Peugeot has form in the small car class, and the 208 is the latest in a long line of appealing superminis. The Peugeot 208 is also the most diverse iteration of a Peugeot hatchback, available with petrol, hybrid and fully electric powertrains. We’re reviewing the petrol and hybrid car here, you can read our separate Peugeot e-208 review.

Competition is still fierce in the supermini class, even if the power vacuum left by the class-leading Ford Fiesta hasn’t been filled yet. It’s obvious French rivals, the Citroen C3 and Renault Clio are both formidable foes, while the Skoda Fabia is a cracking example of a small car. Peugeot is also part of the Stellantis Group, which means it shares parts and underpinnings with another rival, the Vauxhall Corsa. Tough crowd.

To distinguish itself from the pack, Peugeot has moved its range upmarket in recent years, offering plusher interiors and stronger equipment levels than rivals. There’s certainly no denying it’s a radical and rather handsome car inside and out, especially after a styling update in 2024.

For those who want a petrol 208, the choices of power output are two 100hp options (one hybrid powertrain and one straight petrol) and a hybrid that produces 130hp. Performance differs far more than the fuel consumption, as you’ll see when you read on. The pure petrol gets a six-speed manual gearbox, the hybrids all get six-speed automatics.

There are currently only two trim levels to pick between, Allure and GT. Both offer strong equipment levels for a supermini, including automatic air conditioning, automatic air conditioning, alloy wheels and cruise control. GT trim also includes a wireless phone charger and ambient lighting on top. A new trim – named Style – will launch in 2025 as the base spec of the 208 range. It’ll even offer steel wheels and manual air conditioning.  

Click through the next few pages to read everything you need to know about the Peugeot 208 including its practicality, its interior, how much it costs to run, what it’s like to drive – and the most important answer – would we recommend buying one.

If you’d like to learn more about how we reached our verdict on the Peugeot 208, head over to our how we test cars explainer page. Or, if you’d prefer to watch our opinion rather than read it, scroll down for our Peugeot 208 video review.

Watch our Peugeot 208 video review