- Doors and Seats
3 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.6T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
147kW, 275Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 5.9L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Peugeot 208 GTi first drive review
The French have a flair for hot-hatches - and the new Peugeot 208 GTi is no exception.
The company says the new 208 pocket rocket encompasses the spirit of the original 205 GTi, but in doing so it seemingly admits that everything between that car - which came out 29 years ago - and the new version, released this week, must have been rubbish. Apologies to any 306 GTi and 206 GTi and 207 GTi owners.
Under the bonnet of the new model is a fizzy 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engine, which is mated exclusively to a six-speed manual transmission.
With 147kW and 275Nm, the engine is at the peak of its field in terms of outputs. And on the road it's a lively little thing that revs freely, with excellent push from low in the rev range and a zippy nature. The six-speed manual offers smooth shifts, and the clutch action is well weighted.
The 208 GTi's fuel use claim is 5.9L/100km, and we saw 8.0L/100km in a 125km stint of spirited driving in the Gold Coast hinterland.
Peugeot says it worked hard to make the 208 GTi sound exciting from the driver's seat, but we found it slightly boomy at higher revs. In most situations, though, it's a quiet thing, with a slightly sporty exhaust note under medium throttle.
There's no denying this is a fun little car. And the fun factor is increased by the tiny, go kart-like steering wheel, which sits low (you look over the top of it to see the instrument dials) and offers a good amount of feel and feedback to the driver's hands. The steering may not be quite as lively as, say, a Mini Cooper S, but it turns in to corners well and reacts quickly on the fly. On top of that, there's little in the way of understeer (where the car pushes straight on in corners), nor is there much torque steer (where the steering wheel writhes in your hands under acceleration).
The 208 GTi's suspension displays excellent body control over big bumps, and while the ride is firm and little inconsistencies are noticeable, we never found it uncomfortable. What is slightly unlovable is the tyre roar, of which there is plenty on coarse chip surfaces.
Inside, the 208 GTi offers a sporty - yet functional - space. There's a pair of sculpted part-leather bucket seats to hold you in place through the twisty stuff, and the red lights around the dials and red-to-black plastics on the door and dash trims look funky, as does the high-mounted cluster and simple to use media an sat-nav system. The fact there are two USB inputs is great, but if you prefer CDs, there's bad news - there isn't a CD player.
There is a good amount of loose item storage up front, the door pockets are big and the 311 litre boot is excellent for a car of this size - and it contains a full-size spare alloy wheel.
The 208 has a clever interior layout, with a recessed dashboard allowing the passenger to slide a fair way forward to allow or taller rear seat passengers. Admittedly, those occupants wouldn't want to be too tall, as the kneeroom in the rear is a tad tight if there are taller bodies up front.
All in all, Peugeot has developed a thoroughly entertaining and liveable hot-hatch - one that, while it may not have the character of the old 205, still has plenty of charm about it. We can't wait to see what it's like against the new Ford Fiesta ST.