naturally aspirated hot hatches earlier this year, we are well acquainted with turbocharged shopping cars by now. The little Peugeot's peppy 1.6 produces 208hp at 6,000rpm and 221lb ft at 3,000rpm, delivering 62mph in a swift 6.5 seconds. It shares the same 'Prince' engine block that we saw in the previous generation Mini John Cooper Works, so it's been a proven recipe for a while now. With a six-speed manual gearbox and standard limited-slip diff, the mechanical package is very exciting.
Peugeot let me choose the colour, so obviously I went for the shouty Orange Power. If you're going to have a hot hatch, it may as well stand out, right? They insisted on ticking all of the option boxes (all three of them), bringing the list price of £23,550 up to a total of £24,250 as tested. Or more importantly for today's consumer, a car that can be had for around £250 per month.
First impressions are really good. I think it's great to look at, especially since Peugeot de-chromed it during the refresh and changed the seats. It's a really good place to be inside with an intuitive infotainment system, decent speakers and those seats are really comfy too. The driving position was awkward at first, having to find the right height adjustment of both seat and steering wheel to look over the top of the wheel instead of through it. It's akin to the set up in a Caterham Seven, so since finding the sweet spot, it feels even better.
The first few hundred miles have been taken fairly steadily on my 100-mile round trip commute to the office to let everything settle in, so I'll report back soon on what it's actually like to drive. But I think it's fair to say, the next six months are going to be very enjoyable and I'm resenting the thought of having to give it back already.
FACT SHEET
Car: 2017 Peugeot 208 GTI by Peugeot Sport
Run by: Ben
On fleet since: November 2017
Mileage: 877 (delivered on 139)
List price new: £23,550 (As tested £24,250 comprising £250 for Peugeot Connect SOS & Assistance, £250 for Active City Brake and £200 for Reversing Camera)
I really like the Clio 200T but i do agree that you need to spend a fair bit of time in one to appreciate it. It's got some hidden depths to it, that takes time to extract, whereas the Fiesta is an instant riot and reveals it's character within minutes of driving the thing.
I'm actually worried for the new Fiesta. It now seems more complex and configurable and i don't personally like that. I'm more of a just get-in-and-go kinda guy with hot-hatches. I'm not a missive advocate of 3-cylinder engines either, but i've not driven many of them so i will hold judgement for now.
But from what i’ve read and watched these Peugeot Sport 208 GTi’s are something pretty tasty, think moden day Clio 200 Cup. Either way i’am looking forward to the next 6 months.
There’s also the Performance Packed Corsa VXR aswell which has the similar hardware. Just say’in :P
Looks good though, it will be interesting to see how you get on.
Really sad that these haven't done well, or at least as well as the ST. I had the ST and loved it but I honestly kept wondering if I would've liked the 208 more.
I seem to remember trying to get a test drive in one being like having a tooth removed, all the Peugeot dealers didn't have one or didn't want anyone trying one.
The 208 GTI's may be even cheaper. It's the exterior styling that doesn't sit right with me, i think. This particular one looks fantastic but many of the earlier versions just look way too plain, even compared to the Ford. They do have a better stance as standard and probably the perfect size for a hot-hatch.
I managed to get one via Renault Warrington but it was an absolute farce of a test drive and extremely unorganised.
Looks good though, it will be interesting to see how you get on.
Especially appropriate when you consider the 205 GTI would have been the equivalent of £18k in 1986 if you allow for inflation....
I have the same including colour just a year older. Bit stiff day to day especially when cold.
Great fun when pushing on though.
At £170/month not sure you could have more fun for less.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1702219
I think they make a nice-looking car without going too aggressive. One thing that would swing it for me is the ride - good as it is on track, the Fiesta is pretty brutally hard,
I think they make a nice-looking car without going too aggressive. One thing that would swing it for me is the ride - good as it is on track, the Fiesta is pretty brutally hard,
See, i never got all the complaints about the harsh low-speed ride on the Fiesta at all. It actually felt more compliant than my Scirocco i had at the time, with 35mm lowering springs installed all-round. I reckon that the styling on most of the B-segment hot-hatches are fairly conservative.
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