The Peugeot 208 is hardly a car that was crying out for an update but that hasn’t stopped the French carmaker from unveiling a facelifted version of the popular hatch. The updates extend far beyond the visuals as well, giving the new model the potential to be even more popular than the car it replaces.
Peugeot’s designers started their work by tweaking the front fascia of the 208. To do so, they have given it the same light signature as debuted on the 9X8 Hypercar consisting of three long vertical light claws stretching down and over the gloss black bumper inserts. All variants of the 208 get these new lights but in the GT, they extend further into the full LED headlights which have also been updated.
Elsewhere, the facelifted 208 receives a new LED light bar with “three juxtaposed red claws.” All versions of the 208 come standard with gloss black mirrors while shoppers will be able to choose between seven body colors consisting of Agueda Yellow, Selenium Grey, Artense Grey, Perla Black, Banquise White, Elixir Red, and Vertigo Blue. The GT version adds black wheel arches and an optional black roof.
Rounding out the visual updates are new 16-inch and 17-inch wheel designs, new lettering on the front, side and rear, and a tweaked interior with new seat fabrics including black Alcantara with Adamite Green stitching. The interior upgrades don’t stop there. A 10-inch digital gauge cluster comes standard on Allure and GT models while a 10-inch infotainment screen is now found across the entire 208 range. The steering wheel has also been updated with the new Peugeot logo and models equipped with the six-speed manual transmission get a new shift knob.
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Peugeot has also equipped the new 208 with its i-Connect system as standard while the i-Connect Advanced infotainment system is offered as an option. Both are controlled through the new 10-inch display that includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Allure and GT models also come with 3 USB-C sockets, a more powerful wireless charger, and high-definition front and rear parking cameras.
Then we get to the powertrains. Perhaps the most important 208 of them all, the all-electric E-208, comes equipped with a 51 kWh battery pack and an electric motor with 156 hp. It is good for 400 km (248 miles) of range on the WLTP cycle and as standard includes a 7.4 kW single-phase charger while an 11 kW three-phase charger is available as an option. The battery can charge from 20% to 80% in less than 25 minutes from a fast charger.
Those not looking to pick up the keys to an EV will be able to buy the 208 in either hybrid or ICE guises. Hybrid models see a 48-volt system paired with the company’s PureTech 100 hp and 136 hp petrol engines while the ICE models consist of a 1.2-liter 3-cylinder with 75 hp and a 1.2-liter 3-cylinder with 100 hp. The PureTech 75 has a 5-speed manual gearbox while the PureTech 100 is equipped with a 6-speed manual.
Plenty of safety features also come standard across the range including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, active lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and a driver attention alert system.
Peugeot has not yet announced the pricing or availability details of the new 208 and E-208.
